Comment Notifications brings every comment you’re tagged in, as well as those relevant to you, across Audits, QAuto, Tests, Documents, Controls, Policies, and Risks into one unified view. You’ll also be notified of comments even if you aren’t tagged directly. For example, if you're the owner of a control, you’ll see comments made on that control. Instead of hunting through email or Slack, new comments will appear in your notifications, helping you stay focused on responding and collaborating with your team and auditors.
Comments in Vanta help your team stay organized and move through audits faster. Because some notes are just for your team and others are for your auditor, Vanta makes it easy to manage who sees what.
Who Can View Comments?
There are two main types of comments in Vanta. Understanding their visibility helps you communicate securely with both your internal team and external auditors.
Comment Location | Who Can See It? | Auditor Visibility |
Test & Documents | Admins, Editors, & Owners | No (Internal Only) |
Policies (Drafting) | Admins & Editors | No (Internal Only) |
Audit Hub | Admins, Editors, & Auditors | Yes (If Shared) |
Accessing Comment Notifications
Click the bell icon 
in the top-right of the Vanta app.
Managing Comment Visibility
When you are working within an active audit, you can choose exactly who sees your message.
To keep a note internal: Simply type your message and send it without selecting the checkbox at the bottom of the comment box. This ensures only your internal team can see the note while you prepare evidence.
To message your auditor: Select the Request auditor review checkbox before sending your comment. This will make the comment visible to the external auditor and updates the evidence status to 'Ready for audit'.
Please note: Comments made directly on a Test or Document page outside of the Audit Hub are always internal-only.
Marking & Navigating
Mark as Read Clicking a notification marks it read and removes bold styling
Go to Comment Click any specific comment to jump straight into the full comment thread on that object
All comments in Vanta that trigger email or Slack notifications will appear here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't I see a comment in which I was tagged show up in the Comment Notifications?
Comments will appear here within 30-minutes of the comment's posting.
Will older comments from before Comment Notifications launch appear?
No. Only new comments created after launch will show as unread. Historical comments won’t be back-filled.
Who sees the Comment Notifications?
Any user with comment-notification permissions. Employees without comment access won’t see the bell icon.
Can auditors see the comments my team makes on evidence?
No. Auditors only see comments specifically shared with them in the Audit Hub. Your internal notes on evidence remain private to your team.
Who can see comments in the Policy Editor?
Only Admins and Editors can see these. They are used for drafting and do not appear on the final policy or to your auditor.