What it does
Sends you a text message via SMS whenever someone @mentions you in a Google Docs or Notion comment, ensuring you never miss urgent feedback or questions buried in shared documents.
Why I recommend it
Email notifications for document comments get lost in inbox noise, and people expect faster responses for @mentions. SMS alerts ensure you catch time-sensitive feedback when it actually matters.
Expected benefits
- Instant awareness of urgent document feedback
- Faster response to stakeholder questions
- No missed approvals or blockers
- Better collaboration on time-sensitive docs
How it works
Comment added to Google Docs/Notion with @mention -> webhook triggers automation -> check if your name is mentioned -> send SMS via Twilio with commenter name, document link, and comment preview.
Quick start
Set up Google Docs notifications to forward to a dedicated email address. Use email-to-SMS or Zapier to convert mentions into texts. Test with a few documents before rolling out broadly.
Level-up version
Add smart filtering: only send SMS for urgent documents (proposals, board decks) or specific keywords like “urgent” or “approval needed.” Include comment context and suggest responses. Batch multiple comments into one digest text.
Tools you can use
Documents: Google Docs, Notion, Confluence
SMS: Twilio, Vonage, GoHighLevel SMS
Automation: Zapier, Make, n8n
Notifications: Slack as fallback for non-urgent
Also works with
Document platforms: Microsoft Word Online, Dropbox Paper, Coda
Messaging: Slack DM, Teams message for less urgent
Phone: native phone integrations, WhatsApp Business
Technical implementation solution
- No-code: Google Docs comment trigger (via email or add-on) -> filter for @mentions -> Zapier sends SMS via Twilio with document name and commenter.
- API-based: Google Docs API or Notion webhook -> parse comment for mentions -> match to user phone number in directory -> Twilio API send SMS with comment text and doc link.
Where it gets tricky
Avoiding SMS spam when you’re mentioned frequently, extracting clean comment text without formatting issues, handling mentions in resolved/deleted comments, and managing costs for high-volume teams.
