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Slack

The Slack Activity enables comprehensive interaction with your Slack workspace directly from your Boltic workflows. You can send messages, manage channels, find users, and perform various workspace operations to automate your team communication and collaboration.

Overview​

The Slack activity provides powerful automation capabilities for:

  • Messaging: Send messages to public channels, private channels, and direct messages
  • Channel Management: Create public and private channels
  • User Operations: Find users by email and invite users to channels
  • Content Management: Set channel topics
  • Integration Workflows: Connect Slack with other tools and services

Prerequisites​

Before using Slack with Boltic, Please ensure you have below configured:

  1. Configured Slack Credentials - Set up authentication in Boltic
  2. Proper Permissions - Bot has necessary scopes for intended operations
  3. Channel Access - Bot is added to relevant channels for operations
info

For detailed credential setup instructions, see our Slack Credentials Guide.

Supported Operations​

1. Send Channel Message​

Post a new message to a specific public #channel you choose.

Configuration Options:

  • Channel: Select from available public channels
  • Message Type: Choose between text or blocks format
    • Text: Simple text messages with basic Slack formatting
    • Blocks: Rich content using Slack Block Kit Builder (with message or attachment legacy options)
  • Message Text: The message content (supports Slack formatting)
  • Thread: Optionally reply to existing thread
  • Send as Bot: Toggle to customize how the message appears
    • Bot Name: Custom name to display as the message sender (overrides default bot name)
    • Bot Icon: Custom icon/emoji to display next to the message (e.g., :robot_face: or image URL)

Use Cases:

  • Status updates to team channels
  • Automated notifications and alerts
  • Integration announcements
  • Workflow completion confirmations

2. Send Private Channel Message​

Post a new message to a specific private #channel you choose.

Configuration Options:

  • Channel: Select from available private channels
  • Message Type: Choose between text or blocks format
    • Text: Simple text messages with basic Slack formatting
    • Blocks: Rich content using Slack Block Kit Builder (with message or attachment legacy options)
  • Message Text: The message content (supports Slack formatting)
  • Thread: Optionally reply to existing thread
  • Send as Bot: Toggle to customize how the message appears
    • Bot Name: Custom name to display as the message sender (overrides default bot name Boltic)
    • Bot Icon: Custom icon/emoji to display next to the message (e.g., :robot_face: or image URL)

Use Cases:

  • Private team updates
  • Confidential notifications
  • Internal team communications
  • Sensitive information sharing

3. Send Direct Message​

Send a direct message to a user or yourself from the Slackbot.

Configuration Options:

  • User: Select user by name, email, or user ID
  • Message Type: Choose between text or blocks format
    • Text: Simple text messages with basic Slack formatting
    • Blocks: Rich content using Slack Block Kit Builder (with message or attachment legacy options)
  • Message Text: Direct message content
  • Formatting: Support for mentions, links, and rich text
  • Send as Bot: Toggle to customize how the message appears
    • Bot Name: Custom name to display as the message sender (overrides default bot name Boltic)
    • Bot Icon: Custom icon/emoji to display next to the message (e.g., :robot_face: or image URL)

Use Cases:

  • Personal notifications
  • Task assignments
  • Private status updates
  • One-on-one communication

4. Create Public Channel​

This operation creates a new public channel.

Configuration Options:

  • Channel Name: Unique channel identifier

Use Cases:

  • Project-specific channels
  • Team discussion groups
  • Department channels
  • Event-based communication

5. Create Private Channel​

This operation creates a new private channel.

Configuration Options:

  • Channel Name: Unique channel identifier

Use Cases:

  • Confidential project channels
  • Leadership team discussions
  • Sensitive information sharing
  • Private group communications

6. Set Topic for Channel​

This operation sets a topic for a channel.

Configuration Options:

  • Channel: Target channel for topic update
  • Topic Text: New topic content

Use Cases:

  • Meeting agenda updates
  • Project status indicators
  • Resource link sharing
  • Channel purpose clarification

7. Invite Users to Channel​

Invite an existing User to an existing Channel. You must be a member of the channel to invite someone to it.

Configuration Options:

  • Channel: Target channel for invitations
  • Users: List of users to invite

Use Cases:

  • Onboarding automation
  • Project team assembly
  • Dynamic group formation
  • Access management

8. Find User by Email​

Finds users by matching against their emails.

Configuration Options:

  • Email Address: Target user's email

Use Cases:

  • User lookup for messaging
  • Workspace member verification
  • Cross-platform user matching
  • Directory integration

Configuration Guide​

Basic Message Setup​

  1. Select Slack Activity from the activities dropdown
  2. Choose Operation (e.g., "Send Channel Message" or "Send Private Channel Message")
  3. Configure Credentials - Select your Slack integration
  4. Set Parameters:
    • Channel selection
    • Message content
    • Formatting options
  5. Test Configuration before saving

Advanced Configuration​

Dynamic Content​

Use workflow variables and expressions in messages. Variables can be from payload, global_variables, or previous activity results:

Hello {{API_1.result.name}}, your task "{{payload.task_title}}" is now {{API_2.result.status}}.
Welcome {{global_variables.user_name}} to the {{payload.channel_name}} channel!

