Slack Integration

Transform Your Slack Workspace with OpenClaw AI

Bring intelligent automation to where your team already works. OpenClaw integrates deeply with Slack's workflow engine, providing AI-powered assistance through slash commands, app mentions, shortcuts, and automated workflows. Search across channels, summarize threads, draft messages, and connect your entire tool stack through conversational AI.

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How OpenClaw Slack Integration Works

We Create Your Slack App

We register a new Slack app in your workspace through the Slack API portal, configure OAuth scopes to define what the app can access, and set up event subscriptions to receive real-time updates.

We Configure the OpenClaw Bridge

We connect your Slack app credentials to OpenClaw's Slack bridge module. The bridge handles Socket Mode connections, event processing, and API communication. We configure how OpenClaw responds to different Slack events.

We Install to Your Workspace

We install the app to your Slack workspace through the OAuth flow and configure permissions based on the scopes needed. The app appears in Slack's app directory for your workspace, ready for team members to use.

Start Chatting with Your AI

Use OpenClaw through slash commands, app mentions, message shortcuts, and home tab interfaces. The AI assistant works in channels, DMs, threads, and workflows - wherever your team communicates.

Why Connect OpenClaw to {page.integration.name}

Deep Workflow Integration

Connect OpenClaw to Slack's Workflow Builder for automated AI-powered processes. Trigger AI actions based on channel messages, form submissions, scheduled times, or external events. Build complex automations without code using Slack's visual workflow editor.

Enterprise-Grade Security

Leverage Slack's enterprise security features including Enterprise Key Management, data residency controls, and compliance certifications. OpenClaw respects workspace permissions and admin controls. Perfect for regulated industries and security-conscious organizations.

Channel-Wide Intelligence

Search and summarize conversations across your entire workspace. Ask questions about past discussions, get caught up on threads you missed, and find information buried in channels. OpenClaw becomes your organizational memory.

Smart Message Composition

Draft professional messages, emails, and documents with AI assistance. Improve tone, translate languages, summarize lengthy content, and ensure clear communication. Use message shortcuts to enhance any message instantly.

Tool Stack Integration

Connect OpenClaw to your entire tool ecosystem through Slack. Access Jira tickets, GitHub issues, Salesforce records, and hundreds of other services through conversational commands. Your AI assistant becomes the universal interface to all your tools.

Threaded Conversations

Maintain context across threaded discussions. OpenClaw understands thread history, provides relevant responses, and keeps conversations organized. AI interactions in threads don't clutter main channels while staying fully accessible.

Setup Guide

Create Slack App

Visit the Slack API portal and create a new app. Choose to create from scratch or use a manifest for faster setup. Configure your app's basic information including name, description, and icon.

# 1. Go to https://api.slack.com/apps
# 2. Click 'Create New App'
# 3. Choose 'From scratch' or 'From an app manifest'
# 4. Name your app (e.g., 'OpenClaw AI')
# 5. Select your workspace

# Using App Manifest (recommended):
# This YAML configures everything at once
_metadata:
  major_version: 1
  minor_version: 1
display_information:
  name: OpenClaw AI
  description: AI assistant powered by OpenClaw
  background_color: "#2F3136"
features:
  bot_user:
    display_name: OpenClaw
    always_online: true
  slash_commands:
    - command: /ask
      description: Ask OpenClaw anything
      should_escape: false
    - command: /summarize
      description: Summarize a thread or channel
      should_escape: false

Configure OAuth Scopes

Set up the OAuth scopes your app needs. These determine what data and actions the app can access. Request only the scopes you need - Slack reviews apps that request sensitive scopes.

# Required Bot Token Scopes:
oauth_config:
  scopes:
    bot:
      # Messaging
      - chat:write           # Send messages
      - chat:write.public    # Post in public channels
      - im:write             # Send DMs
      - im:history           # Read DM history
      - channels:history     # Read channel history
      - groups:history       # Read private channel history
      
      # User & Channel Info
      - users:read           # View users
      - channels:read        # View channel info
      - groups:read          # View private channels
      
      # Files
      - files:read           # Access files
      - files:write          # Upload files
      
      # App Home
      - app_mentions:read    # Receive @mentions
      
      # Reactions
      - reactions:write      # Add emoji reactions
      - reactions:read       # Read reactions

Set Up Event Subscriptions

Configure which Slack events trigger your app. Events let OpenClaw respond to messages, reactions, file uploads, and other workspace activity in real-time.

# Event Subscriptions Configuration
settings:
  event_subscriptions:
    request_url: "https://yourdomain.com/slack/events"
    # Or use Socket Mode (recommended for development):
    socket_mode_enabled: true
    
    bot_events:
      - app_mention          # When @OpenClaw is mentioned
      - message.im           # Direct messages to bot
      - message.channels     # Public channel messages
      - message.groups       # Private channel messages
      - reaction_added       # Emoji reactions
      - file_shared          # File uploads
      - app_home_opened      # User opens App Home tab
  
  interactivity:
    is_enabled: true
    request_url: "https://yourdomain.com/slack/interactions"
    message_menu_options_url: "https://yourdomain.com/slack/options"

Install OpenClaw Slack Bridge

Add the Slack bridge module to your OpenClaw installation. The bridge uses Slack's Bolt framework for robust event handling and API communication.

