> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.useinvent.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Slack > Connect an agent to Slack so your team can mention it in a channel or message it directly, and get answers in the thread Connect an agent to Slack and your team can ask it for help where they already work. Mention the agent in a channel, or send it a direct message, and it answers in the thread. The agent works as the person who asked. It uses their Invent account, so it can only see and do what their role allows. ## What the agent does in Slack * **Answers when you mention it.** Mention the agent in a channel and it replies in a thread under your message. * **Follows the thread.** Once the agent answers in a thread, it reads every new reply there. No need to mention it again. * **Joins an existing thread.** Mention it in a reply to any thread and it starts from there. * **Reads the conversation.** When your request depends on earlier messages in the thread, the agent reads them in Slack. * **Sees files.** Images and documents you attach reach the agent. It can also open files shared earlier in the thread. * **Shows it is working.** While it thinks, the thread shows the agent's name with "is thinking...". * **Replies as itself.** Replies are posted with the agent's name and picture. Only the agent's replies go back to Slack. Each Slack conversation is also saved as a chat in Invent. ## Before you start * **Permission to manage agents** in Invent, to open the agent's **Channels** tab and connect a channel. * **Permission to manage connections** in Invent, if your organization has no Slack connection yet. Without it, you can only pick a Slack connection someone else already added. * **A Slack account** in the Slack workspace you want to connect. > [!NOTE] > > Some Slack workspaces only let admins approve new apps. If yours does, Slack asks you to request approval instead of showing **Allow**. Ask your Slack admin to approve the app, or send them a connection link (see step 2). ## Connect Slack **1. Open the agent's Channels tab** In the sidebar, click **Agents** and open your agent. Go to the **Channels** tab, find **Slack Bot** and click **Connect**. ![An agent's Channels tab with Telegram Bot, Slack Bot and Microsoft Teams, each with a Connect button](https://mintcdn.com/invent/BfacSI93Sa3aH3IQ/assets/agents/slack-channels-tab.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=BfacSI93Sa3aH3IQ\&q=85\&s=2f0a5b5ca505eb2c8818bd63d2f35cca) **2. Connect your Slack workspace** If your organization has no Slack connection yet, Invent opens the Slack sign-in window for you. If it doesn't open, click **Continue to Slack**. In Slack, pick your Slack workspace and click **Allow**. The window closes and your workspace is picked in **Connection**. Already connected Slack for another agent? Pick that workspace in **Connection** instead. To add another Slack workspace, choose **New Connection** in the list. ![The Slack Bot dialog with the Connect Slack button under Connection and Channel or user below it](https://mintcdn.com/invent/BfacSI93Sa3aH3IQ/assets/agents/slack-connect-dialog.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=BfacSI93Sa3aH3IQ\&q=85\&s=286dc81491f261d3320934bcfb7d3e98) Not the person who can approve Slack apps? Click **Cancel** while Invent waits for the sign-in, then open the menu next to **Continue to Slack** and click **Send a link to someone else**. Whoever opens the link can connect Slack to your organization. It works once. **3. Choose where the agent listens** Under **Channel or user**, keep **Any channel or user** so the agent answers anywhere it is mentioned and in direct messages. Or pick one Slack channel, or one person to answer only their direct messages. **4. Click Connect channel** Click **Connect channel**. Slack now shows on the agent's **Channels** tab. **5. Add the app to your Slack channels** In Slack, add the Invent app to each channel where you want to use it, for example by typing `/invite @Invent` in the channel. Private channels always need this step. ## Talk to the agent ### In a channel Mention the app in a message, like `@Invent what did we sell yesterday?`. The agent replies in a thread under your message. Keep talking in that thread. Every reply reaches the agent, from you or anyone else, without a new mention. You can also mention the app in a reply to a thread that is already going. The agent joins that thread and can read the messages before it. A message in a channel that doesn't mention the app, outside a thread the agent is in, never reaches the agent. ### In a direct message Open a direct message with the app and write to it. No mention needed. The agent answers in a thread under your message. Reply in that thread to continue. A new message outside the thread starts a new conversation. ### Buttons Sometimes the agent offers choices as buttons under its reply. Click one to answer. ### When a conversation starts over A Slack thread stays one chat in Invent while people keep using it. After 24 hours without a message, the next message in the thread starts a new chat. The agent still follows the thread. ## Who can talk to the agent Only members of your Invent organization. When someone writes to the agent in Slack, Invent finds their account in one of two ways: * **Their Slack email matches an active member's email.** Invent links them on the spot and the agent answers. * **They linked their Slack account before.** The agent answers right away. Anyone else gets a private message that only they can see: **Connect your account to continue.**, with a **Connect account** button. Once they sign in to Invent from that button, their Slack account is linked and the agent answers the message they sent. The message waits for 15 minutes. ## Permissions requested from Slack When you connect, Slack asks you to allow these permissions: | Permission | What Invent uses it for | | :- | :- | | `channels:read`, `groups:read`, `im:read`, `mpim:read` | List the channels and people you can pick in **Channel or user** | | `channels:history`, `groups:history`, `im:history`, `mpim:history` | Receive messages and read threads in the channels and direct messages the app is part of | | `chat:write` | Post the agent's replies | | `chat:write.public` | Post in a public channel the app was not added to, when the agent sends a message there | | `chat:write.customize` | Post replies with the agent's name and picture | | `files:read` | Download files people share, so the agent can see them | | `files:write` | Send files with the agent's replies | | `users:read`, `users.profile:read` | Show the name and picture of the person writing | | `users:read.email` | Match a Slack person to a member of your organization by email | | `team:read` | Show your Slack workspace's name in Invent | | `reactions:read`, `reactions:write` | See and add emoji reactions | | `assistant:write` | Show "is thinking..." in the thread while the agent works | ## Assistants already on Slack New Slack setups go on agents. Assistants no longer offer Slack in their **Channels** tab. An assistant that already answers in Slack keeps working as before. If the same Slack connection also has an agent, members of your organization reach the agent, and everyone else stays with the assistant. They don't get a connect link. ## Troubleshooting > [accordion] I mention the agent but nothing happens > > Check these in order: > > 1. The Invent app is in the channel. Add it with `/invite @Invent`. > 2. The Slack channel is turned on in the agent's **Channels** tab. > 3. **Channel or user** includes this channel. If you picked one channel, the agent ignores the others. > 4. You are a member of the Invent organization. If not, look for the private **Connect account** message from the app. > [accordion] I got a Connect account message > > Invent couldn't match your Slack account to a member. This happens when your Slack email differs from your Invent email. Click **Connect account** and sign in to Invent. You only do this once. > [accordion] Two agents answer the same message > > Each agent connected to the same Slack workspace with **Any channel or user** answers. Pick a specific channel for one of them. An agent set to a specific channel takes that channel over from agents set to **Any channel or user**. > [accordion] This connection is already added to this channel > > The agent already has Slack on this Slack workspace with the same **Channel or user**. Pick a different channel, or edit the one you have. > [accordion] Can the agent read every channel in our Slack? > > No. It only receives messages from channels and direct messages the app is part of, and only messages that mention it or belong to a thread it already answers in. > [accordion] Can I connect an assistant to Slack? > > Not anymore. Slack is for agents, which work for your team. Assistants that were already on Slack keep working. 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