In an embodiment, a computer-implemented data processing method comprises, in a collaborative electronic information management system that is hosted using a collaboration computer, establishing operation of a plurality of event listener units, wherein each of the event listener units is configured to communicate with or listen for a plurality of application events that have been generated by a plurality of external applications; automatically correlating two or more of the plurality of application events to a particular content item from among a plurality of content items that are managed in the system based on an identifier specified in the application events or a substantive content value; and generating and causing displaying, in a graphical user interface, a set of notifications comprising a first notification generated from the system and a second notification that is based upon the application events from the external applications.