# Using OpenClaw CLI
openclaw install slack-bridge

# Or manual installation
cd /path/to/openclaw
npm install @openclaw/slack-bridge

# This installs @slack/bolt and related packages
npm install @slack/bolt @slack/web-api

Configure Slack Connection

Create your Slack configuration file with app credentials and behavior settings. Use Socket Mode for easier development or Request URLs for production deployments.

# config/slack.yaml
slack:
  enabled: true
  
  # App credentials (from Slack App settings)
  bot_token: "xoxb-your-bot-token"
  app_token: "xapp-your-app-token"  # For Socket Mode
  signing_secret: "your-signing-secret"
  
  # Connection mode
  socket_mode: true  # Set false for Request URL mode
  
  # Response settings
  response:
    ephemeral_errors: true  # Errors only visible to user
    thread_replies: true    # Reply in threads when possible
    unfurl_links: false     # Disable link previews in responses
  
  # Rate limiting
  rate_limit:
    tier: 3  # Slack tier (1-4, affects rate limits)
    queue_enabled: true

Define Slash Commands

Create slash commands for direct AI interaction. Define command parameters, validation, and response behavior. Slash commands provide the cleanest user experience.

# config/slack-commands.yaml
commands:
  /ask:
    description: Ask OpenClaw any question
    usage_hint: "[your question]"
    handler: ai_query
    options:
      respond_in_thread: true
      show_typing: true
  
  /summarize:
    description: Summarize thread or channel
    usage_hint: "[thread_url] or [time_range]"
    handler: summarize
    options:
      require_thread: false
  
  /draft:
    description: AI-assisted message drafting
    usage_hint: "[message description]"
    handler: draft_message
    options:
      modal: true  # Open modal for editing
  
  /search:
    description: AI-powered workspace search
    usage_hint: "[search query]"
    handler: intelligent_search
  
  /translate:
    description: Translate messages
    usage_hint: "[language] [text]"
    handler: translate

Configure App Home

Set up the App Home tab where users can interact with OpenClaw directly. Create a dashboard with quick actions, settings, and usage information.

# config/slack-home.yaml
app_home:
  enabled: true
  
  # Home tab layout
  home_tab:
    type: home
    blocks:
      - type: header
        text: "Welcome to OpenClaw AI"
      - type: section
        text: "Your AI assistant is ready to help. Use slash commands or mention @OpenClaw in any channel."
      - type: actions
        elements:
          - type: button
            text: "Quick Ask"
            action_id: "quick_ask"
            style: primary
          - type: button
            text: "Settings"
            action_id: "settings"
      - type: divider
      - type: section
        text: "*Recent Activity*"
  
  # Messages tab
  messages_tab:
    enabled: true
    welcome_message: "Hi! I'm OpenClaw, your AI assistant. How can I help you today?"

Install App and Test

Install the app to your workspace and verify all features work correctly. Test slash commands, mentions, and App Home functionality.

# Install to workspace
# 1. Go to your app's settings page
# 2. Click 'Install to Workspace'
# 3. Review and authorize permissions

# Start OpenClaw Slack bridge
openclaw slack start

# Test slash command
# In Slack: /ask What is the weather today?

# Test app mention
# In a channel: @OpenClaw summarize this thread

# Check logs
openclaw logs slack --follow

# Verify connection
openclaw slack status

What You Can Do

Instant Knowledge Access

Answer team questions instantly by querying company documentation, past conversations, and connected knowledge bases. Reduce time spent searching and waiting for responses. OpenClaw becomes your organization's always-available expert.

Meeting Summarization

Summarize Slack conversations into actionable meeting notes. Extract decisions, action items, and key discussions from any thread or channel. Share summaries with stakeholders who couldn't attend the real-time discussion.

Cross-Tool Workflows

Create tickets in Jira, update records in Salesforce, schedule meetings in Google Calendar, and deploy code through GitHub - all through conversational Slack commands. OpenClaw bridges your entire tool stack.

Onboarding Automation

Guide new team members through onboarding processes. Answer common questions, direct them to relevant channels and documents, introduce them to tools, and help them get productive faster.

Customer Support Escalation

Integrate with customer-facing channels for intelligent support triage. Answer simple questions automatically, gather information before escalation, and route complex issues to the right specialists.

Daily Standups

Automate standup collection and summarization. Remind team members to submit updates, compile responses into digestible formats, and highlight blockers that need attention.

Content Generation

Draft emails, documentation, proposals, and announcements with AI assistance. Use message shortcuts to improve existing content. Maintain consistent voice across team communications.

Project Status Tracking

Query project status across multiple channels and tools. Get unified views of progress, blockers, and upcoming milestones by asking natural language questions about your projects.

