Talk to your Agent in Slack

Connect a ClawPod Agent to a channel in your Slack workspace to request work by mentioning the bot. Start by asking the Agent to connect Slack; this flow does not require a separate skill installation request. Have the Agent first check its available Slack connection features and browser access.

Before you start

• A ClawPod Agent with access to its browser
• A Slack account and permission to install an app in the target workspace

Your organization may require Slack administrator approval for app installation. Sign in through the Agent's dedicated browser rather than sharing your personal browser profile or password manager.

Ask your Agent to connect

Open a private 1:1 conversation with the target Agent in ClawPod and ask:

I want to add Slack as a channel. Connect it using Socket Mode and open the Slack sign-in page in your internal browser. I will sign in. Ask me for any information you need.

You do not need to decide the workspace, channel, and bot name in advance. Answer the Agent's questions to choose where to connect. For example, say “Use the existing project channel in our company workspace.” If the channel does not exist, decide together whether to create it and whether it should be public or private.

If the signed-in Slack account has the required permissions, you can ask the Agent to create the channel, create and install the app, invite the bot, and configure the connection. Describe the result you want, such as creating a new project channel and completing the connection. Complete sign-in, MFA, and any required approvals, and answer the Agent's questions as setup proceeds.

Sign in and complete setup

1. Complete sign-in, MFA, and any other identity checks in the Slack page opened by the Agent. See using the Agent desktop.
2. Answer the Agent's questions about the workspace, channel, and bot name. If you need a new channel, specify its name and whether it should be public or private, then ask the Agent to create it.
3. Ask the Agent to handle app creation and installation, bot invitation, and connection setup. It carries out the steps permitted by the signed-in account.
4. Follow the instructions when your confirmation or administrator approval is needed. Steps requiring administrator approval or an invitation from another channel member remain pending until completed.
5. Ask the Agent to check the connection and any remaining work, then verify the conversation using the steps below.

See handling secrets for credential-storage guidance.

Start a conversation with a mention

Mention @bot-name in the connected Slack channel to start a conversation. Select the bot from Slack's autocomplete list before sending your message.

@bot-name Please confirm that you are connected.

Typing the bot's name as ordinary text is not the same as mentioning it. Check that Slack displays your selection as a bot mention.

After setup, ask the Agent to send a test message to the connected channel, then mention the bot in Slack.

Verify both directions before considering the connection complete:

• Agent → Slack: The requested test message appears in the target channel.
• Slack → Agent: The Agent responds to your mention in that channel or a thread.

Installing the app or obtaining tokens does not confirm two-way conversation. Ask the Agent to summarize completed steps, test results, and any remaining work.

Troubleshoot or disconnect

Situation	What to check
Installation requests administrator approval	Check the app name and requested permissions, and follow your organization's approval process. App creation and installation permissions can differ.
channel_not_found	Ask the Agent to check that the channel exists, the bot has joined and has access, and the channel ID is correct.
The test message appears, but mentions receive no reply	Check that you used a real bot mention. Ask the Agent to inspect the channel allowlist, incoming-event settings, connection status, and whether configuration changes have taken effect.
The Slack connection itself fails	Ask the Agent to check Socket Mode and whether both tokens are usable. Do not include token values in error reports.

To stop the connection, ask the Agent to disconnect the specified workspace or channel. Removing the Slack app entirely or revoking its tokens also requires action in Slack. First check whether another connection uses the same app.