Capture phone numbers on shared Google Sheets (fast, trackable, and self‑serve)

If you need to collect phone numbers before someone can view a Google Sheet, Send makes it simple. This guide shows how to gate your Sheet for phone capture, steer readers to key answers with AI, and see exactly who engaged so follow‑ups are faster and calls are better.

When this is useful

Use this workflow when you share Sheets externally and want a clean, reliable way to capture contact details and understand engagement.

You want to require phone number (with name and email) before viewing
You want recipients to get instant answers without back‑and‑forth
You care about identity, location, device, and time viewed to prioritize follow‑ups
You want a single, stable link you can update over time without resending

Step‑by‑step

1. Add your Google Sheet to Send

Open Send and click New Document, then paste your Google Sheets URL. If you use the Chrome extension, click the blue "Add to Send" button on your Sheet. Your content opens inside Send with AI Chat alongside it so recipients can ask questions right away.

2. Turn on a viewer gate with phone capture

In Link Settings, require name, email, and phone before viewing. Optionally hide content until the form is completed so the Sheet stays private until viewers identify themselves. In your share note, tell people “There’s AI chat inside—ask anything.”

3. Steer attention with Suggested Questions

Add prompts like “What’s included?”, “Pricing options?”, and “Next steps?”. Suggested Questions appear at the bottom of the page and jump readers straight to answers so they do less hunting and you get more focused engagement.

Why this is faster with Send

Send gives your Sheets share a guided, trackable experience that shortens cycles.

AI Chat answers questions instantly so people self‑serve on their own time
Suggested Questions direct attention to pricing, guarantees, timelines, and next steps
Analytics show who viewed, where they came from, device, time viewed, and the AI questions they asked
You get an email when someone opens, plus webhook triggers for downstream CRM updates

Troubleshooting & tips

A few common blockers and how to fix them.

Gate not appearing or content visible early

Double‑check Link Settings. Make sure name, email, and phone are required, and enable “hide content until completed” if you want a hard gate.

Low gate completion

When you already know the recipient, use a personalized link with a custom slug so viewers don’t need to fill a form. Keep the full gate for unknown visitors.

People miss AI Chat

In your share message, explicitly mention that the link includes AI chat for instant answers. Engagement rises when recipients know they can ask questions.

Need to include case studies or a calendar link

Attach an AI Profile. Configure it so when someone asks for case studies or a meeting, AI returns your curated links on demand without cluttering the page up front.

Updating content without changing the link

Replace files under the same Send link. Viewers always see the latest version and you avoid version confusion.

Integrations & automation (webhooks)

If you want activities in your CRM automatically, turn on webhooks.

Trigger on document open or any link open across your Send workspace
Pipe events to Clay, Zapier, or Make to create or update contacts, attach activities, route alerts to owners, and kick off sequences when a phone number is captured

Privacy and controls

Control access and protect sensitive materials in a few clicks.

Require name, email, and phone before viewing
Optionally hide content until completion for a true pre‑view gate
Disable downloading and printing for confidential content
Keep one URL by replacing files under the same link whenever you update
Use personalized links with custom slugs when you already know the recipient

What good looks like (QA checklist)

Run through this quick list before sharing.

Gate requires name, email, and phone before viewing
Share note says “There’s AI chat inside—ask anything”
Suggested Questions cover pricing, implementation timeline, and next steps
Download and print disabled if the Sheet includes sensitive information
Webhooks connected to your CRM so captured details immediately create or update a contact

FAQ

How does Send speed up follow‑ups on Google Sheets shares?

Send adds AI Chat and Suggested Questions so recipients self‑serve answers instantly. You also see who viewed, where from, and what they asked, so you can prioritize outreach with context and shorten cycles.

Can I require a phone number specifically?

Yes. In Link Settings, add phone to the viewer gate along with name and email. You can also hide the content until the form is completed.

What analytics do I get on a Sheet link?

You’ll see the viewer’s provided info, location, device, total time viewed, and their AI questions. PDFs include page‑level time, shown as a bar chart of attention by page.

Can I update content without changing the link?

Yes. Replace files under the same Send link so the URL stays stable and viewers always see the latest.

Can I push captured phone numbers into my CRM?

Yes. Use webhooks to send document‑open and link‑open events—along with form data—to Clay, Zapier, or Make for contact creation, activity logging, and alerts.

Try Send today to capture phone numbers on Google Sheets and move deals faster at Send.co.