Sales teams use DocSend to see when prospects open proposals and which sections they spend time on. This data helps you follow up at the right moment.
Ellty offers similar tracking features with a free plan that includes 50 documents. No credit card needed to start. Both tools help sales teams understand buyer engagement.
Why sales teams use document tracking
You send a proposal. Then silence. Did they open it? Are they interested? Without tracking, you're guessing when to follow up.
Document tracking shows you:
- When someone opens your proposal
- Which pages they view
- How long they spend on each section
- If they forward it to others
- When they return to view it again
This data tells you when and how to follow up.
DocSend features for sales
Real-time notifications
Get alerts when prospects open your documents. The notification shows who opened it and when. You can call while they're looking at your proposal.
Page-by-page analytics
See which sections get the most attention. If they spend 5 minutes on pricing but skip the implementation timeline, you know what to address in your follow-up.
Link controls
Set expiration dates. Require email verification. Add passwords. Disable downloading. Control who sees what and for how long.
Team spaces
Share documents with your sales team. Everyone sees the same analytics. No more "did the client open the proposal?" Slack messages.
One-click NDAs
Add NDAs that prospects must accept before viewing. DocSend tracks who agreed and when.
Setting up DocSend for sales
- Upload your sales materials - Drag PDFs into DocSend. Most teams upload proposals, contracts, and case studies.
- Create trackable links - Click "Create Link" for each document. Customize settings like email verification or expiration.
- Organize in spaces - Create folders for different deal stages: Proposals, Contracts, Case Studies.
- Set up integrations - Connect DocSend to your CRM. Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive work natively.
- Configure notifications - Choose email or Slack alerts. Set up daily summaries or instant notifications.
What to track in sales documents
Proposals - Which sections do they read? Do they share with decision makers? How many times do they return?
Contracts - Time spent on terms. Whether they download. Who else views it.
Case studies - Which examples resonate. Reading patterns. Engagement levels.
Pricing sheets - Time on each tier. Comparison behavior. Return visits.
Using the data
Follow-up timing
Prospect spent 10 minutes on your proposal? Call within an hour. They opened it for 30 seconds? Wait a day and send a gentler nudge.
Personalized outreach
"I noticed you spent time reviewing our enterprise features. Let me answer any questions about implementation."
Internal collaboration
Share viewing data with your team. If finance pages get heavy views, loop in your pricing specialist.
Deal prioritization
Prospects who spend more time in documents close at higher rates. Focus on engaged viewers.
Common sales workflows
Initial outreach → Send pitch deck → Track opens → Follow up based on engagement
Discovery call → Send personalized proposal → Monitor sections viewed → Address specific concerns
Negotiation → Share contract → Watch for legal team involvement → Prepare for questions
Closing → Send final documents → Track signatures → Ensure all stakeholders viewed
DocSend pricing for sales teams
- Personal - $15/user/month - Basic tracking, unlimited documents
- Standard - $65/month (3 users) - Team features, CRM integration
- Advanced - $250/month - Custom branding, advanced security
- Enterprise - Custom pricing - SSO, API access, SLAs
Most sales teams need at least Standard for CRM integration and team collaboration. More about DocSend pricing.
Integrations that matter
Salesforce - Viewing data appears in deal records. Track engagement without leaving Salesforce.
HubSpot - Automatic activity logging. Create tasks based on document views.
Slack - Real-time alerts in team channels. Collaborate on hot leads instantly.
Gmail - Send DocSend links directly. Track opens from your email workflow.
Limitations to consider
DocSend doesn't show individual user behavior within a forwarded document. If someone forwards your link, you see aggregate data, not individual viewer details.
No built-in e-signature. You'll need DocuSign or similar for signatures.
Limited customization on lower tiers. Your documents will have DocSend branding unless you pay for Advanced.
Best practices for sales teams
Name links clearly - "Acme Corp - Proposal v2" not "Proposal_final_final"
Set appropriate expiration - Long enough for decision making, short enough to create urgency
Use email verification - Know exactly who's viewing sensitive proposals
Track everything - Even "throwaway" documents provide buyer intent data
Review analytics weekly - Patterns emerge over time that inform your sales process
Alternatives for sales teams
If you need a free option to test document tracking, Ellty includes 50 documents on their free plan.
PandaDoc combines proposals with e-signatures but costs more. Clearslide focuses on sales presentations. Each tool has different strengths depending on your sales process. Explore more DocSend alternatives.
Document tracking changes how sales teams operate. Instead of guessing about buyer interest, you see actual engagement data. DocSend provides this visibility, though the cost adds up for larger teams. Start with a trial to see if the insights justify the price for your sales process.
