To get email alerts when important documents are viewed, turn on notifications for the share link (first view, completion, downloads, high engagement, forwarding). The goal is simple: you find out when someone is reading so you can follow up while it’s fresh.
Quick steps (2 minutes)
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Create a share link for your document.
Result: You have a trackable URL. -
Turn on the email alerts you care about (recommended defaults below).
Result: You’ll get notifications as events happen. -
Send the link and watch for the first alert.
Result: You can follow up based on a real signal, not a guess.
Recommended alert settings (most teams)
- First view: on
- Completion: on
- Download: on
- High engagement: on (set a threshold like 10+ minutes)
- Forwarding / new viewers: on
- Unopened reminder: 3 days (optional)
Step-by-step: set alerts that don’t overwhelm you
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Decide which documents are “high priority” (big deals, sensitive docs).
Result: You know which links deserve real-time alerts. -
Enable alerts on those share links only.
Why it matters: If every doc pings you, you’ll ignore notifications.
Result: Alerts stay high-signal. -
Use a simple response playbook:
- First view → send a short “available for questions” email
- Completion / high engagement → call or send a focused follow-up
- Download / forwarding → ask who else is involved (or tighten access)
Result: Each alert has a clear next action.
Troubleshooting
- Too many alerts: disable “first view” for lower-priority docs and keep “completion/high engagement” only.
- You’re getting anonymous alerts: require email verification on the link to identify viewers.
- You follow up and they feel “watched”: avoid saying “I saw you opened it.” Instead: “Wanted to make sure you had what you need and answer any questions.”
Quick checklist (copy/paste)
- Alerts enabled on the right share link
- High engagement threshold set (e.g., 10+ minutes)
- Email verification enabled (if identity matters)
- “What do I do next?” playbook defined for each alert type