Receive alerts and requests in Slack

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

Who can use this?

Plans:

  • Pro
  • Business
  • Enterprise

With channel notifications and the Smartsheet bot in Slack, you can receive notifications in Slack just like you do in email. Stay on top of sheet changes and configure Slack to receive @mention notifications and requests directly. 

You can only receive alerts and requests in a public/private Slack channel with the Smartsheet EU for Slack integration. If you have Smartsheet EU for Slack integration, you can’t receive personal notifications, requests, and @mentions via the Smartsheet bot. For more information about all the capabilities, features, and services currently supported in the EU, see the Capabilities available in Smartsheet | Regions page.

Get started

You can set Slack alerts to public or private Slack channels. Before you can receive alerts in Slack, you need to create an automation workflow for your channel and add the Smartsheet bot to any private channels. 

Create an automated workflow

Customize the content of your alerts and requests to keep your team updated by providing access to the most essential information.

Add the Smartsheet bot to a private Slack channel 

  1. Go to the private Slack channel you want to use. 
  2. Type @Smartsheet to add the Smartsheet bot. 
@smartsheet in slack

You can now select the channel when you configure alerts.

How alerts and requests appear in Slack

Alerts provide different information based on whether one or multiple rows have been added or updated. You receive update and approval requests as direct messages only.

Single row

Here's what you 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 added or updated cells can be displayed, starting from the leftmost cell on the row
  • Symbols and images in the grid are displayed as text values (an image filename is displayed instead of the image)

Select the sheet name (Slack Alerts in example below) to go to the specific row in Smartsheet.

Multiple rows

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

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

Select the sheet name (Slack Alerts in example below) to go to the sheet in Smartsheet.

Multiple row notification on Slack

Unregister from Smartsheet notifications

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

In Slack (desktop or mobile)
  • Type unregister in a direct message to the Smartsheet bot.
  • The bot confirms that you've successfully unregistered and no longer sends direct messages to you.
In Smartsheet
  1. Select your Profile image at the lower-left corner of the Smartsheet window.
  2. Select Apps & Integrations. A window with a list of all integrations connected to your Smartsheet account appears.
  3. Locate Slack integration and select Revoke.

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

Troubleshoot not receiving alerts or requests in Slack

Enable Slack notifications

If you receive a message that Slack notifications are deactivated, you need to change your notification delivery settings in Smartsheet. You may need to change your delivery settings at the account and sheet levels.

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

Ensure your notification settings on both the account and sheet levels allow anyone with unrestricted access to receive notifications.

Account-level enablement

If your plan has deactivated Slack notifications, one of the following happens:

  • You don't have the option to set Slack notifications at all
  • You see the following error message: Your System Admin has disabled Slack notifications for your organization.

To change who can receive notifications from the account:

  1. Sign in to Admin Center with System Admin credentials.
  2. Select the Menu icon at the upper left corner and navigate to Settings > Security Controls.
  3. In the Notifications and Requests tile, select Anyone.

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

Notifications & Requests Admin Center

Sheet-level enablement

If someone has deactivated Slack notifications for your sheet, you get an error when creating or editing a notification that involves Slack.

​​You must be the Owner or have Admin-level sharing permissions for the sheet to change this permission setting.

To change who can receive notifications from the sheet:

  1. In the upper-left corner, select Automation > Manage Automation Workflows.
  2. In the automation manager that appears, select Settings ​(gear icon) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Unrestricted and then select Done.
Automation permissions sheet level