Slack
Slack Automation
Slack automations send real-time notifications to your team channels when new recordings are added to a folder. Keep your entire team in sync without leaving Slack.
When to Use Slack Automations
Slack automations are ideal for teams that spend their day in Slack. Use them for:
Real-time team alerts — Notify the team instantly when critical issues arrive
Bug tracking channels — Post new bugs to #bugs for engineering visibility
Customer support escalations — Alert support teams about VIP customer recordings
Product feedback loops — Share customer feedback with product managers
Cross-functional visibility — Keep stakeholders updated on specific workflows
Threaded discussions — Group related recordings into conversation threads
Quick actions — Assign, label, and resolve directly from Slack
Slack vs. Email
Use Slack when:
Your team actively uses Slack throughout the day
You want immediate visibility and notifications
You need threaded discussions and quick collaboration
Interactive buttons would be useful for your workflow
Use Email when:
Recipients don't check Slack regularly
You need a permanent email record
Routing to ticketing systems via email
Reaching external stakeholders outside your Slack workspace
Prerequisites
Before setting up Slack automations, ensure you have:
Slack workspace with admin or app installation permissions
Screendesk Pro or Enterprise plan
Target folder for automation
Slack channel where the Screendesk bot will post
Slack Plan Requirement
Slack automations require a Pro or Enterprise plan. If you're on a Free or Standard plan, upgrade your account to enable this feature.
OAuth Connection Process
Step 1: Connect Your Slack Workspace
This is a one-time setup that connects your Screendesk workspace to your Slack workspace.
First-time setup:
Review permissions
Slack shows the permissions Screendesk needs:
Post messages to channels — Required to send notifications
Access channel list — Required to populate channel dropdowns
Upload files — Required for video thumbnails and attachments
These permissions are necessary for Slack automations to function.
Reconnecting or Changing Workspaces
To connect a different Slack workspace:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations → Slack
Click Disconnect to remove the current connection
All Slack automations will be disabled temporarily
Click Connect Slack to authorize a different workspace
Re-enable your automations after connecting the new workspace
To refresh permissions:
If channels aren't appearing in dropdowns:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations → Slack
Click Refresh Permissions
Re-authorize the app if prompted
Channel list should now be updated
Setup Steps
Step 1: Open Folder Automations
Navigate to the folder where recordings trigger notifications:
Step 2: Select Target Channel
Choose which Slack channel receives notifications from this folder.
Search or browse channels
To search:
Start typing the channel name (e.g., "bugs" or "support")
Matching channels appear in the dropdown
To browse:
Scroll through the list of channels
Channels are sorted alphabetically
Channel types supported:
✅ Public channels — Everyone can see
✅ Private channels — Only invited members can see
❌ Direct messages — Not supported
⚠️ Slack Connect — Limited support
Step 3: Configure Message Template
Customize what appears in the Slack message using template variables.
Add template variables
Use these variables to insert dynamic content:
Recording Information:
{{recording.title}}
Recording title
"Checkout page crash"
{{recording.url}}
Link to recording
Full URL
{{recording.duration}}
Duration in seconds
"45"
{{recording.created_at}}
When submitted
"Feb 6, 2026 at 2:30 PM"
Technical Details:
{{recording.browser}}
Browser and version
{{recording.os}}
Operating system
{{recording.resolution}}
Screen resolution
{{recording.country}}
Geographic location
System Information:
{{recording.console_errors}}
JavaScript errors (formatted)
{{recording.network_errors}}
Failed HTTP requests
Context:
{{folder.name}}
Current folder name
{{account.name}}
Workspace name
View complete variable reference →
Use Slack formatting
Format text using Slack's mrkdwn syntax:
Bold
*text*
Makes text bold
Italic
_text_
Makes text italic
Strikethrough
~text~
Strikethrough text
Code
`code`
Monospace code
Link text
<url|Link text>
Clickable link
@Username
<@U123ABC>
Mention a user
#Channel
<#C123ABC>
Reference a channel
Line Breaks
To add blank lines between sections, use an empty line in your template. Slack will render it as space between blocks.
Step 4: Configure Message Options
Choose additional content to include in the notification.
