FAQ: Google Drive - Can I Get An Email When Someone Looks At My File?

One of the most common Google Drive questions I receive, especially when training administrative staff, is whether you can be notified when someone opens a file you shared with them.

The short answer is no. 

The longer answer is that there are tools and techniques you can use to help track when someone makes changes to a document, or to ensure they open it in a timely manner.

Expiration Dates

When sharing the file in Google Drive, share with the recipient and then re-open the share menu. View where the file is already shared with the recipient select the timer icon next to the share type to set a limit for how long the recipient will have access to the file. You can then email the person to let them know what you’ve shared and when the due date is. You could also create a Google Calendar event set for the due date with the file attached to it from Drive and invite the recipient to it. [Note: The time limit feature is only available to business or education accounts only - not personal @gmail.com accounts.] 

Google Help Article: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9308784?hl=en 

Share - Can Comment

You could share the file with the recipient as the share type “Can Comment.” What this means is that:

• a.) any changes the recipient makes are temporary until you approve/reject them

• b.) all changes are color coded and have comment boxes floating next to them to make them easy to find

• c.) you will receive an email of the changes the recipient makes shortly after they make alterations to your file

If you know how this feature works, you could include an area on your document for reviewers to indicate that they have read through the file. If they place an X next to their name, if they are in the file as a commenter, you’ll get an email afterward. 

Viewer Statistics

You can open the file and click the statistics icon, which looks like a jagged arrow button at the top of the screen, to see who has viewed your file and when. BUT this only works for organizational Google accounts (EDU or business) AND the recipients will have needed to have opted in to let their view history in Drive be seen by other users.

Approvals

There is an approvals workflow feature in Drive that just left its beta testing phase, BUT this feature is only available for paid versions of Google Workspace. (So personal @gmail.com users and free EDU edition users would not have access.) 

Google Help Article: https://support.google.com/a/answer/9381067?hl=en