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Notis

Send a completed Google Doc follow-up to CommCare

Finish the document once, then let Notis send the follow-up form.

Trigger

Document Placeholder Filled

Triggers when a Google Doc's plain text changes such that a configured placeholder token/pattern is no longer present (i.e., the document has been filled in). This trigger monitors a specific Google Doc and fires when a placeholder pattern that was previously present is no longer found in the document's plain text.

Action

Submit Form to CommCare

Tool to submit an XForm to CommCare following the OpenRosa standard. Use when you need to submit form data with complete XML including required metadata fields (deviceID, timeStart, timeEnd, username, userID, instanceID).

Why this helps

Follow-up documents get completed but still wait in a queue for manual submission.

  • Catch completed follow-ups promptly
  • Avoid status-checking work
  • Preserve the document as the source record

Setup

Build it in a few focused steps.

  • 1Connect Google Docs and CommCare once.
  • 2Create an automation for completed follow-up documents.
  • 3In one instruction, tell Notis which placeholder completion means ready and how to build the XForm.
  • 4Pick Document Placeholder Filled as the trigger and select a report channel.
  • 5Test with one completed document.

Questions about this workflow

Does the placeholder have to be removed?

Yes. This trigger fires when the configured placeholder pattern is no longer present.

Can the original document be retained?

Yes. Notis can submit the form while leaving the source document unchanged.

When this happens · Trigger

Do this · Action

Supported Triggers and Actions

Notis builds workflows that link Google Docs to CommCare. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.

Google Docs triggers

CommCare actions

Recurring trigger

Notis starts this workflow on a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or during business hours.

TriggerScheduled

Create Lookup Table

Tool to create a new lookup table in a CommCare domain. Use when you need to set up reference data structures like product catalogs, price lists, or configuration tables. Requires 'Edit Apps' permission.

ActionInstant

Webhook trigger

Notis starts this workflow when an external tool or custom backend sends an HTTP request.

TriggerInstant

Create Web User Invitation

Tool to create an invitation for a new web user in CommCare. Use when you need to invite a user with specific role and permissions. Requires 'Edit Web Users & Edit Access API' permissions.

ActionInstant

New Document Created

Triggers when a new Google Doc is created. This trigger monitors Google Docs and fires when new documents are detected. Uses timestamp filtering to efficiently poll for new documents.

TriggerPolling

List Reports

Tool to retrieve available reports configured in a CommCare project. Use when you need to discover what reports exist before downloading report data via the Download Report Data API.

ActionInstant

Document Deleted

Triggers when an existing Google Doc is deleted (moved to trash). This trigger monitors Google Docs and fires when documents are trashed.

TriggerPolling

Single Sign On

Tool to validate login credentials and retrieve user profile for a mobile worker or web user. Use when you need to authenticate a user and obtain their profile information including roles, permissions, locations, and configuration details.

ActionInstant

Document Placeholder Filled

Triggers when a Google Doc's plain text changes such that a configured placeholder token/pattern is no longer present (i.e., the document has been filled in). This trigger monitors a specific Google Doc and fires when a placeholder pattern that was previously present is no longer found in the document's plain text.

TriggerPolling

Submit Form to CommCare

Tool to submit an XForm to CommCare following the OpenRosa standard. Use when you need to submit form data with complete XML including required metadata fields (deviceID, timeStart, timeEnd, username, userID, instanceID).

ActionInstant

Document Search Update

Triggers when a Google Doc matching a user-defined search query is newly created or updated since the last poll. This trigger uses timestamp filtering to efficiently monitor documents.

TriggerPolling

Submit Form ODK Compatible

Tool to submit form data using ODK-compatible endpoint for Android client compatibility. Use when submitting XForm data to CommCare. Requires properly formatted XML with metadata including unique instanceID.

ActionInstant

Document Structure Changed

Triggers when a Google Doc's structure changes (headers/footers added/removed, tables/images count changes). This trigger monitors a specific document for structural changes like: - Headers added or removed - Footers added or removed - Tables added or removed - Images (inline objects) added or removed - Positioned objects added or removed - Footnotes added or removed

TriggerPolling

Document Updated

Triggers when an existing Google Doc is updated or modified. This trigger monitors Google Docs and fires when documents are updated.

TriggerPolling

Connect any two apps with Notis in the middle.

Google Docs and CommCare, or any other combination from 1,000+ integrations.

When this happens · Trigger

Do this · Action

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