Decide whether you are sending a copy or a link
You add an invoice to an Outlook message, but your accountant receives a OneDrive link instead of a file. It works on your computer, while on theirs it may open an access request. First decide whether you want to send a specific PDF copy or give access to a document stored in the cloud.
Microsoft supports both methods. With a copy, the recipient receives a file; with a link, they access a shared document and their permissions matter. Later changes to the copy do not sync with the original on OneDrive.
Choose the method according to the recipient’s needs
If you need to hand over the original PDF for processing, confirm whether your accountant expects a file. If they need ongoing use of a shared folder, agreed access to that folder makes sense. The document name in the message alone does not tell you which route you used.
With a link, also check downloading if that is part of your agreement. The settings that let your accountant view a document in a browser may differ from those needed to save their own copy.
To send a copy, use the option for your version of Outlook
In new Outlook, after selecting a cloud document, you choose between a link and a copy. For a link already inserted, the menu also offers attaching it as a copy. Classic Outlook calls this option Attach as copy. In Outlook on the web, you can attach a saved PDF by browsing files on your computer.
First check which version you use; Microsoft separates the instructions into tabs. In Outlook on the web, open a new message or reply, select Attach → Browse this computer, choose the local PDF and select Open. This attaches a copy of the file. These labels, including Attach as copy, are from the English interface and differ in other languages.
Instructions for new, classic and web Outlook →
Before sending, open the selected file and compare the document number and period. Also check the draft after changing a link to a copy, so that it does not contain two different ways of handing over the same document without an explanation.
The copy and shared original can diverge later
In an illustrative example, Roman sends his accountant a PDF as a copy. Later, the supplier issues a corrected document and Roman saves it to OneDrive. The accountant still has the originally sent copy.
Roman therefore sends the new document with a clear note identifying the original handover it belongs to. He does not assume that changing the file in the folder also changed the old email attachment.
When sending a link, check access with the recipient
If your agreement calls for a link, the document owner checks the recipient and permissions for the specific file. Do not send a public link simply as a quick fix for missing access. If company rules do not permit that sharing, agree on an approved handover method with the administrator.
For example, write: ‘I am sending a PDF copy of invoice number X for the stated period’ or ‘I am sending the agreed link to document X; please confirm that you can open and download it.’ The recipient then knows what to expect, and you can verify the handover against a specific result.