Getting started with HummingDeck

HummingDeck replaces an email attachment with a link you can manage and measure. The recipient opens the document in a browser. You can then see when it was opened, how far the viewer got, and which pages held attention.

The basic workflow

1. Open Document Library and select Upload document.
2. Upload a supported file or paste a supported Google Slides or Google Docs link.
3. Open the processed document and select Share.
4. Choose the link type and access settings that fit the recipient.
5. Copy the link into your email, CRM, direct message, or other outreach channel.
6. Return to Home or Analytics after the recipient opens it.

The default use case is external sharing. A document stays in your Library, while each recipient receives a share link rather than access to your workspace.

Use Home to reach your first view

An empty workspace opens Welcome so you can choose whether to upload a document or create a Room. After your first document upload, Home shows a compact Get your first view journey until a recipient opens a share link. It keeps the three milestones visible without turning the page into a long checklist:

1. Upload a document.
2. Create and send its share link.
3. Receive the first external view.

Only the current step includes guidance and a primary action. Continue where you left off links to up to three recently accessed documents or Rooms, so you can resume work without returning to the Library.

The Recommendations card remains available beside the journey. It introduces optional capabilities such as Rooms, Pipeline, custom domains, inviting coworkers, and the API. Its featured suggestion can change when you return to Home. Expand the card to open the suggested feature or start its setup directly. Recommendations are filtered to actions your workspace role can perform, and they are not required to finish the first-view journey.

After the first external view, Home becomes a workspace briefing:

• Highlights surfaces notable company and viewer engagement.
• Latest activity lists recent views, downloads, Room visits, MAP task actions, and discussion messages in time order. Discussion rows show who posted and which Room item the conversation belongs to, while the message itself stays in the discussion.
• Continue where you left off keeps recent documents and Rooms close by.

Workspaces that begin with a Room use this briefing once the Room exists. A fire icon marks stronger engagement intensity based on recent activity. It is not a prediction of purchase intent. Use it as a prompt to review the underlying activity before following up.

Choose the smallest useful sharing setup

For one document and one recipient, start with a document share link. Use a Personal link when you know the recipient, a Lead Magnet link when distributing content more widely, or a Proposal link when you want to capture a decision.

Create a Room when the buyer needs several documents, next steps, embedded content, or an ongoing discussion in one place. You do not need to build a Room for every share.

Read the first signals carefully

An open tells you the link was accessed. It does not prove the recipient read or agreed with the content. Look at several signals together:

• Time spent and completion show whether the document held attention.
• Page engagement shows where a viewer slowed down or left.
• Repeat visits can indicate renewed interest or internal circulation.
• Proposal responses record an explicit decision when that feature is enabled.

Automated scanners can open links before a person does. HummingDeck filters known bot activity, but no detection system can prove human intent from a single event. Use the activity as context for a timely, relevant follow-up.

Keep the link under your control

Unlike an attachment, a HummingDeck link can be revoked. Paid plans can also control downloads and add expiration dates. If the content is sensitive, use Restricted Access so only approved email addresses can open it after verification.

Where to go next

Learn how to upload and manage documents, choose a document access mode, or understand analytics.