Linked Services

Overview

Linked Services point to content hosted outside OSF—with a verified and secure connection. Acting like lightweight integrations, they help keep research materials visible and traceable—without requiring full account linking like traditional OSF Add-ons.

What Makes Linked Services Different than Addons?

Adding a Linked Service

Follow these steps to add a Linked Service to your OSF Project or Component:

1. Navigate to the relevant OSF Project or Component.
2. In the top-right corner, click Add-ons to open the Add-ons management page.
3. On the left-hand side, select the Add-on tab.
4. Click Connect to begin the setup.
5. Follow the step-by-step prompts to authorize and configure the Linked Service. Each service may ask different questions, but the process is consistent.
6. After completion, you’ll see a confirmation message and be returned to the Add-ons page.

Your Linked Service will now appear in:

• The Linked Service tab (visible to all contributors and viewers)
• The Add-ons configuration page (visible to contributors only)

Viewing a Linked Service

Once connected, your Linked Service will appear in the Linked Service panel:

• Clicking the name opens the linked resource in a new tab
• Viewers and contributors can access links from the sidebar

Permissions and Limitations

• Only one Linked Service per external service (e.g., Dataverse) can be added per project/component
• Admins and write contributors can add a Linked Service
• Only the admin or the original contributor who created the link can edit or delete it

Managing Linked Services

You can manage existing Linked Service from either the Linked Service tab or the Add-ons management page.

Option 1: From the Linked Service Tab

1. Go to the Linked Service tab in the sidebar
2. Click the green Edit button beside the link
3. You’ll be redirected to the Add-ons page to reconfigure it

Option 2: From the Add-ons Page

1. Click Add-ons in the top-right of your project or component
2. Select the Linked Service tab
3. Click the Connected tab
4. Click Edit next to the Linked Service you want to update

Editing Process

• The configuration flow mirrors the original setup
• You can update the name, URL, and other service-specific fields
• You’ll receive a green confirmation message when the update is successful