There are two methods we have seen for sharing keynote projects between firms, both have advantages and disadvantages depending on how you want to set up your projects and contracts:
- Separate Companies – This is the preferred method for the majority of situations. In this case, each firm sets up their own company account and pays for their own cloud seats. Whichever firm will be hosting the keynote project (usually the lead firm) will set up the project and invite the other firm to join it, either as a company or as individuals. This has the advantage that payment for cloud seats is for each independent firm and handled internally. It also has the advantage that the host firm can invite the other firm to join only one project instead of all projects for that firm.
- Cloud Account “Loans” – In this case, the primary firm puchases enough seats to cover its own users as well as the other company users for the duration of the project. Then the primary company simply creates user accounts (with desired permissions) for the other company users under their company account and sends the login information to the other company. When the project is complete, the primary company can remove the login accounts for the other company and use those seats for internal use, another contracted company, or simply let them lapse. This has the advantage of requiring only one purchase and does not require an invite/accept. However it has the disadvantage that other company accounts are seen as part of the current company so they can see ALL projects for the company. However in some work situations this may aleviate some ‘red tape’.