Rich Formatting​

Leverage Slack's formatting capabilities:

*Bold text* for emphasis
_Italic text_ for styling
`Code snippets` for technical content
> Quoted text for highlights

Include user mentions and links:

Hey <@USER123>, check out this link: <https://example.com|Project Dashboard>

Message Formatting & Features​

Slack Markup Support​

The Slack activity supports Slack's native formatting:

Text Formatting​

  • *bold* - Bold text
  • _italic_ - Italic text
  • ~strikethrough~ - Strikethrough text
  • `code` - Inline code
  • ```code block``` - Code blocks
  • <@U123456> - User mentions
  • <#C123456> - Channel mentions
  • <!everyone> - Everyone mention
  • <https://example.com|Link Text> - Formatted links

Lists and Quotes​

  • • Bullet points - Create lists
  • > Quoted text - Block quotes
  • 1. Numbered - Ordered lists

Interactive Elements​

Buttons and Actions​

{
  "text": "Choose an option:",
  "attachments": [{
    "actions": [{
      "type": "button",
      "text": "Approve",
      "value": "approve"
    }]
  }]
}

Rich Media​

  • Images: Include image URLs for visual content
  • Files: Attach documents and media
  • Embeds: Rich previews for links

Error Handling & Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

1. Message Not Delivered​

Symptoms: Activity completes but no message appears

Solutions:

  • Verify bot is in target channel
  • Check message content isn't empty
  • Validate channel exists and is accessible
  • Ensure proper permissions

2. Channel Not Found​

Symptoms: "Channel not found" errors

Solutions:

  • Verify channel name spelling
  • Check if channel is archived
  • Ensure bot has access to private channels
  • Use channel ID instead of name

3. Permission Denied​

Symptoms: Insufficient permission errors

Solutions:

  • Review bot token scopes
  • Add required permissions in Slack app
  • Reinstall app after scope changes
  • Check channel-specific permissions

4. User Not Found​

Symptoms: Cannot find user by email

Solutions:

  • Verify email address accuracy
  • Check if user is in workspace
  • Ensure bot has users:read scope
  • Try alternative user identification

Best Practices for Error Prevention​

  1. Validate Inputs: Check channel/user existence before operations
  2. Handle Failures Gracefully: Implement retry logic for transient errors
  3. Log Operations: Track activity success/failure for debugging
  4. Test Thoroughly: Validate in non-production environments first

Security Considerations​

Data Protection​

  • Sensitive Information: Avoid including secrets in messages
  • Personal Data: Handle user information according to privacy policies
  • Access Control: Ensure proper channel permissions
  • Audit Trail: Maintain logs of automated activities

Bot Management​

  • Scope Limitation: Grant only necessary permissions
  • Regular Reviews: Audit bot activities and access
  • Token Security: Protect and rotate bot tokens
  • Channel Hygiene: Remove bot from unused channels

Performance Optimization​

Rate Limiting​

  • Slack API Limits: Typically 1+ requests per second
  • Batch Operations: Group related actions when possible
  • Retry Logic: Implement intelligent backoff strategies
  • Monitor Usage: Track API call frequency

Workflow Efficiency​

  • Conditional Logic: Only send messages when necessary
  • Message Batching: Combine multiple updates into single messages
  • Template Reuse: Create reusable message templates
  • Async Operations: Use background processing for non-critical messages

Integration Examples​

1. Customer Support Ticket Creation​

Workflow: Website form submission
Activity: Send Channel Message to #support
Message: "New ticket #{{payload.ticket_id}}: {{payload.subject}} from {{payload.customer_email}}"

2. Build Status Notifications​

Workflow: CI/CD pipeline completion
Activity: Send Channel Message to #dev-team
Message: "Build {{WEBHOOK_1.result.build_number}} {{API_1.result.status}} - {{payload.branch}}"

3. Meeting Reminders​

Workflow: Calendar event trigger
Activity: Send Direct Message to participants
Message: "Reminder: {{payload.meeting_title}} starts in 15 minutes"

4. Project Channel Creation​

Workflow: Project creation in CRM
Activity: Create Public Channel
Channel: "project-{{payload.project_name}}"
Topic: "{{payload.description}} - Due: {{global_variables.deadline}}"

Advanced Features​

Conditional Messaging​

Use workflow conditions to send targeted messages:

  • User Role-Based: Different messages for different user types
  • Time-Based: Schedule messages for specific times
  • Status-Dependent: Messages based on workflow state

Multi-Channel Broadcasting​

Send messages to multiple channels:

  • Announcement Distribution: Company-wide updates
  • Cross-Team Coordination: Project updates to multiple teams
  • Escalation Patterns: Progressive notification levels

Thread Management​

Organize conversations with threading:

  • Conversation Context: Keep related messages together
  • Reduced Noise: Minimize channel clutter
  • Structured Updates: Organized status reporting

Monitoring & Analytics​

Activity Tracking​

  • Success Rates: Monitor message delivery success
  • Error Patterns: Identify common failure points
  • Usage Metrics: Track most active channels and operations
  • Performance: Measure activity execution times

Workflow Optimization​

  • Message Effectiveness: Track engagement with automated messages
  • Channel Health: Monitor channel activity and engagement
  • Bot Interaction: Analyze user responses to bot messages
  • Integration Impact: Measure workflow automation benefits

Next Steps​

After configuring your Slack activities:

  1. Test Integration - Start with simple message workflows
  2. Monitor Performance - Check logs and success rates
  3. Optimize Messages - Refine content based on team feedback
  4. Expand Use Cases - Implement additional automation scenarios
  5. Maintain Security - Regular permission and access reviews
Pro Tip

Start with basic message sending, then gradually add more complex features like channel management and rich formatting as your team becomes comfortable with the automation.

For more information on advanced settings, see the Advanced Options documentation.