Use Slack AI to build a workflow

Workflow Builder helps you automate routine tasks and processes in Slack. You can use Slack AI to help you build workflows, and add a Slack AI step to a workflow to generate channel summaries automatically. 

New to workflows? Check out our What is a Slack workflow? tutorial for an overview.

Build a workflow with Slack AI

When you use Slack AI to create a workflow, you can write a simple natural language prompt like “Send a welcome message to people that join a channel” and Slack AI will automatically generate a workflow for you to customize, then publish.

Step 1: Open Workflow Builder

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

Step 2: Create a prompt

When you create a new workflow, you’ll have the option to use Slack AI to help. You can select a pre-written prompt, or write your own.

1. In the   Slack AI section, choose a prompt from the list, or write your own. Here are some examples to get you started:  
   
     From a link
   “When someone clicks a link, ask for feedback in a form and then share the feedback in #proj-feedback.”
   
       On a schedule
   “Every Thursday at 10am, summarize the last 7 days in #proj-feedback and send it to #feedback-summary.”
   
       When an emoji reaction is used
   “Send me a message when someone reacts with ✅ in #help.”
   
       When a person joins a channel
   “Welcome new members to #onboarding and ask them to introduce themselves.”
2. Click the   paper plane icon to submit your prompt. Slack AI will begin creating your workflow.

Note: It’s not possible to use the When a list item is updated or From a webhook triggers when creating a workflow with Slack AI.

Step 3: Customize and publish your workflow

1. Review your AI-generated workflow. If you'd like, you can add, remove, or edit steps to customize your workflow.
2. When you’re ready, click Finish Up. Review your workflow’s details and permissions, then click Publish.

Note: By default, members can use Slack AI to create workflows. Admins can restrict this by limiting who can use workflows.

Summarize public channels with a workflow step

To generate a channel summary automatically, you can build a workflow with a Summarize public channel step. When the summary is ready, the workflow can send the Slack AI summary to a channel, or add it to a canvas for you to refer back to later.

1. From your desktop, hover over   More, then select   Automations.
   
2. Click   New Workflow in the top-right corner.
3. Choose how your workflow should start, then search for and select
     Slack AI and select the   Summarize public channel step.
4. Select the channel you’d like to summarize, then select a duration and click Save.
5. To send the summary as a message, search for and select   Messages, then select Send a message to a channel. To add the summary to a canvas, search for and select   Canvas, then select Update a canvas.
6. Follow the prompts to configure the step, then click   Insert a variable and select Summary.
7. Click Save.
8. If you’d like, add more steps to your workflow. When you’re ready to publish, click Finish Up.
9. Update the workflow’s details and permissions, then click Publish.

When someone uses the workflow, the summary will appear in the specified canvas or channel, and can be shared by anyone with access, anywhere in Slack.

Who can use this feature?

• All members (by default)
• Available on paid plans with the Slack AI add-on