Media, methods, and systems are provided for real-time updates of collaborative documents in a group-based communication system. Collaborative documents may allow for multiple users to simultaneously modify and edit a document. When a collaborative document is created, a server may create an ephemeral channel and an identifier for the collaborative document. As users connect to the collaborative document, the users may be assigned a temporary subscription to the collaborative document. Real-time events, such as indications that a user is typing, indications that a user is connected in the collaborative document, and changes to the collaborative document may be published to the user via the temporary subscription. When the user disconnects from the document, the real-time events may no longer be communicated.