Slack

Team messaging and collaboration platform for real-time communication.

Overview

Slack is our primary team messaging and collaboration tool. It enables real-time communication, file sharing, and integration with other tools to keep the team connected and productive.

What Slack Provides

• Real-time messaging and channels
• Direct messages and group conversations
• File sharing and collaboration
• Integration with other tools and services
• Video and voice calls
• Search across all conversations and files

Getting Started

Account Access

1. Check your email for the Slack invitation
2. Click Join Now or Get Started
3. Create your account or sign in with Okta SSO
4. Set your display name and profile picture

If you haven't received an invitation, contact TechOps to request access.

Sign In

Web Browser:

1. Go to your-workspace.slack.com
2. Enter your email or sign in with Okta
3. Complete authentication

Desktop App:

1. Download Slack from slack.com/downloads
2. Install and launch the application
3. Click Sign in to Slack
4. Enter your workspace URL and credentials

Mobile:

1. Download Slack from iOS App Store or Google Play
2. Open the app and tap Sign in
3. Choose your workspace and authenticate

First-Time Setup

1. Complete your profile:

   • Add a profile photo
   • Set your display name
   • Add your role/title
   • Set your timezone

2. Configure notifications:

   • Go to Preferences → Notifications
   • Choose when to receive notifications
   • Set "Do Not Disturb" hours

3. Join channels:

   • Browse available channels
   • Join relevant team and project channels
   • Ask your manager which channels are essential

4. Install desktop and mobile apps:

   • Desktop app for better performance
   • Mobile app for on-the-go access

Basic Usage

Channels

Public Channels - Open to everyone in the workspace

• Prefixed with # (e.g., #general, #techops-support)
• Anyone can join and see all messages
• Good for team-wide announcements and discussions

Private Channels - Invitation only

• Shown with a lock icon 🔒
• Only members can see and access
• Good for sensitive or confidential topics

Creating a Channel:

1. Click the + next to Channels in the sidebar
2. Select Create a channel
3. Name it (use lowercase and hyphens)
4. Choose public or private
5. Add a description
6. Invite members

Direct Messages

Send a DM:

1. Click + next to Direct Messages
2. Search for a person's name
3. Type your message and press Enter

Group DMs:

• Add multiple people to a conversation
• Good for quick discussions
• Not searchable by non-members

Sending Messages

Basic Message:

1. Click in the message box
2. Type your message
3. Press Enter to send

Formatting:

• *bold* → bold
• _italic_ → italic
• ~strikethrough~ → strikethrough
• `code` → code
• Use the formatting toolbar for more options

Mentions:

• @username - Notify specific person
• @channel - Notify everyone in channel (use sparingly)
• @here - Notify only active members

Reactions:

• Hover over a message
• Click the emoji icon
• Choose an emoji to react

File Sharing

1. Click the + button in message box
2. Select Upload from your computer
3. Choose file(s) to upload
4. Add a message if needed
5. Click Upload

Supported: Documents, images, videos, PDFs, code files, etc.

Features

Threads

Keep conversations organized by replying in threads:

1. Hover over a message
2. Click Reply in thread
3. Type your response
4. Choose to also send to channel if needed

Benefits:

• Keeps channels clean
• Groups related messages
• Reduces notification noise

Search

Find messages, files, and people:

1. Click the search box at the top
2. Type your search term
3. Use filters to narrow results:
   • from:@username - Messages from someone
   • in:#channel - Messages in a channel
   • has:link - Messages with links
   • before:2024-01-01 - Messages before a date

Huddles

Quick audio conversations:

1. Open a channel or DM
2. Click the Huddle icon (headphones)
3. Others can join by clicking the huddle
4. Share screen if needed
5. Click Leave when done

Reminders

Set reminders for messages or tasks:

1. Hover over a message
2. Click the three dots (⋯)
3. Select Remind me about this
4. Choose when to be reminded

Or type: /remind me to [task] at [time]

Slack Connect

Collaborate with external partners:

• Invite external users to specific channels
• Keep context within Slack
• Maintain security with your workspace

Contact TechOps if you need to set up Slack Connect.

Common Issues

Not Receiving Notifications

Problem: Missing important messages.

Solution:

1. Check notification settings: Preferences → Notifications
2. Ensure Slack has permission to send notifications (OS settings)
3. Check "Do Not Disturb" isn't enabled
4. Verify notification sound isn't muted
5. Try logging out and back in

Can't Find a Channel

Problem: Can't locate a specific channel.

Solution:

1. Use the search bar at the top
2. Click Channels in sidebar → Browse channels
3. Check if it's a private channel (you may need an invite)
4. Ask in #general or contact TechOps
5. Channel may have been archived

Messages Not Sending

Problem: Messages fail to send.

