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Metal works inside Slack, the chat app many firms use for day-to-day conversation. Once an admin connects Metal to your Slack workspace, people can ask @Metal questions without switching tabs, and Metal answers with the same records that person can see in Metal itself.

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The short version

  1. An admin installs the Metal app in Slack.
  2. The admin invites @Metal to the channels where people want to use it.
  3. Each person links their Slack account to their Metal account once.

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Slack terms in this article

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Before you start

  • A Metal admin installs the app. You also need permission to install apps in the Slack workspace. Slack may require a workspace owner to approve new apps, depending on your Slack settings.
  • Each person needs a matching email. Metal links a Slack account to a Metal account by email, so the email on a Slack profile must match the person’s Metal email.
  • Shared channels are not supported. @Metal doesn’t answer in channels shared with other organizations through Slack Connect.
Slack works one workspace at a time. If your firm has more than one Slack workspace, install Metal in each one.

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Install Metal in Slack (admin)

1

Open the Slack integration in Metal

Go to Settings → Integrations, then select Slack.
2

Start the install

Click Install Slack. If a workspace is already connected, click Add workspace instead.
3

Allow Metal in Slack

Slack opens. Choose the workspace, review the permissions, and click Allow. Metal asks to send messages and replies as @Metal, read the channels it’s added to and direct messages sent to it, read basic profile information including email, and show when it’s working on an answer.
4

Confirm the connection

Metal returns to the Slack page with Slack workspace connected. The page lists the workspace and a status label such as Healthy.
Metal reads messages only in channels it’s been added to and in direct messages people send it. It can’t read other conversations in the workspace. You can also start the install from Metal’s shareable Add to Slack link. Send it to the person who manages the Slack workspace.
Shareable-link installs are rolling out. If the link returns an error, install from Settings → Integrations → Slack instead.
1

Open the link

Open Add Metal to Slack. Slack asks which workspace to add Metal to.
2

Choose the workspace and allow Metal

Pick the workspace, review the permissions, and click Allow.
3

Sign in to Metal

Sign in with your Metal admin account. Metal connects the workspace to your organization and lists it on the Slack page.
Each Slack workspace connects to one Metal organization. If the workspace is already connected to another Metal organization, an admin there must uninstall Metal before the workspace can connect to yours.

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Choose the channels Metal can answer in

Installing the app doesn’t add it to any channel. An admin adds it where it’s needed:
  1. In Slack, open the channel.
  2. Type /invite @Metal and send.
A channel becomes available to Metal as soon as the app joins it, and it appears under Approved channels on the Slack page. To stop Metal answering in a channel, open the Slack page, click the channel under Approved channels, and click Revoke. To use the channel again, remove @Metal from the channel in Slack, then invite it again. Direct messages don’t need approval. Metal needs to know which Metal account is asking, so it can answer with that person’s access. The first time someone uses Metal in Slack, Metal checks for a link. If there isn’t one, it sends the person a direct message with a Connect Metal button.
1

Open the connect message

In Slack, open the direct message from @Metal and click Connect Metal. If you don’t have the message, send @Metal a direct message to get one.
2

Sign in to Metal

If Metal asks you to sign in, use your Metal account.
3

Confirm the account

Check the workspace, Slack email, and Slack user ID, then click Link Slack account.
You link once per workspace. Check the link any time at Settings → Connections → Slack. Click Unlink there to disconnect your account. Each person links their own account. @Metal answers with the access of the person who asked, so two people can get different answers to the same question.

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If your email doesn’t match

Metal links accounts by email. If the email on your Slack profile doesn’t match your Metal account, Metal can’t link them and tells you so.
  • Update your Slack profile email to match your Metal email, or ask your Metal admin to update your Metal email.
  • If Metal says it couldn’t read an email, your Slack profile may not have one. Add an email, and ask a workspace admin to allow profile email visibility if your workspace restricts it.

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Use Metal in Slack

  • Direct message. Open @Metal in your Slack sidebar under Apps and ask a question. Metal replies in the direct message.
  • Channels. Mention @Metal in a channel it’s in, and it replies in a thread, the reply chain under your message. Mention it again to continue the conversation.
  • Mentions only. Metal doesn’t read or answer channel messages that don’t mention it, so say @Metal each time.

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Troubleshooting

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Disconnect Slack

  • Unlink your account. Go to Settings → Connections → Slack and click Unlink. @Metal stops answering with your Metal access.
  • Remove a workspace (admin). Go to Settings → Integrations → Slack, click Uninstall next to the workspace, and confirm. Metal stops answering in that workspace for everyone.