Message content options
Video Preview
Thumbnail image of the recording
✅ On
You want visual context
Customer Email
Submitter's email address
✅ On
Identifying who reported it
Duration
Recording length in seconds
✅ On
Understanding scope
Console Errors
JavaScript errors from browser
❌ Off
Debugging technical issues
System Info
Browser, OS, resolution details
❌ Off
For technical support teams
Action Buttons
Quick action buttons in Slack
✅ On
Interactive workflow
Enable video preview
When enabled, shows a thumbnail image of the recording:
Look for Include Video Preview toggle
Turn it ON (green)
Slack messages will show a preview image
Team members can see the issue at a glance
When to enable:
Always recommended for visual context
Bug reports benefit from seeing what's happening
Helps with triage and prioritization
Include console errors (optional)
Shows JavaScript errors from the recording:
Look for Include Console Errors toggle
Turn it ON (green)
Error summary appears in the message
Engineers can see the exact error immediately
When to enable:
For technical bug reports
When engineering team needs debugging context
For urgent production issues
Include system info (optional)
Shows browser, OS, and resolution details:
Look for Include System Info toggle
Turn it ON (green)
Technical details appear in the message
Helps with reproduction and debugging
When to enable:
For engineering and QA teams
When device compatibility matters
For complex bug reproduction
Enable action buttons
Adds interactive buttons directly in Slack:
Look for Action Buttons toggle
Turn it ON (green)
Buttons appear in the message
Available buttons:
View Recording — Opens in Screendesk
Copy Link — Copies URL to clipboard
Assign to Me — Self-assigns the recording (Pro+)
These buttons speed up workflow without leaving Slack.
Step 5: Configure Threading (Optional)
Group related recordings into conversation threads for organized discussions.
Enable threading
Threading keeps related messages together in a single conversation.
Look for Enable Threading toggle
Turn it ON (green)
Choose a threading key from the dropdown
Threading is useful for:
Tracking all issues from one customer
Daily summaries of related issues
Building threaded conversations in Slack
Select threading key
Choose how to group messages into threads:
By Customer Email:
All recordings from the same customer appear in one thread
Useful for customer support folders
Shows customer conversation history
By Folder:
All recordings in the folder create a daily thread
Useful for general bug or feedback folders
Keeps all issues from one day together
By Recording Type:
Group by content type if your folder has mixed content
Useful for diverse workflows
Step 6: Test the Automation
Verify everything works before activating.
Send test message
Click Send Test Message at the bottom of the form
The test message is sent to your selected channel immediately
Check your Slack channel for the test message
It appears as a regular notification with sample data
What to verify in the test:
☐ Message posted to correct channel
☐ Template variables populated (no
{{}}showing)☐ Video preview loads (if enabled)
☐ Action buttons appear and work
☐ Formatting looks good
☐ Links are clickable
☐ No error messages
Step 7: Save and Activate
Once testing is complete, save your automation.
Verify in automations list
You should see the new automation in the Automations tab
It shows:
Automation type: "Slack"
Target channel: "#channel-name"
Status toggle: ON (green)
Edit and delete options
The automation is now live. Every recording added to this folder will send a message to the selected Slack channel.
Message Formatting Examples
Here are ready-to-use message templates for common scenarios:
Example 1: Simple Team Alert
Use case: Basic notification for any folder
Configuration:
Renders as:
Example 2: Engineering Bug Alert
Use case: Notify engineers with debugging context
Configuration:
Best for:
Engineering teams
Technical support
Production issues
Debugging context needed
Example 3: VIP Customer Escalation
Use case: Alert leadership about important customers
Configuration:
Best for:
Enterprise customers
High-priority accounts
Leadership visibility
Escalation channels
Example 4: Customer Support Intake
Use case: Support team triage and routing
Configuration:
Best for:
Support teams
Customer service
Intake channels
Encourages action
Example 5: Product Feedback Summary
Use case: Share customer feedback with product team
Configuration:
Best for:
Product managers
Feature request channels
Customer feedback
Product roadmap input
Multiple Channel Setup
Post the same recordings to multiple channels by creating separate automations.
