Slack™ For Dummies®

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Table of Contents

1. Cover
2. Foreword
3. Introduction
   1. About This Book
   2. Foolish Assumptions
   3. Icons Used in This Book
   4. Beyond the Book
   5. Where to Go from Here
4. Part 1: Working Smarter and Better with Slack
   1. Chapter 1: Why Slack Exists
      1. Introducing Slack
      2. Meeting Slack’s Users and Customers
      3. Understanding Why Slack Exists
      4. What Slack Specifically Does
   2. Chapter 2: Getting Started with Slack
      1. Reviewing Slack’s Different Versions
      2. Beginning Your Slack Journey with the Workspace
      3. Summarizing Slack’s Different Roles and Permissions
      4. Starting Your New Workspace Off on the Right Foot
5. Part 2: Communicating Without Chaos
   1. Chapter 3: Targeting Your Communication with Slack Channels
      1. Introducing Slack Channels
      2. Exploring the Different Types of Slack Channels
      3. Creating Public and Private Channels
      4. Performing Channel Actions
      5. Adding Members to Existing Channels
      6. Exploring Existing Public Channels
      7. Communicating via Slack Channels
   2. Chapter 4: The Wonderful World of Slack Messages
      1. Understanding Slack Messages
      2. Sharing in Slack
      3. Comparing Email and Slack
      4. Forwarding Email to Slack
      5. Communicating Outside of Slack
   3. Chapter 5: Staying Informed with Notifications, Statuses, and Feeds
      1. Getting Your Arms around Notifications
      2. Letting Others Know Your Availability
      3. Configuring Device-Specific Notifications
      4. Finding Other Ways to Stay Current
6. Part 3: Becoming a Slack Power User
   1. Chapter 6: Going Deeper into Slack’s Functionality
      1. Making Calls in Slack
      2. Sharing Your Screen in Slack
      3. Saving Even More Time in Slack
      4. Managing Your Life with Reminders
      5. Saving Items
      6. Creating User Groups
   2. Chapter 7: Finding What You Need with Slack’s Powerful Search Techniques
      1. Searching for Better Search Methods
      2. Performing Searches in Slack
      3. Getting the Most Out of Search in Slack
   3. Chapter 8: Personalizing Slack
      1. Getting to Know Your Slack Options
      2. Customizing User Profiles
      3. Organizing Your Sidebar
   4. Chapter 9: Keeping It Safe: Reviewing Slack’s Security and Privacy Settings
      1. Getting Acquainted with Slack Security
      2. Security and Slack’s Evolution
      3. Configuring Slack’s Access and Security Settings
      4. Enhancing Security via Slack Enterprise Grid
      5. Examining Privacy in Slack
      6. Understanding Slack’s Tricky Regulatory Environment
7. Part 4: Extending Slack’s Native Functionality
   1. Chapter 10: Making Slack Hum with Robust Third-Party Apps
      1. Understanding How Slack Has Embraced Platform Thinking
      2. Comparing Public and Private Apps
      3. Enhancing Slack with Third-Party Apps
      4. Introducing Some Popular Slack Apps
      5. Finding and Installing Apps
      6. Managing Apps and App Permissions
      7. Using Workflow Builder
   2. Chapter 11: Analyzing, Importing, Exporting, and Updating Slack User Data
      1. Analyzing Workspace Data
      2. Viewing Member Access Logs
      3. Moving Data Around in Slack
      4. Performing Mass Updates to User Data
   3. Chapter 12: Integrating Slack with Popular Enterprise Systems
      1. A Brief Primer on Enterprise Systems
      2. Slack and Current Enterprise Systems
8. Part 5: Successfully Introducing Slack in the Workplace
   1. Chapter 13: The Elements of Persuasion: Slack-Adoption Strategies
      1. A Brief Primer on Network Effects
      2. Reviewing the Different Slack-Adoption Approaches
      3. Making Slack Stick at Work
   2. Chapter 14: The Inherent Risks of Deploying Slack
      1. Identifying the Risks of Using Slack
      2. Listing Slack’s Environmental Challenges
   3. Chapter 15: The Future of Slack: We’re Just Getting Started
      1. Increased Use of Automation and Bots
      2. Tighter Integration with Popular Enterprise Systems
      3. Better Dashboards and Analytics
      4. A More Powerful Slack Work Graph
      5. Continued Borrowing of Popular Features from Other Apps
      6. Key Acquisitions and Partnerships
9. Part 6: The Part of Tens
   1. Chapter 16: Ten Great Slack Tips
      1. Respond Promptly to New Users’ Requests, Questions, and Feedback
      2. Regularly View Slack Analytics
      3. Tread Lightly with New Hires
      4. Establish Slack as the Default Medium for Internal Communication
      5. Emphasize Slack’s Carrots More Than Its Sticks
      6. Keep an Eye Out for New Slack Apps
      7. Tell Overly Exuberant Slack Members to Tone It Down
      8. Publicize Your Status and Availability
      9. Try Before You Buy
      10. Know When to Turn Slack Off
   2. Chapter 17: Ten or So Common Slack Myths
      1. Slack Is Just Email 2.0
      2. Slack Decimates the Need for Email
      3. All Organizations Configure Slack in a Uniform Way
      4. Slack Obviates the Need for In-Person Communication
      5. Slack Solves Every Conceivable Business-Communication Problem
      6. Slack Is Too Expensive for Our Company
      7. Our Company Has Built a Tool That’s Just as Good as Slack
      8. Our Employees Don’t Need Slack
      9. Our Company Uses Slack and Nothing Else for Collaboration
      10. You Can’t Misuse Slack
   3. Chapter 18: The Top Ten or So Slack Resources
      1. Slack Online Support
      2. Other Online Resources
      3. In-Person Resources
10. Index
11. About the Author
12. Advertisement Page
13. Connect with Dummies
14. End User License Agreement

