Slack Enhances Workflow Builder with New Automation Features and Developer Tools

Slack has announced significant updates to its Workflow Builder, introducing new features that make it easier than ever for users to create time-saving automations.

The updates include plug-and-play workflow templates, enhanced developer tools, and additional workflow steps from popular third-party apps like PagerDuty, Asana, and Bitbucket. These enhancements are designed to make no-code automation more accessible to users across various industries, enabling teams to streamline routine tasks and focus on more strategic activities.

Key Updates to Slack’s Workflow Builder

1. Plug-and-Play Workflow Templates: Slack has introduced 50 new plug-and-play workflow templates that allow users to build and customize no-code automations quickly and easily. These templates simplify the process of creating workflows by providing pre-built structures that users can modify to fit their specific needs. Examples of these templates include:
   • Onboarding New Hires: Automatically add new team members to relevant meetings, share important files, and send a welcome message when they join a Slack channel.
   • Managing Recurring Meetings: Collect agenda topics, track them in a Slack list, and post the agenda in the team channel on the day of the meeting.
   • Streamlining Incident Response: Gather incident details, create a dedicated channel with the appropriate team members, and log the issue in tools like Jira Cloud to track progress toward resolution.

   These templates are designed to save time and reduce the complexity of building workflows, allowing users to automate both common tasks and more intricate processes with ease.

2. Starting Workflows from Third-Party App Actions: One of the most powerful new features is the ability to initiate workflows in Slack based on events occurring in integrated third-party tools. This integration helps centralize project management and reduces the need for context switching, which can drive down productivity. For example:
• If a critical mobile app outage is logged in PagerDuty, a workflow in Slack can automatically be triggered. This workflow might include creating an incident channel, adding the right team members, setting up a canvas, and sharing all relevant information from PagerDuty.

This feature ensures that critical updates and actions from external apps are seamlessly integrated into Slack, enabling teams to respond more efficiently.

3. Enhanced Developer Tools for Custom Workflow Creation: Slack has also introduced new developer tools that make it easier for developers to create custom workflow steps. These tools are part of Slack’s open API platform and allow developers to build and deploy specialized workflows faster. Key enhancements include:
• Custom Step Management: Developers can create and manage custom steps directly from the Slack app settings page through a new, intuitive user interface.
• Flexible Hosting Options: Custom steps can now be hosted anywhere, giving developers the flexibility to securely bring their services into Slack.
• Integration with Existing Slack Apps: Developers can enhance existing custom-built Slack apps, such as bots, by adding custom steps that can be used within Workflow Builder. This allows for deeper integration between Slack apps and time-saving workflows.

Additionally, developers can choose their preferred programming languages, such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, and Java, when developing custom steps using Slack’s SDK or Bolt framework.