Setting up the Slack Bot Channel
Updated June 14, 2026
Overview
The Slack Bot Channel integration makes your AI agent available directly inside your Slack workspace — users can DM the bot, or @mention it in channels, to get instant answers. This is separate from the existing Slack Assist feature (where the AI escalates to team channels for human input). Slack Bot Channel turns your agent into a helpful internal assistant that any Slack user can talk to.
Step 1 — Prerequisite: Connect your Slack workspace
Connect Slack first
The Slack Bot Channel uses the bot token from your existing Slack workspace connection. If you haven't connected Slack yet, go to Integrations → Slack Workspace and click Connect Slack Workspace before proceeding.
Re-authorise to grant DM permissions
The Slack Bot Channel requires the im:history and im:read scopes in addition to the existing scopes. If your workspace was connected before these scopes were added, you need to disconnect and reconnect (Integrations → Slack Workspace → Disconnect → Connect Slack Workspace) so the bot is granted the full permission set. The DM mode won't work without these scopes, though @mention mode will still function.
Step 2 — Create the Slack Bot Channel integration
Create the integration
Go to Integrations → Connect and select Slack Bot Channel. Choose a response mode and assign an AI agent. There are no credentials to enter — the bot uses your connected workspace's token automatically.
Response modes
- DMs + @mentions — the bot responds to both direct messages and @mentions in channels (recommended)
- DMs only — only responds when users message the bot directly
- @mentions only — only responds when the bot is @mentioned in a channel
Restricting @mentions to specific channels
By default, the bot responds to @mentions in any channel it's present in. To limit this to specific channels, enter their Slack channel IDs (found in Slack by right-clicking a channel → View channel details → scroll to bottom) separated by commas. Leave blank to allow all channels.
Step 3 — Invite the bot to channels
For DM mode
Users can DM the bot directly without any setup — they just search for the bot by name in Slack's direct message list. Share the bot's name (visible in your Slack workspace's App Directory) with your team.
For @mention mode
The bot must be a member of any channel where you want it to respond to mentions. In each channel, run: /invite @inquiru (or whatever name you gave the bot). The bot will then see @mentions in that channel.
Step 4 — Verify
Test DM mode
Open Slack and DM the bot directly. Send a question. Within a few seconds the bot should reply with a substantive answer from your AI agent. The conversation also appears in Inquiru under Conversations (channel: Slack).
Test @mention mode
In a channel where the bot has been invited, type @inquiru how do I reset my password?. The bot replies in a thread on your message, keeping the channel clean.
Note commands still work
The existing note-command feature (@inquiru note: ...) still works alongside the new bot channel. Note commands are identified by their prefix and routed to the knowledge-saving flow; all other @mentions go to the AI agent.
Slack Assist is unaffected
The Slack Assist feature (where the AI escalates to team channels for human review) is completely separate from the Slack Bot Channel. Both can run simultaneously with no conflict.
Step 5 — View the Slack Bot report
Go to Reports → Slack Bot to see how many conversations were resolved by the AI vs escalated, with a daily breakdown over your selected date range.