How to share a PDF with multiple people and track views

Upload one PDF, create a separate HummingDeck link for each recipient, and compare recorded views and page activity.

02:34 min

Track your PDFWatch on YouTube

Chapters

  1. 00:00One PDF, separate recipient links
  2. 00:11Upload your PDF
  3. 00:24Create the first link
  4. 00:45Send a different link to each person
  5. 01:02The recipient experience
  6. 01:12Get notified when someone opens it
  7. 01:28Compare recorded opens
  8. 01:44Check page activity
  9. 02:09Understand link identity
  10. 02:20Try it with your own document

Before you start

  • You need a HummingDeck account and a PDF up to 100 MB.
  • Page-level analytics start on Starter. Free workspaces have five active standalone document links across the workspace; paid link limits apply per document.
  • Anyone with the link lets recipients view without a HummingDeck account. For access through an approved, verified inbox, use Restricted on Pro or Business.

Follow the steps

  1. Upload the PDF

    Open your Library, choose Add document, and upload your PDF. Wait for processing to finish, then open the document.

  2. Create recipient links

    Choose New link, keep Personal Link selected, and leave access set to Anyone with the link for the workflow shown. Add the first recipient's name and email, keep Notify me when viewed on, and select Generate Link. Repeat for each recipient. The name and email label the link; entering them does not send a message.

  3. Send each link

    Copy each person's URL into your email or chat message to that person. Every link opens the same PDF, with recorded activity kept separate. An open link can be forwarded, so activity is attributed to the link's intended recipient rather than proving who used it.

  4. Check views

    Return to the document's Links tab to compare recorded view counts and the last-viewed time for each link. Notify me when viewed sends an email when a view is recorded. Slack view notifications are available on Pro and Business.

  5. Inspect page activity

    Open Analytics and select a recipient under All Contacts. Page Engagement shows recorded activity for that recipient's link. Clear the selected contact before choosing another to compare them. Page-level analytics require Starter or above; recorded page time is an engagement signal, not proof that someone read or agreed with the content.

Transcript

Read the transcript

00:00One PDF, separate recipient links

You're sending the same PDF to three people. Here's how to give each person a separate link, then check the views and pages opened.

00:11Upload your PDF

In HummingDeck, open your Library and choose Add document. Upload your PDF, wait for processing to finish, then open the document. We'll use this five-page proposal.

00:24Create the first link

Click New link. Keep Personal Link selected, and leave access set to Anyone with the link. Add Sarah's name and email. These details label the link for Sarah; they don't send her an email. Leave Notify me when viewed on, then click Generate Link.

00:45Send a different link to each person

Copy the link into your message to Sarah. Then create a new link for Daniel, and another for Priya. Send each person their own URL. All three links open the same PDF, with activity kept separate.

01:02The recipient experience

Here's Sarah's view. She opens the link in her browser and moves through the PDF. With this access setting, she doesn't need a HummingDeck account.

01:12Get notified when someone opens it

The moment she opens the link, you get an email. Because Notify me when viewed was on, it names the viewer and shows her device. On Pro and Business, Notify via Slack sends an alert to Slack too.

01:28Compare recorded opens

Later, return to the document's Links tab. In this example, Sarah's link has two views, Daniel's has one, and Priya's has none recorded. You can also see when each link was last viewed.

01:44Check page activity

To see which pages were opened, switch to Analytics. Under All Contacts, select Sarah. Page Engagement now shows the recorded activity for her link. Here, the pricing page has the most recorded time. Clear Sarah before selecting Daniel to compare their activity. Page-level analytics start on Starter.

02:09Understand link identity

These results belong to the links you sent. An open link can be forwarded. For verified email access, use Restricted on Pro or Business.

02:20Try it with your own document

Upload once, create a link for each recipient, and check the activity. Try it with your own document using the link below.

Related learning

Track your PDF