Slack Integration

Overview

The z8 Slack integration brings workforce management directly into your Slack workspace. Managers receive approval requests as interactive Block Kit messages, employees can check their status with slash commands, and everyone stays informed with daily digest notifications.

Key capabilities:

• Interactive Approval Messages: Approve or reject time-off requests, time corrections, and other requests directly from Slack
• Daily Digest: Managers receive a morning summary of pending approvals, who's out, coverage gaps, and compliance alerts
• Slash Commands: Query clocked-in employees, pending approvals, and open shifts without leaving Slack
• Automatic Escalation: Approval requests that go unanswered are automatically escalated to backup managers
• User Account Linking: Employees link their z8 accounts via secure one-time codes

Prerequisites

Before setting up the Slack integration, ensure you have:

1. z8 Organization Admin Access: You must be an administrator of your z8 organization
2. Slack Workspace Admin Access: You must be able to install apps in your Slack workspace
3. z8 Employee Accounts: Users who will use the integration must have active employee records in z8

Bot Setup

Step 1: Start the OAuth Installation

1. Navigate to Settings > Integrations in z8
2. Find the Slack integration card
3. Click Connect Slack Workspace
4. You'll be redirected to Slack's OAuth authorization page

Step 2: Authorize the z8 App

1. Review the permissions requested by the z8 app
2. Select the Slack workspace you want to connect
3. Click Allow to authorize the installation
4. You'll be redirected back to z8 with a confirmation

Step 3: Configure Integration Features

Once connected, configure which features are enabled:

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Slack in z8
2. Toggle the features you want to enable:
   • Approval Notifications: Send interactive approval messages to managers
   • Bot Commands: Allow slash commands for querying data
   • Daily Digest: Send morning summary to managers
   • Escalations: Auto-escalate unanswered approvals
3. If daily digest is enabled, set the Digest Time and Timezone
4. If escalations are enabled, set the Escalation Timeout (1-168 hours, default: 24)

Step 4: Verify the Connection

1. The integration status should show Active with a green indicator
2. Open Slack and find the z8 bot in your workspace
3. Send help to the bot to confirm it responds

User Account Linking

Slack users must link their z8 accounts using a secure link code.

Linking Your Account

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Slack in z8
2. Click Generate Link Code - a 6-character code will be displayed
3. Open Slack and send a direct message to the z8 bot
4. Type /link CODE (replacing CODE with your 6-character code)
5. The bot confirms the link is successful

Unlinking Your Account

To unlink your Slack account:

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Slack in z8
2. Click Unlink next to your Slack account
3. Organization admins can unlink any user from the admin panel

Channel Notifications

z8 can send notifications through Slack as an additional delivery channel alongside in-app, push, and email notifications.

Notification Types Delivered via Slack

User Notification Preferences

Individual users can control whether they receive Slack notifications:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications in z8
2. For each notification type, toggle the Slack channel on or off
3. Slack notifications are available once your account is linked

Approval Notifications

The Slack integration delivers interactive Block Kit messages for approval workflows.

How Approval Messages Work

When an employee submits a request that requires approval:

1. z8 creates an approval request and identifies the approving manager
2. The system checks if the manager has a linked Slack account
3. A Block Kit message is sent to the manager's DM with the z8 bot
4. The message displays request details and Approve/Reject buttons
5. The manager clicks a button to take action
6. The message updates to show the resolution status
7. The requesting employee is notified of the decision

Approval Escalation

If an approval goes unanswered, z8 can automatically escalate to a backup manager:

1. Configure the escalation timeout in Settings > Integrations > Slack
2. Default timeout is 24 hours
3. When timeout expires, the approval is reassigned to the backup manager
4. The new approver receives a fresh approval message
5. Escalation history is tracked for audit purposes

Daily Digest

Managers receive a daily summary message at their configured time, providing an operational overview.

Digest Contents

Configuring Digest Time

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Slack
2. Set your preferred Digest Time (default: 08:00)
3. Select your Timezone for accurate delivery
4. The digest is sent within a 15-minute window of the configured time

Bot Commands

The z8 Slack bot supports several commands for quick information access.

Available Commands

Command Permissions

Some commands are restricted based on your role:

• All Users: help, clockedin (own status)
• Managers: whosout, pending, coverage, openshifts, compliance
• Admins: All commands, including organization-wide views

Troubleshooting

Bot Not Responding

Symptoms: The z8 bot doesn't respond to messages in Slack.

Solutions:

1. Verify the z8 app is installed in your Slack workspace
2. Check if the integration status is "Active" in z8 Settings
3. Ensure the Slack OAuth tokens haven't been revoked
4. Try reinstalling the z8 app in Slack

Not Receiving Approval Messages

Symptoms: You're a manager but don't receive approval messages in Slack.

Solutions:

1. Verify your z8 account is linked to your Slack account
2. Check that Slack notifications are enabled in your z8 notification preferences
3. Ensure "Enable Approvals" is turned on in the organization's Slack integration settings
4. Generate a new link code and re-link your account if needed

Daily Digest Not Arriving

Symptoms: You're a manager but don't receive the daily digest.

Solutions:

1. Confirm you have direct reports assigned to you in z8
2. Verify the digest time and timezone in Slack integration settings
3. Check that "Enable Daily Digest" is turned on for your organization
4. Ensure your Slack account is linked to your z8 account

Account Linking Failed

Symptoms: The link code is rejected by the bot.

Solutions:

1. Ensure the link code hasn't expired - generate a fresh one
2. Type the code exactly as shown (codes are case-sensitive)
3. Make sure you have an active employee record in z8
4. Contact your z8 administrator if issues persist