Receive Alerts and Requests in Slack

With Smartsheet and Slack integration, you can set an automated workflow to notify a Slack channel when there are changes in Smartsheet.

For example, when a task becomes blocked, channel notifications can keep the entire team informed.

Also, with the Smartsheet bot in Slack, you can receive notifications in Slack just like you do in email. Once configured, you can receive mention notifications and requests directly in Slack.

For example, you can approve budget spending on a project without leaving Slack.

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Before You Begin

You can set Slack alerts to go to public or private Slack channels, But before you can receive alerts in Slack, you need to create a workflow for your channel and add the Smartsheet bot to any private channels. 

To add the Smartsheet bot to a private Slack channel: 

1. In Slack, go to the private channel you want to use. 
2. Type @Smartsheet to add the Smartsheet bot. 

You can now select the channel when you configure alerts.

Create an Automated Workflow

To learn more about how to create automated workflows see Save Time and Work Faster With Automated Workflows.

Keep your team in sync and up to date with Smartsheet’s extension for Slack. You can now configure which columns are included in your alert so that your team has access to the most important information. For more information, see Customize the Content of Your Alerts and Requests.

Install the Integration from the Slack App Directory

Your Slack Admin will need to install the Smartsheet Integration with Slack for you to receive notifications in a Slack channel. More information on how to install apps to Slack is available on the Slack Help Article.

Installation requires the Slack desktop app (as opposed to the Slack browser app).

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Receive Alerts and Requests as Direct Messages

Start receiving Smartsheet alerts (notifications, update requests, approval requests) as Slack direct messages by connecting the two apps.

With the Slack app open:

1. In the left panel, select Apps.
2. In the search bar at the top, type “Smartsheet” and select the Smartsheet bot.
   
   NOTE: To use the Slack integration with Smartsheet, you may need to submit a request to your organization’s Slack admin to enable the bot with the steps in this Slack Help Article article.
    
3. Type anything to the bot to start a conversation with it. The bot will greet you and ask for your authorization. When prompted, select Allow Access.
   
   The Smartsheet sign in and authorization pages appear.
    
4. Sign in to your Smartsheet account and select Allow.

Once you see the success page and the bot sends you the message “You’re all set up!” you can take action on update requests, approval requests, notifications, and reminders from Smartsheet!

Existing alerts and actions now go to Slack (in addition to the Notification Center and email inbox). See Configure How You Receive Notifications from Smartsheet for more information about controlling how you receive alerts and actions from Smartsheet.

Type “help” in a direct message to the bot to learn more.

Unregister from Smartsheet Notifications

You have two methods to stop receiving future alerts and actions messages in Slack:

In Slack (desktop or mobile):

• Type “unregister” in a direct message to the Smartsheet bot.
• The bot will confirm that you’ve successfully unregistered and will no longer send direct messages to you.

In Smartsheet:

1. Select your Profile image in the upper-right corner of the Smartsheet window.
2. Select Apps & Integrations.
3. A window appears with a list of all integrations that are connected to your Smartsheet account.
4. Locate Slack integration and select Revoke.

After revoking access, you’ll no longer receive notifications in Slack.

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How Alerts and Requests Appear in Slack

Alerts will provide different information based on whether one or multiple rows have been added or updated. 

Update and approval requests are only sent as direct messages.

Single Row

Here’s what you’ll see in an alert or request based on a single row:

• The kind of change, if any, (new row, updated row) in bold text
• The Primary column 
• Up to four cells that were added or changed can be displayed, starting from the leftmost cell on the row
• Symbols and images in the grid will be displayed as text values (an image filename will be displayed instead of the image)

You can select the sheet name to be taken to the specific row in Smartsheet.

Multiple Rows

For an alert or request based on multiple rows, you’ll see a summary notification:

• Notifications only: the kind of change (new rows, updated rows)
• Number of rows involved in the alert or request

You can select the sheet name to be taken to the sheet in Smartsheet

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Troubleshoot Not Receiving Alerts or Requests in Slack

Below are some things to check if you or others aren't receiving alerts or requests as direct messages or in channels in Slack.

Make Sure Slack Notifications are Enabled

If you receive a message that Slack notifications are disabled or, in the New Rule window, if you don’t have the option to set a Slack notification at all, you’ll need to change your notification delivery settings in Smartsheet. You may need to change your delivery settings on the account- and sheet-levels.

Once you change the account-level permissions, all sheets in the account will inherit this permission.

Make sure your notification settings on both the account- and sheet-level allow anyone with a valid email address and third-party integrations to receive notifications.

Account-Level Enablement:

If Slack notifications are disabled for your organization, you’ll notice one of the following:

• You won’t have the option to set Slack notifications at all
  -OR- 
• You’ll see an error message that states: Your System Admin has disabled Slack notifications for your organization.

You must be a System Admin on your plan in order to change this permission setting. See Managing Users for more information on how System Admins can change someone’s account-wide permissions.

To change who can receive notifications from the account:

1. Sign in to Smartsheet with your System Admin credentials.
2. Select your Account Profile icon (upper-right corner of the Smartsheet window) and select Account Admin.
3. Select Account Settings and select Edit next to Automation Permissions.
4. Choose Any email address and third-party integrations, then select OK.

If you’re on an Enterprise account, you may also need to check the box next to Slack to enable Slack notifications.

Sheet-Level Enablement:

If Slack notifications are disabled for your sheet, you'll see this error when creating or editing a notification that involves Slack.

You must be the Owner or have Admin-level sharing permissions to the sheet in order to change this permission setting. See Share Sheets, Reports, and Dashboards for more information on changing someone’s sharing permissions.

To change who can receive notifications from the sheet:

1. Select Automation (upper-left of the Smartsheet window) > Manage Workflows.
2. In the automation manager that appears, select Settings (gear icon) in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Any email address and third-party integration, then select OK.