Build a workflow: Authenticate third-party accounts to use connector steps

If you create workflows with connector steps, you may need to connect your Slack account with another service (like Google or Salesforce).

How it works

• Connector steps require authentication with the third-party service in order to be used in a workflow.
• You can decide if you want others to use your account credentials, or if they should authenticate their own third-party accounts when they use the workflow.
• You can disconnect your account from Slack at any time.

Create a workflow with a connector step

When you add a connector step to a workflow, you can choose whether to require the people using your workflow to authenticate their accounts in the third-party service, or allow them to use your account to complete the workflow.

In some cases, it will only make sense to have people use their own accounts, like if a step in your workflow should be associated with the person using it. In others, allowing people to use your authenticated account gives you additional flexibility. For example, if your workflow collects and sends form responses to a Google spreadsheet you didn’t grant everyone access to in Google Sheets.

Authenticate with your account

To allow everyone who uses your workflow to use your third-party service account, add a connector step to your workflow, then connect your account.

1. From Workflow Builder, select a connector step, then click Connect.
2. Follow the prompts.
3. Once you’ve connected your account, you can proceed with building the workflow.

Note: If you try to connect your account and are redirected to an error page in your browser instead of an authentication page, your admins may need to configure the connector before you can use it.

Allow others to authenticate with their account

If your workflow step should be associated with everyone’s unique third-party account, you can specify this once you’ve connected your account. When someone uses the workflow for the first time, they'll be prompted to authenticate their account.

1. From Workflow Builder, add a connector step to your workflow, then click Connect.
2. Follow the prompts.
3. Once you’ve connected your account, click Edit.
4. Under Whose account should be used for this step, select The person using the workflow, then click Save.

Tip: Add a button to your workflow to let members initiate the third-party authentication process when they click the button.

Disconnect your account

You can disconnect an account connected to Slack through a workflow at any time. If you built a workflow with a connector step that uses your account credentials, you’ll need to re-connect it before the workflow will run successfully.

1. From your desktop, click your profile picture in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Preferences from the menu.
3. Click Connected accounts.
4. Below Apps connected through workflows, click Manage accounts next to the account you’d like to disconnect.
5. Click Disconnect.

Who can use this feature?

• Members who create and manage workflows.
• Available on paid plans