Skip to content
AnglinAI Docs

Slack Notifications Configuration Guide

This guide explains how to configure Slack notifications for the Help Desk application.

Overview

The Help Desk application supports real-time Slack notifications for ticket updates. Users can receive notifications in a Slack channel when:

  • A new ticket is created
  • A ticket status changes
  • A ticket is assigned
  • A reply is added to a ticket
  • A ticket is resolved or closed

Prerequisites

  • A Slack workspace where you want to receive notifications
  • Admin or owner access to create a Slack app (or permission from an admin)

Step 1: Create a Slack App

  1. Go to api.slack.com/apps
  2. Click Create New App
  3. Choose From scratch
  4. Enter an app name (e.g., “Help Desk Notifications”)
  5. Select your workspace
  6. Click Create App

Step 2: Enable Incoming Webhooks

  1. In your app settings, go to Incoming Webhooks in the left sidebar
  2. Toggle Activate Incoming Webhooks to On
  3. Click Add New Webhook to Workspace
  4. Select the channel where you want to receive notifications
  5. Click Allow
  6. Copy the Webhook URL that appears (it looks like https://hooks.slack.com/services/T00000000/B00000000/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)

Step 3: Configure in Help Desk

For Individual Users

  1. Log in to the Help Desk application
  2. Click on your avatar in the top-right corner
  3. Select User Preferences
  4. Expand the Slack Notifications section
  5. Toggle Enable Slack Notifications to on
  6. Paste your Slack webhook URL in the Slack Webhook URL field
  7. Optionally enter a Channel Name for reference
  8. Click Test Webhook to verify the connection works
  9. Click Connect Slack to save the configuration
  10. Click Save Preferences

For Ticket-Specific Notifications

When creating a new ticket:

  1. If Slack is connected, you’ll see a Slack Notifications section
  2. Check the box Send me updates via Slack for this ticket
  3. Submit the ticket

You’ll receive Slack notifications for that specific ticket’s updates.

For Admin/Tech Staff

Admins and tech staff can configure system-wide Slack notifications:

  1. Go to User Preferences
  2. Expand the Admin Slack Notifications section
  3. Enable Admin Slack Notifications
  4. Configure which events trigger notifications:
    • New tickets created - Get notified when any new ticket is submitted
    • Ticket status changes - Get notified when tickets change status
    • Tickets closed/resolved - Get notified when tickets are closed
    • High/Urgent priority only - Only notify for high-priority tickets

Webhook URL Security

  • Your webhook URL is stored securely in Firebase
  • Never share your webhook URL publicly
  • Each webhook URL is unique to your Slack channel
  • You can regenerate the webhook URL in Slack if it’s compromised

Notification Format

Slack notifications use Markdown formatting and include:

New Ticket:

*New Ticket Created*


Ticket: *#ABC123*
Subject: Unable to access email


We'll keep you updated on progress.

Ticket Update:

*Ticket Update*


Ticket: *#ABC123*
Status: *In Progress*
Status changed from Open to In Progress

Ticket Resolved:

*Ticket Resolved!*


Ticket: *#ABC123*
Your ticket has been resolved. Check your email for details.


Thank you for using Help Desk!

Troubleshooting

Notifications Not Working

  1. Test the webhook: Use the “Test Webhook” button in User Preferences
  2. Check the webhook URL: Ensure it starts with https://hooks.slack.com/
  3. Verify the channel: Make sure the Slack app is still installed in the channel
  4. Check Slack app permissions: The app needs permission to post messages

Webhook URL Invalid

If your webhook URL becomes invalid:

  1. Go to api.slack.com/apps
  2. Select your app
  3. Go to Incoming Webhooks
  4. Delete the old webhook
  5. Create a new webhook to the desired channel
  6. Update the webhook URL in Help Desk

Too Many Notifications

To reduce notification volume:

  1. Use the High/Urgent priority only filter for admin notifications
  2. Only enable Slack notifications for specific tickets that need close monitoring
  3. Create a dedicated Slack channel for Help Desk notifications

Disconnecting Slack

To stop receiving Slack notifications:

  1. Go to User Preferences
  2. Click Disconnect Slack
  3. Click Save Preferences

Or, from Slack:

  1. Go to api.slack.com/apps
  2. Select your app
  3. Go to Incoming Webhooks
  4. Delete the webhook for the channel

Data Stored

The following data is stored when you connect Slack:

  • Webhook URL (encrypted)
  • Channel name (optional, for your reference)
  • Connection timestamp
  • Message count (for analytics)
  • Last message timestamp

No Slack user data, workspace data, or message content is stored beyond what’s needed for delivering notifications.

API Reference

Firestore Collections

  • slackPreferences - Stores user Slack preferences
  • userSlackPreferences - Stores user-level settings
  • slackMessages - Logs sent messages for troubleshooting

Cloud Functions

  • onTicketCreatedSlack - Triggered when a ticket is created
  • onTicketUpdatedSlack - Triggered when a ticket is updated
  • sendTicketSlackManual - HTTP endpoint for manual notifications
  • testSlackWebhook - HTTP endpoint for testing webhook URLs

Support

If you encounter issues with Slack notifications, please:

  1. Check this documentation
  2. Review the troubleshooting section
  3. Contact your Help Desk administrator