What Is Slack and How Does It Work?

Slack is an all-purpose communication platform and collaboration hub. It includes instant messaging, voice and video calls, and a suite of tools to help groups share information and work together. Slack has standalone applications for Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, and iOS, and it also operates in web browsers. Here's a look at how Slack works.

Slack Workspaces and Channels

A Slack workspace is your team's home, similar to a dashboard. Groups or teams of people can create a free Slack workspace and then upgrade their Slack plan if they need advanced features, such as unlimited workspaces and guaranteed uptime.

Workspace users populate a directory, and all users can communicate directly with one another through instant messaging.

Slack Channels are shared group chat rooms for members of a workspace. Users can communicate with the entire team or certain team members in various channels. Dedicate channels to specific teams, projects, discussion topics, or whatever else you choose.

A channel creator can give Channel access to anyone in the shared workspace or restrict access to invited users. For example, team members working on a dedicated project can have their own channel, while the entire team can access a channel about common issues.

Use Slack Messaging and Calls

If you're creating a new Slack workspace, invite users to become part of it. If you're joining a workspace, you'll need to receive an invitation first. Once you're a member, messaging in Slack is easy and intuitive.

When you're in Slack, you'll see a list of channels and direct message contacts on the left side of the page. Select a channel or a direct message between you and another member to see the messaging history in the center window. The free Slack plan allows storage of 10,000 messages, while paid plans store more.

From the side menu, start direct message threads with other members, add a message to a channel, search for more channels to join, or create a new channel and invite members.

Desktop Slack versions allow voice and video calls. The free Slack version supports only one-to-one calling, while the paid versions allow up to 15 participants. The paid versions also support screen sharing.

Slack's Advanced Features

Slack is more than a simple chat client. Its array of collaboration and teamwork tools set Slack apart as a powerful communication tool. Here's a glance at some of Slack's advanced features.

Notification Settings

Alter your Slack notification settings so you can be part of many busy channels within Slack without being distracted by constant notifications. Limit notifications to show only when you're mentioned in the channel, or only when specific words are used that may relate to the work you do.

Control notifications on an automatic schedule, as well. For example, you may want to disable notifications outside your regular work schedule.

Team Tools

Teams can use specific words to draw a team member's attention to a certain issue. Type @user's name into a chat message to alert someone to an important conversation they should see.

Easily share files, pictures, and more between team members directly in Slack. Slack keeps track of the content shared in channels and direct messages, making it easy to find and reference this information. Use the search bar to find specific chat messages or shared data.

Add some levity to work chatting by instantly sharing GIFs and using emojis and animated emojis. Paste the URL of an online GIF into chats to share it with other users automatically. Slack also supports direct integration with Giphy. Or, create your own custom Slack emojis.

Communication Tools

Want to have a quick audio conversation without turning on your camera? You can start a Slack Huddle in any channel or direct message. You can also share your screen with other participants in a huddle. Slack Huddle is only available for paid Slack teams.

Paid Slack teams can also share video and voice recordings. Slack automatically includes a transcript with all recordings, which can be stored in a searchable ​archive. You can schedule recordings to appear at a specific time.

Slack Business+ and Enterprise Grid plans support Slack Atlas, which adds extensive user profiles that can help newcomers understand your organization's structure. Slack Atlas integrates with tools like Workday to help teams keep all information updated.

Slack App Integration

For more advanced Slack functionality, workspace administrators can integrate other apps, including Google Drive and Dropbox, to streamline filesharing. Use a variety of bots to handle other tasks, such as pulling in data from external tools or creating quick surveys. While these app integrations aren't a core part of Slack, they make the platform more versatile than other apps dedicated solely to communication.