Common Multi-Channel Patterns
Pattern 1: Team + Leadership
For the "Bug Reports" folder:
Automation 1 → #engineering (full details)
Automation 2 → #exec-updates (summary only)
Pattern 2: Functional Silos
For the "Customer Issues" folder:
Automation 1 → #support-team (all issues)
Automation 2 → #product-team (only features)
Automation 3 → #engineering (only bugs)
Implementation: Create three identical automations with different channels but same message template. All recordings reach their respective teams.
Pattern 3: Severity-Based Routing
For the "Production" folder:
Automation 1 → #incidents (critical bugs)
Automation 2 → #bugs (standard bugs)
Automation 3 → #backlog (feature requests)
Implementation: Use your folder structure to separate by severity, then create separate automations for each folder.
Setup Steps for Multiple Automations:
Open the folder
Go to Settings → Automations
Click Add Automation
Select Slack
Select first channel (e.g., #engineering)
Configure message template
Click Save
Click Add Automation again
Select second channel (e.g., #exec-updates)
Use same or different template
Click Save
Both automations are now active. Each channel receives notifications independently.
Channel-Specific Folder Examples
Create dedicated folder + channel pairs for organized workflows:
Bug Reports
#bugs
Engineering triage
Include console errors
Feature Requests
#product-feedback
Product input
Link to customer email
Urgent Issues
#incidents
On-call alerts
Emphasize urgency
Support Tickets
#customer-support
Team intake
Include customer info
Enterprise Accounts
#vip-customers
Leadership visibility
Highlight importance
QA Test Results
#qa-reports
Testing team
Include system info
Customer Complaints
#escalations
Management review
Detailed context
Setup approach:
Create folders matching your business workflow
Create corresponding Slack channels
Set up one automation per folder → channel pair
Customize templates for each channel's audience
This creates a clean, organized notification system where teams only see relevant content.
Interactive Features
Action Buttons
When enabled, messages include buttons for quick actions:
Available actions:
View Recording
Opens in Screendesk app
Review the issue
Copy Link
Copies URL to clipboard
Share with others
Assign to Me
Self-assign the recording
Take ownership
Button workflow:
Pro tip: Action buttons reduce friction. Team members don't need to leave Slack to engage with recordings.
Threading Conversations
Keep related recordings grouped together.
Thread behavior:
Threading OFF
Each recording is separate message
New message every time
Threading by Customer
Same customer = same thread
All messages from one user together
Threading by Folder
Daily thread per folder
All day's issues in one thread
Thread advantage:
Related issues are easy to find
Reduces channel clutter
Enables discussion threads
Shows conversation history
Example thread:
Managing Slack Integration
View Connected Workspace
See your current Slack connection:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations
Find Slack integration
You should see:
Workspace name: "My Company Slack"
Status: "Connected" (green indicator)
Last synchronized: timestamp
Disconnect button
Refresh Permissions button
Refresh Channel List
If newly created channels don't appear:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations → Slack
Click Refresh Permissions
Re-authorize if prompted (Slack sign-in)
Channel list updates
New channels now appear in automation setup
Disconnect Slack
To remove the Slack integration:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations → Slack
Click Disconnect
Confirm you want to disconnect
Important: All Slack automations are disabled
To re-enable, reconnect Slack workspace
Disconnection Impact
When you disconnect Slack:
All Slack automations are disabled
No messages will be sent to Slack
Your automation configuration is saved
To restart, reconnect Slack and re-enable automations
Troubleshooting
Messages not posting to Slack
Symptom: Messages don't appear in the Slack channel
Solutions:
Channels not appearing in dropdown
Symptom: Channel list is empty or missing channels
Solutions:
Refresh permissions:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations → Slack
Click Refresh Permissions
Re-authorize if prompted
Check bot permissions in Slack:
Go to your Slack workspace
Click Settings & administration → Manage apps
Find Screendesk
Verify it has access to view channels
Reconnect Slack:
Disconnect the current workspace
Click Connect Slack again
Re-authorize with fresh permissions
Check channel visibility:
You can only see channels you're a member of
Join the private channel first
Then refresh and it will appear
"Not authorized" or permission errors
Symptom: Error message saying "Not authorized" or "Slack connection failed"
