Slack templates: Track and manage feedback

A common challenge when collecting feedback from a bigger group of stakeholders is receiving submissions in a variety of formats and forums. To centralize this process in Slack, use our Feedback intake and triage template — just fill in a few details during setup, and you’ll be on your way!

Tip: Find a template that’s right for you, whatever you need to do. From Slack on desktop, click   More in your sidebar and select   Templates to browse available templates.

The feedback intake and triage template includes:

•   Feedback instructions canvas to share submission guidelines
•   Feedback tracker list to organize and prioritize submissions
•   Feedback form workflow to collect standardized submissions
•   Status notification workflow that posts automatically when list items are added or updated

Create your feedback channel

When you’re working in Slack, the best place to collect and manage feedback submissions is in a channel. Our Feedback intake and triage template has everything you’ll need to streamline this process.

Create the channel

1. From your desktop, click the   plus button in the sidebar.
2. Select Channel, then choose Feedback intake and triage from the list of templates. Click on a tab in the template preview to see the canvas, list, or workflows.
3. When you’re ready to start setup, click Next, then click Use Template.
4. Fill in a name for your channel following the #feedback- channel prefix. 
5. Choose a channel type (public or private), then click Create.
6. You can invite people to the channel right away, but we recommend waiting to add others until you’ve customized your template.
   

Edit the template

Once your template is ready, you can view and make changes to the canvas, list, and workflows.

Feedback instructions

Feedback tracker

Workflows

1. Click   Feedback instructions in the channel header to open the canvas.
2. An introductory paragraph, section names, and instructions for submitting feedback via the workflow have been filled in for you. Review the content and make any updates you’d like. If you have additional resources to share, add them to the Other resources section.
3. By default, anyone in the channel will be able to edit the canvas. To restrict editing permissions, follow these steps.

💡Visit Use a canvas in Slack for detailed instructions on working with canvases. 

As people share feedback using the workflow, the tracker will be automatically populated with their submissions.

1. Click   Task tracker in the channel header to open the list. You’ll see three placeholder tasks, which you can edit or delete.
2. To edit a task, click into the Task field and add new text. Then, update the Description field. To delete a task, hover over the task and click   Open. Click the   three dots icon, then select Delete item.
3. To add a new task, click Add Item. By default, all members of the channel will be able to update, add, and remove items from the list. To restrict editing permissions, follow these steps.

💡Check out Use lists in Slack for a step-by-step guide to working with lists. 

Workflows in Slack automate processes by carrying out a pre-configured series of steps. While the two workflows included in this template don’t require additional configuration, you can edit them if you’d like. For example, you might need to update the Feedback form workflow to collect information for new fields you added to the list, or modify the Item status notification workflow to include more information in the messages it sends to your channel.

1. Open the   Workflows tab in the channel header.
2. Click the   three dots icon next to the workflow you’d like to customize further, then select Edit workflow.
3. Click the   pencil icon next to a step to make changes.
4. Click Save, then click Publish Changes.

Remove the featured workflow

In this template, the Feedback form workflow is featured in the channel. When a workflow is featured, the message field is replaced by a button to start the workflow. Anyone in the channel can use the workflow, or click   Send a message to send a regular message. If you don’t want to feature this workflow, follow the steps below:

1. Click the   three dots icon next to the workflow, then select Remove from featured.
2. Click Remove from Featured.

💡Read What is a Slack workflow? for an overview. 

Add teammates

Once you’ve finished editing your template, it’s time to add people to the channel.

1. Click cluster of profile pictures in the top right.
2. Click  Add people.
3. Search for people or user groups, then click Add.

Get to work

👏 Ta-da! You’re set up to track and manage feedback in Slack. Anyone in your new channel can access the feedback submission workflow from the message field, and you and others helping triage feedback submissions can work right from the list.