List of Tables

1. Chapter 3
   1. TABLE 3-1 Reserved Slack Words as of April 1, 2020
   2. TABLE 3-2 Slack Channel Icons and Descriptions
2. Chapter 4
   1. TABLE 4-1 Referencing Channel Names in DMs
   2. TABLE 4-2 Formatting Slack DMs via the WYSIWYG Editor
   3. TABLE 4-3 Formatting Slack DMs via Keyboard Shortcuts
   4. TABLE 4-4 Email versus Slack DMs
3. Chapter 5
   1. TABLE 5-1 @-Symbol Notification Tricks
4. Chapter 6
   1. TABLE 6-1 Slack Reminder Shortcuts
5. Chapter 10
   1. TABLE 10-1 Cool IFTTT Applets
6. Chapter 11
   1. TABLE 11-1 Slack Import Options for Third-Party Tools
7. Chapter 13
   1. TABLE 13-1 Pre-Slack IM and Collaboration Tools
8. Chapter 14
   1. TABLE 14-1 Pre-Slack Collaboration Tools

List of Illustrations

1. Chapter 1
   1. FIGURE 1-1: Slack workspace of a college professor.
2. Chapter 2
   1. FIGURE 2-1: Slackbot upgrade confirmation message.
   2. FIGURE 2-2: Slack workspace email invitation.
   3. FIGURE 2-3: Slack Start with a workspace page.
   4. FIGURE 2-4: Slack browser email-confirmation message.
   5. FIGURE 2-5: Slackbot introductory message with tips.
   6. FIGURE 2-6: High-level diagram of the UI of a Slack workspace.
   7. FIGURE 2-7: Sample Slack workspace with People view selected in sidebar.
   8. FIGURE 2-8: Deactivated accounts in the People view.
   9. FIGURE 2-9: Slack guest-account options.
   10. FIGURE 2-10: My Slack profile.
3. Chapter 3
   1. FIGURE 3-1: The basic Slack workspace communication structure.
   2. FIGURE 3-2: Workplace with channels.
   3. FIGURE 3-3: Slack prompt for creating a new channel.
   4. FIGURE 3-4: Slack prompt for adding members to a new channel.
   5. FIGURE 3-5: Channel icons and containers.
   6. FIGURE 3-6: Starred #faq channel.
   7. FIGURE 3-7: Setting default Slack channels for workspace members.
   8. FIGURE 3-8: Viewing existing channels in a Slack workspace.
   9. FIGURE 3-9: Browsing a filtered list of public Slack channels to which I don’t ...
   10. FIGURE 3-10: Simple Slack channel message with response.
4. Chapter 4
   1. FIGURE 4-1: Composing a simple DM to send to a colleague.
   2. FIGURE 4-2: Selecting recipients for a group DM.
   3. FIGURE 4-3: Example of a group DM.
   4. FIGURE 4-4: Example of DM sent to yourself.
   5. FIGURE 4-5: Slack Drafts view.
   6. FIGURE 4-6: Example of DM referencing a public channel.
   7. FIGURE 4-7: Slack’s People view.
   8. FIGURE 4-8: Slack saved a DM.
   9. FIGURE 4-9: Viewing pinned DMs in a conversation.
   10. FIGURE 4-10: Sample post options.
   11. FIGURE 4-11: Sample Slack rich-text post.
   12. FIGURE 4-12: Sample Slack code snippet.
   13. FIGURE 4-13: Slack Files view.
   14. FIGURE 4-14: Slack message forbidding a user from sharing a private DM.
5. Chapter 5
   1. FIGURE 5-1: Slack workspace with badges and unread activity.