Code Review Assistance

Integrate with GitHub or GitLab to provide code review notifications, explain pull request changes, answer questions about code, and help developers understand complex changes.

Known Limitations

Free Slack workspaces have limited message history (90 days) accessible to apps
Rate limits vary by API tier - heavy usage may require Slack approval for higher tiers
Socket Mode requires maintaining a persistent WebSocket connection
File access requires specific OAuth scopes that some organizations restrict
Enterprise Grid has additional security requirements and approval processes
Slack Connect channels (shared with external organizations) have limited bot capabilities
Message posting in channels requires the bot to be explicitly invited
Workflow Builder integration requires Business+ or Enterprise plans
Some administrative actions require user tokens in addition to bot tokens
Real-time messaging in channels is only available with appropriate event subscriptions
Our team can help you work around these limitations with custom configurations

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a paid Slack plan to use OpenClaw?

OpenClaw works with free Slack workspaces, but with limitations. Free plans have 90-day message history limits, which affects how far back OpenClaw can search. Workflow Builder integration requires Business+ or Enterprise plans. For full functionality including unlimited history search and advanced workflows, paid plans are recommended. However, core features like slash commands, mentions, and AI conversations work on all plans.

How do I handle Slack's rate limits?

OpenClaw's Slack bridge implements intelligent rate limit handling with automatic backoff and request queuing. For API tier 3 (standard), you get about 50 requests per minute per method. High-volume use cases may require requesting a higher tier from Slack. Best practices: batch operations when possible, use Socket Mode to reduce API calls, cache frequently-accessed data, and implement smart queuing for non-urgent requests.

Can OpenClaw access private channels and DMs?

Yes, with appropriate OAuth scopes and permissions. The bot must be invited to private channels to access them. For DMs, the app needs 'im:history' scope and users must initiate the conversation or have prior interactions. Enterprise Grid organizations may have additional policies restricting bot access to certain channel types. Always request only the scopes your use case genuinely requires.

How do I deploy OpenClaw for an Enterprise Grid organization?

Enterprise Grid requires organization-wide app management. You'll need to: 1) Create the app at the organization level, 2) Get admin approval for deployment, 3) Configure org-wide settings and policies, 4) Deploy to specific workspaces or organization-wide. OpenClaw supports Enterprise Grid's token rotation, data residency requirements, and audit logging. Work with your Slack Enterprise Admin for proper configuration.

What's the difference between Socket Mode and Request URLs?

Request URLs require a public HTTPS endpoint where Slack sends events - you need proper infrastructure and SSL certificates. Socket Mode uses WebSocket connections initiated from your server, requiring no public endpoint - perfect for development, firewalled environments, or simpler deployments. Socket Mode requires an App-Level Token. For production with high reliability needs, Request URLs with proper infrastructure are recommended.

How do I make OpenClaw available to specific users or channels only?

Control access at multiple levels: 1) Don't invite the bot to channels where it shouldn't operate, 2) Use Slack's app management to restrict who can install/use the app, 3) Implement user/channel allowlists in OpenClaw's configuration, 4) Check user roles and permissions in command handlers before executing. Enterprise plans offer additional controls through admin policies and app management settings.

Can OpenClaw read and respond to threaded conversations?

Yes, OpenClaw fully supports Slack threads. When mentioned in a thread, it receives the thread context and can respond appropriately. Configure whether AI responses should always be in threads (keeping channels cleaner) or in the main channel. The 'message.channels' and 'message.groups' events include thread_ts for threaded messages, allowing OpenClaw to maintain conversation context.

How do I update the Slack app without disrupting users?

Slack apps can be updated without reinstallation if OAuth scopes don't change. For scope changes, users need to reauthorize. Best practices: 1) Test in a development workspace first, 2) Use feature flags for gradual rollout, 3) Announce changes in an app announcement channel, 4) Maintain backward compatibility for slash commands, 5) Version your app configurations. Socket Mode reconnections are seamless during deploys.

What security certifications does this integration support?

OpenClaw respects Slack's security framework including SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance (on Enterprise Grid). The integration supports: Enterprise Key Management (EKM) for encryption key control, data residency requirements, audit logging, DLP integrations, and SSO enforcement. For regulated industries, deploy OpenClaw in compliant infrastructure and configure appropriate data handling policies.

How do I troubleshoot when the bot doesn't respond?

Common issues and solutions: 1) Check bot is invited to the channel, 2) Verify Socket Mode connection is active (openclaw slack status), 3) Confirm event subscriptions are configured correctly, 4) Check OAuth scopes include necessary permissions, 5) Review logs for errors (openclaw logs slack), 6) Verify signing secret matches if using Request URLs, 7) Ensure the bot user is active and not disabled. Slack's API tester can help validate credentials.

Ready to Boost Your Team's Productivity?

Let our team handle the integration. Book a free consultation and we'll deploy OpenClaw in your Slack workspace for 24/7 AI assistance, automated workflows, and seamless tool stack connectivity.

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