How to Send Automated Slack Messages: A Full Guide

If you’re like me and love finding ways to save time, you're in the right place - automating Slack messages is something you’ll appreciate.

So let me show you how you can automate Slack DMs and simplify a big chunk of your daily communication.

Why You Should Automate Slack Messages

Slack is where teams collaborate, share ideas, and get work done. But typing the same messages day after day is not what anyone signed up for. 

Think about all the tasks you repeat in Slack—sending a daily team update, reminding someone about a deadline, or welcoming a new team member. 

Each one takes just a few seconds to finish up, but they add up to quite the giant sinkhole. 

Automating these tasks is your safest bet to :

• Make sure you never forget something important.
• Save yourself from unnecessary effort.
• Keep everything consistent and punctual.

How to Automate Slack Messages Using Built-In Features

Slack has some built-in features that are super easy to use for basic automations. 

Let me walk you through them:

1. Schedule Messages

Have you ever  wanted to send a message at the right time but knew you’d forget? 

Slack’s scheduling feature is perfect for this.

Here’s how:

• Write your message.
• Click the little arrow next to the send button and choose a time.
• Done. It’ll send exactly when you want it to.

If you’re on mobile, just press and hold the send button to find the same option.

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2. Use Slackbot for Reminders

Slackbot is like your personal assistant inside Slack. You can ask it to remind you—or your team—about anything.

Type something like this:

/remind me to get a cup of coffee at 3 PM today.

It’s simple, and you’ll never have to nag people again.

3. Build Workflows with the Slack Workflow Builder

This is where things get a little more advanced, but it’s still easy to set up. With Workflow Builder, you can create automatic actions like:

• Sending a welcome message to new team members.
• Sharing updates when tasks move to a new stage.
• Notifying the team when a document gets uploaded.

If you don’t know where to start, Slack has a lot of ready-to-go templates too!

Want to Do More? Try These Third-Party Tools

If you need something beyond Slack’s built-in features, there are some great tools out there. They let you connect Slack with the apps you’re already using through Slack Integrations.

Konnectify

If a reliable and scalable automation platform with solid API support is what you need, Konnectify is the ideal alternative to explore and it comes with many more tasks.

Designed for SaaS businesses, Konnectify can give you:

• Custom Workflows: Tailor automations to your specific needs.
• White-Labeled Integrations: Build your own integration marketplace.
• Scalability: Perfect for businesses that plan to grow.

Zapier

Zapier connects Slack with platforms like Trello, Google Sheets, and Salesforce. For example, you could set up a workflow where every time someone submits a form, a message gets sent to your Slack channel.

Make (formerly Integromat)

Make is great if you like visual tools. You can build workflows by dragging and dropping blocks. It’s perfect for creating more complex automations without needing to know how to code.

Pabbly Connect

If you want something straightforward for recurring messages or connecting apps like Airtable or Jira, Pabbly Connect does the job without a big learning curve.

Examples of Slack Automations You’ll Actually Use

Here’s where automation gets fun. These are practical ways people use Slack automations:

1. Recurring Reminders
   Set up daily or weekly messages for things like stand-ups, project updates, or deadlines.
   
   
2. Task Notifications
   Whenever a task is updated in Asana or Trello, Slack sends an alert to keep everyone in the loop.
   
   
3. Onboarding Messages
   Automatically send a new team member all the info they need, like team rules, project links, and who to reach out to for help.
   
   
4. Out-of-Office Replies
   If you’re away, set Slackbot to let people know when you’ll be back or who they should contact in your absence.
   
   
5. Custom Alerts
   With tools like Slack’s API or Zapier, you can set up notifications for things like new sales leads, support tickets, or when inventory runs low.
   
   

Getting Technical Using Slack API

If you’re into tech, Slack’s API is a goldmine for custom solutions. You can:

• Build a bot that sends messages based on specific triggers.
• Post updates to a channel using webhooks.
• Automate responses to keywords or phrases.

It takes some setup, but the possibilities are endless.

Need Help With Setting Up Complex Slack Automations?

We help companies set up work automations everyday. If you need a hand, we can help you set it up for free!

Free Automation Setup

What to Do When Things Go Wrong

Automation is great—until it isn’t. If you run into issues:

• Check permissions. Sometimes bots or apps need extra access to work properly.
• Test your workflows. Make sure they’re doing what you expect before relying on them.
• Look into your plan. Some advanced features might only be available on Slack’s premium plans.

Slack Automations Are Easy, Try Them Today

Automating Slack messages is one of those things that seems small but makes a huge difference. It frees up your brain for more important tasks and keeps everything running like clockwork.

Start small. Try scheduling a reminder or setting up a workflow. Once you see how much easier it makes your day, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Let me know how it goes!

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