Solution:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Refresh the page or restart the app
3. Check status.slack.com for outages
4. Clear app cache (Desktop: Preferences → Advanced → Clear Cache)
5. Reinstall the app if issue persists

Desktop App Won't Launch

Problem: Slack desktop app crashes or won't open.

Solution:

1. Restart your computer
2. Update Slack to the latest version
3. Clear the cache: Delete %AppData%\Slack (Windows) or ~/Library/Application Support/Slack (Mac)
4. Reinstall the application
5. Use the web version temporarily

Search Not Finding Messages

Problem: Can't find messages you know exist.

Solution:

1. Check your search syntax
2. Verify you're searching in the right place (DM vs channel)
3. Ensure you have access to that channel/conversation
4. Messages in private channels won't appear if you're not a member
5. Very old messages may be archived (workspace policy)

Best Practices

Communication Etiquette

1. Use threads - Keep channel conversations organized
2. Be mindful of @channel - Only for truly important announcements
3. Set status - Let others know when you're busy, in a meeting, or away
4. Use channels over DMs - Promotes transparency and knowledge sharing
5. Respond in reasonable time - But don't feel pressured to respond immediately
6. Use emoji reactions - Acknowledge messages without adding noise

Channel Organization

1. Use naming conventions:

   • #team-[name] - Team channels
   • #proj-[name] - Project channels
   • #help-[topic] - Support channels

2. Set channel topics - Describe the channel's purpose

3. Pin important messages - Keep key info easily accessible

4. Archive inactive channels - Reduce clutter

Productivity Tips

1. Customize sidebar - Star important channels, mute less important ones
2. Use keyboard shortcuts - Learn shortcuts for common actions
3. Set Do Not Disturb hours - Focus time without interruptions
4. Create Slack workflows - Automate repetitive tasks
5. Integrate tools - Connect GitHub, Jira, Google Drive, etc.

Security

1. Use Okta SSO - Single sign-on for better security
2. Enable 2FA - If not using SSO
3. Don't share sensitive data - Use approved secure channels for passwords/keys
4. Review connected apps - Remove unused integrations
5. Log out on shared devices - Always sign out on public computers

How-To Guides

Customize Your Notifications

1. Click your profile picture → Preferences
2. Select Notifications
3. Choose notification schedule:
   • All new messages
   • Direct messages, mentions & keywords
   • Nothing
4. Set Do Not Disturb hours
5. Add keywords that trigger notifications
6. Configure mobile notifications separately

Create a Workflow

Automate routine tasks:

1. Click your workspace name → Tools → Workflow Builder
2. Click Create Workflow
3. Choose a trigger (e.g., new channel member)
4. Add steps (send message, create task, etc.)
5. Test your workflow
6. Publish and enable it

Set Up Slack Connect with External Partner

1. Contact TechOps to enable Slack Connect
2. In a channel, click Channel Settings (⚙️)
3. Select Integrations → Slack Connect
4. Enter partner email addresses
5. Wait for partner to accept invitation
6. Collaborate in the shared channel

Export Channel History

1. Contact TechOps (workspace admins have this permission)
2. Provide channel name and date range needed
3. TechOps will export and share securely
4. Export includes messages and files

Note: Individual users cannot export channel history by default.

Manage Your Status

1. Click your profile picture
2. Select a status preset or click Set a status
3. Choose an emoji and write a status message
4. Set when to clear the status
5. Enable "Pause notifications" if needed

Quick Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Mac	Windows/Linux
Quick switcher	Cmd + K	Ctrl + K
All unreads	Cmd + Shift + A	Ctrl + Shift + A
Threads view	Cmd + Shift + T	Ctrl + Shift + T
Direct messages	Cmd + Shift + K	Ctrl + Shift + K
Upload file	Cmd + U	Ctrl + U
Search	Cmd + F	Ctrl + F
Mark all as read	Esc	Esc

Message Formatting

Format	Syntax
Bold	*text*
Italic	_text_
Strikethrough	~text~
Code	`text`
Code block	```text```
Quote	> text
Bulleted list	• text or * text
Numbered list	1. text

Useful Slash Commands

Command	Action
/status	Set your status
/away	Toggle away status
/dnd	Set Do Not Disturb
/remind	Set a reminder
/collapse	Collapse all images
/invite @user	Invite someone to channel
/leave	Leave current channel

Official Resources

• Help Center: slack.com/help
• Getting Started Guide: slack.com/help/articles/218080037
• Status Page: status.slack.com
• Community: community.slack.com
• Download Apps: slack.com/downloads
• Keyboard Shortcuts: slack.com/help/articles/201374536

Support

TechOps Team:

• Slack: #techops-support
• For workspace settings, integrations, or access issues

Slack Support:

• Visit slack.com/help
• Check status.slack.com for service issues
• Browse the Help Center for how-to guides

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For detailed documentation and tutorials, visit the official Slack Help Center at slack.com/help