DocSend's main feature is document analytics. You share a link, and you see who opens it, what pages they read, and how long they spend.
Ellty offers similar document tracking with real-time notifications when someone opens your files. But let's focus on how DocSend analytics work.
What DocSend tracks
When someone opens your document, DocSend records:
- Date and time of visit
- Visitor email (if required)
- Location (city level)
- Time spent on each page
- Total viewing time
- Download attempts
- Device type
- Forward tracking
You access this data from your DocSend dashboard under each document's analytics tab.
Understanding the analytics dashboard
The main metrics you'll see:
Visit count - How many times your link was opened. One person can create multiple visits.
Visitor count - Unique people who viewed your document. DocSend uses cookies and IP addresses to estimate this.
Average time - How long people spend in your document on average.
Completion rate - Percentage of people who viewed all pages.
Page-by-page analytics
This is where DocSend shines. You see exactly which pages get attention.
The page analytics show:
- Time spent per page
- Skip rate
- Most viewed pages
- Drop-off points
If people spend 30 seconds on your pricing slide but skip your team slide, you know what matters to them.
Visitor details
Click on any visit to see:
- Exact pages viewed
- Time on each page
- Viewing pattern
- Device and browser
- Location
If you required email, you'll see their email address. Without email requirement, you get anonymous visits.
Real-time notifications
DocSend can notify you when someone opens your document. Set this up in Settings > Notifications.
You can get:
- Email alerts
- Desktop notifications
- Mobile push (through browser)
Useful for time-sensitive documents like proposals or contracts.
Link controls that affect analytics
Email verification - Requires visitors to enter email before viewing. You get their email in analytics.
Passcode protection - Adds security but doesn't affect tracking.
Expiration date - Link stops working after set date. Historical analytics remain.
Download permissions - You see download attempts even if downloads are disabled.
Creating analytics reports
DocSend doesn't have built-in reporting. You need to:
- Go to each document
- View analytics
- Screenshot or copy data
- Create your own report
For team accounts, you can see aggregate analytics across all team documents.
Limitations of DocSend analytics
DocSend can't tell you:
- Who forwarded your link
- What happened after download
- Why someone stopped reading
- Screen recordings or screenshots
- Multiple people using one link
Privacy and analytics
Visitors don't know what you track unless you tell them. DocSend doesn't show any tracking notice.
Some organizations block DocSend for privacy reasons. Your document won't load for these users.
Tips for better analytics
Use descriptive link names - Instead of "Document", name it "Q3-Proposal-Acme-Corp"
Create separate links - Don't reuse links. Create new ones for different recipients.
Add page numbers - Helps you identify which pages get attention in analytics.
Test your documents - Send to yourself first. Make sure tracking works.
When analytics don't work
Sometimes you'll see no analytics data:
- Visitor using strict privacy browser
- Corporate firewall blocking DocSend
- JavaScript disabled
- Using wget or curl to access
These visits might show as anonymous or not at all.
That's how DocSend analytics work. You get detailed insights into document engagement, but you need to actively monitor and interpret the data. The analytics are only valuable if you use them to improve your documents and follow-up strategy.