   2. FIGURE 5-2: Slack badge indicator from another workspace.
   3. FIGURE 5-3: Slack workspace notification panel.
   4. FIGURE 5-4: Example of muted Slack channels.
   5. FIGURE 5-5: Example of customized channel notifications.
   6. FIGURE 5-6: Slack composite view of channel notifications.
   7. FIGURE 5-7: Slack workspace keyword alert setting for quarterly meeting.
   8. FIGURE 5-8: Slack unread DMs.
   9. FIGURE 5-9: Simple Slack reminder notification.
   10. FIGURE 5-10: Slack notification of new activity in thread.
   11. FIGURE 5-11: Slack default statuses.
   12. FIGURE 5-12: Slack status with red stop-sign emoji.
   13. FIGURE 5-13: Slack prompt when returning from away status.
   14. FIGURE 5-14: Slack DM options showing member DND icon.
   15. FIGURE 5-15: Overriding the DND status to send an urgent message.
   16. FIGURE 5-16: A Slack email to an inactive member summarizing missed activity.
   17. FIGURE 5-17: Slack Mentions & reactions on right-hand side.
   18. FIGURE 5-18: Slack full-screen view of Mentions & reactions.
6. Chapter 6
   1. FIGURE 6-1: Slack sample video call with icons.
   2. FIGURE 6-2: Accepting a Slack call on an iPhone.
   3. FIGURE 6-3: Slack #general channel call without participants.
   4. FIGURE 6-4: Slack notification in #general channel of new call.
   5. FIGURE 6-5: Slack message in #general channel that call has ended.
   6. FIGURE 6-6: Viewing Slack preferences via keyboard shortcut from computer app.
   7. FIGURE 6-7: My current Slack status.
   8. FIGURE 6-8: Slackbot reminder confirmation.
   9. FIGURE 6-9: Slackbot reminder.
   10. FIGURE 6-10: Slack Saved view.
   11. FIGURE 6-11: Slack user group initial prompt.
7. Chapter 7
   1. FIGURE 7-1: Slack search results on the word “icon.”
   2. FIGURE 7-2: Slack search results on the word “icon” restricted by member name.
   3. FIGURE 7-3: Slack search results on the word “icon” restricted by member name a...
   4. FIGURE 7-4: Slack search results using a regular and negative keyword.
   5. FIGURE 7-5: Slack search results from multiple workspace members.
   6. FIGURE 7-6: Slack search results containing multi-keyword phrase.
   7. FIGURE 7-7: Slack search results containing a reversed multi-keyword phrase.
   8. FIGURE 7-8: Slack search results containing multiple keywords without quotes.
   9. FIGURE 7-9: Slack search results from just my channels and omitting bots.
   10. FIGURE 7-10: Slack search results for messages with emojis.
   11. FIGURE 7-11: Slack search results with wildcard following a text string.
   12. FIGURE 7-12: Slack search results with wildcard preceding text string.
   13. FIGURE 7-13: Slack fuzzy search results on “meetng.”
8. Chapter 8
   1. FIGURE 8-1: Slack member preference window.
   2. FIGURE 8-2: Slack sidebar options.
   3. FIGURE 8-3: Slack custom emoji.