Solutions:
Reconnect Slack:
Go to Account Settings → Integrations → Slack
Click Disconnect
Click Connect Slack
Re-authorize completely
Check Slack admin permissions:
Ensure your Slack account has app installation rights
Contact your Slack workspace admin if not
Verify token hasn't expired:
Click Refresh Permissions
Re-authorize in Slack
Tokens refresh automatically
Video preview not showing
Symptom: Messages appear but thumbnail image is missing
Solutions:
Enable video preview in automation:
Edit the automation
Turn ON Include Video Preview toggle
Click Save
Check Slack file permissions:
Screendesk needs permission to upload files to Slack
Go to Slack → App settings → Verify file upload permission
Reconnect if needed
Check image generation:
Some recordings may not generate previews
Ensure recording completed successfully
Test with a different recording
Delayed messages
Symptom: Messages arrive several minutes after recording is uploaded
Solutions:
Check Screendesk status:
Visit status.screendesk.io
Look for any ongoing incidents
Check maintenance windows
Check Slack status:
Visit Slack status page
Ensure Slack APIs are operational
Check for rate limiting
Reduce automation frequency:
If folder has many automations, reduce number
Slack API has rate limits
Space out automations or use threading
Contact support:
If issues persist, contact [email protected]
Include automation ID and timestamps
Provide examples of delayed messages
Rate limiting errors
Symptom: "Rate limited" or "Slack API error" messages
Solutions:
Consolidate automations:
Multiple automations to same channel = many messages
Combine into one automation if possible
Use threading to reduce message count
Space out recordings:
Slack limits message frequency per channel
Don't post 100+ messages per minute
Batch processing helps
Contact Slack support:
For persistent rate limiting
Slack can increase limits for enterprise accounts
Work with your workspace admin
View automation logs
Check detailed execution history:
Open folder Settings → Automations
Click on the Slack automation
Select Execution Log tab
View recent executions
Log shows:
✅ Success — Message posted to Slack
⚠️ Warning — Posted but flagged or delayed
❌ Failed — Error with description
Use logs to troubleshoot issues and verify automations are running.
Best Practices
Use dedicated channels
Avoid posting to high-traffic channels like #general or #random.
❌ Don't do this:
Post everything to #general
Creates notification fatigue
Important messages get lost
Hard to find old issues
✅ Do this:
Create dedicated channels:
#bugs → Engineering bugs
#support → Support issues
#feedback → Customer feedback
#incidents → Critical issues
Team members can opt in/out of channels
Enable threading for related content
Group related messages to reduce channel clutter.
Benefits:
Easier to scan channel history
Related messages stay together
Reduces notification spam
Encourages discussion threads
When to use:
Customer support (thread by customer)
Bug tracking (thread by severity)
Feedback collection (thread by day)
Include action buttons
Make it easy for team members to engage without leaving Slack.
Benefits:
Quick access to recordings
Reduces friction
Self-assignment enables ownership
Copy link for sharing
Recommended: Always enable action buttons unless they're not relevant to your workflow.
Keep message templates concise
Put important information first. Slack viewers scan quickly.
❌ Too long:
✅ Concise:
Mobile users and quick scanners appreciate concise messages.
Tailor templates to audience
Different channels need different information.
#bugs
Debug info
Console errors, system info
#support
Customer context
Email, duration, category
#feedback
Customer voice
Quote, customer email
#incidents
Severity
Urgency indicators, owner
Match your template to what the channel's audience needs.
Test before going live
Always send a test message before relying on an automation.
Testing checklist:
☐ Message posts to correct channel
☐ All variables populate correctly
☐ Formatting renders properly
☐ Links are clickable
☐ Buttons work (if enabled)
☐ Preview image loads (if enabled)
☐ No error messages appear
Monitor execution logs
Regularly check that automations are working:
Weekly review of execution logs
Watch for failed or delayed messages
Alert on > 5% failure rate
Fix issues quickly
This ensures reliability for your team.
Don't over-notify
Reserve Slack automations for important folders.
Questions to ask:
Does the team need instant notification?
Is the volume manageable (< 50/day)?
Is the channel relevant?
Will it drive action?
If unsure, use email instead. You can always add Slack later.
Use folder-specific templates
Match each folder's automation to its purpose.
Examples:
Bug Reports folder:
Feature Requests folder:
Support Tickets folder:
Last updated
Was this helpful?