Rebuilding legacy workflows in the new version of Workflow Builder

In July 2023, we released a new version of Workflow Builder with updated steps, connectors and features, designed to allow anyone to build automations in Slack. Starting 26th September 2024, we began deprecating legacy workflows and the legacy version of Workflow Builder. 

Use this guide to learn more about rebuilding your workflows in the new version of Workflow Builder.  

Build a new workflow

1. From your desktop, hover over   More, then select   Automations.
   
2. Click on   New workflow in the top right, then select   Build workflow.

Tip: For more detailed instructions on creating a workflow, review our article on building a workflow that starts in Slack.

Trigger functionality

When building your new workflow, the first step is to decide how it will start. The chart below highlights the key differences between the triggers in the legacy version of Workflow Builder and the new version.

Legacy trigger functionality	New starting step
Shortcuts menu	From a link in Slack
Your workflow started when someone runs it from the shortcuts menu.	Your workflow starts when someone clicks one link that hared in Slack. Follow this guide to learn how to closely replicate the experience of the Shortcuts menu trigger.
New channel member	When a person joins a channel
Your workflow started when someone joined one specific channel.	Your workflow starts when someone joins a channel. You can specify up to 20 channels per workflow.
Emoji reaction	When an emoji reaction is used
Your workflow started when someone used a reaction in a channel that you specified. Up to five emoji could trigger the same workflow.	Up to ten emoji can trigger a workflow, and the reaction(s) can be used in up to 20 different channels.
Scheduled date and time	On a schedule
Your workflow started at a date and time that you specified. The time zone defaulted to the builder’s local time zone and couldn’t be changed.	Your workflow starts at the date and time that you specify, and you can specify a time zone.
Webhook	From a webhook
Available data types: Text, Slack user email, Slack user ID.	Available data types: Text, Slack user email, Slack user ID, Slack channel ID.

Tip: View a full list of triggers in the new Workflow Builder.

Updated Slack steps

The steps in a workflow determine the actions that it takes. The new version of Workflow Builder offers new built-in steps, as well as some updated classics. 

  Send a form

Legacy step functionality	New step functionality
After creating a form, you could decide where the workflow sent it. Question types: Single line of text Paragraph Drop-down Select a person Select a channel or DM	Add the Collect info in a form step to create your form. Then, create a Message step to decide where the workflow sends it. Question types: Short answer Paragraph Rich text composer Drop-down Multiple choice Tick boxes File upload Slack user Multiple Slack users Slack channel Multiple Slack channels Date Date/time Number

 
Send a message

Legacy step functionality	New step functionality
When your workflow sent a message, you could decide which channel, person or thread would receive it.	With the updated Messages steps, your workflow can: Add a reaction to a message Remove a reaction from a message Reply to a message in thread Send a message to a channel Send a message to a person Send an only visible to you message

New Slack steps

The new version of Workflow Builder offers more steps, and steps that interact with Slack’s latest features (such as canvases and lists!) so you can do more with a workflow. 

Canvas	Create a canvas Create a channel canvas Share a canvas Share canvas in thread Update a canvas
Channels	Add a bookmark Add people to a channel Archive a channel Create a channel Pin a message Update the channel topic
List	Add an item to a list Copy a list Delete a list item Send notification to Activity feed Share a list  Update a list item
Users	Add people to a user group Create a user group Remove someone from a user group
Workflow	Delay a workflow

Connect to third-party services

In the legacy version of Workflow Builder, adding steps from apps allowed workflows to interact with third-party services – such as JIRA or PagerDuty. In the new version of Workflow Builder, you can connect workflows to third-party services with connector steps. Review our guide to building a workflow with connector steps to get started.