   4. FIGURE 8-4: Slackbot setup for automated response.
   5. FIGURE 8-5: Slackbot automated response in action.
   6. FIGURE 8-6: Slack profile of a man with a brooding intensity and custom fields.
   7. FIGURE 8-7: Slack custom fields in a user profile.
   8. FIGURE 8-8: Slack custom section named Important.
   9. FIGURE 8-9: Slack notification of activity in channel collapses Important secti...
9. Chapter 9
   1. FIGURE 9-1: Slack email confirmation.
   2. FIGURE 9-2: Example of a simple Slack access log.
   3. FIGURE 9-3: Slack email confirming individual 2FA activation.
   4. FIGURE 9-4: Slack workspace icon indicating that member needs to sign in again ...
10. Chapter 10
    1. FIGURE 10-1: The Slack App Directory.
    2. FIGURE 10-2: Example of a Simple Poll on student reaction to how I use PowerPoi...
    3. FIGURE 10-3: IFTTT mobile-app notification.
    4. FIGURE 10-4: Slackbot in-app confirmation message for the poll application Poll...
    5. FIGURE 10-5: Slack email confirming installation of the Smartsheet app.
    6. FIGURE 10-6: Slackbot message indicating expiration of trial period of Slack Me...
    7. FIGURE 10-7: Slack App Management Settings.
    8. FIGURE 10-8: Slack app rejection message for Marlo, a meeting-feedback app.
    9. FIGURE 10-9: Slack Apps view.
    10. FIGURE 10-10: Slack message when member attempts to install the Outlook Calenda...
    11. FIGURE 10-11: Slackbot message notifying Workspace Admin of member app-installa...
    12. FIGURE 10-12: Slack message indicating that user is not authorized to install t...
    13. FIGURE 10-13: Disabling the Giphy Slack app.
    14. FIGURE 10-14: Slack log for app-related workspace activity.
    15. FIGURE 10-15: Workflow Builder example.
    16. FIGURE 10-16: Workflow Builder message welcoming new member to #slack_tips .
    17. FIGURE 10-17: Workflow Builder shortcut to IT-support form.
11. Chapter 11
    1. FIGURE 11-1: Slack analytics dashboard.
    2. FIGURE 11-2: Slack chart showing active members (Standard plan).
    3. FIGURE 11-3: Messages read: Breakdown by date.
    4. FIGURE 11-4: Breakdown of messages sent by date.
    5. FIGURE 11-5: Total workspace messages sent by date.
    6. FIGURE 11-6: Workspace files uploaded by date.
    7. FIGURE 11-7: Slack channel analytics (Free plan).
    8. FIGURE 11-8: Slack channel analytics (premium plans).
    9. FIGURE 11-9: Slack member analytics (premium plans).
    10. FIGURE 11-10: Slack daily access log.
    11. FIGURE 11-11: Slack Export Data options.
    12. FIGURE 11-12: Slackbot DM with data export download link.
    13. FIGURE 11-13: Slack past exports.
    14. FIGURE 11-14: Unzipped files from Slack Standard Export.
    15. FIGURE 11-15: JSON data from a Slack Standard Export file.

Guide

1. Cover
2. Table of Contents
3. Begin Reading