control list 36 is generated by an identity management system 38 from a plurality of user profiles created during a universal registration process discussed in further detail below finally each document 30 imported into a sub folder 32 has a document share list 40 associated with it to obtain access to the web based data collaboration tool 10 each user must create a user profile through a universal registration process in which the user must enter at the least their name and the name of their corporate partner in addition the user must select a user nationality that is whether he is a united states national or a foreign national based upon the information stored in the user profile an identity management system grants access to appropriate level one folders 34 this means the identity management system includes the user on the appropriate level one folder 39 s access control lists and assigns a role to each user this role determines what each user can do to a document for example if a user 14 is assigned a view role the user can only view or download documents other roles include but are not limited to edit and update roles the edit role allows the user to import view download and update documents while the update role allows the user to import view download update and delete documents once the user has obtained access through the identity management system the user may view download import update and or delete documents based upon the role assigned to each user during the universal registration process when a document 30 is imported into the web based data collaboration tool 10 a document importer.