About Slack
Slack is a team collaboration platform that brings together messaging, file sharing, and integrations in one place. Connecting Slack to Serval enables powerful chat-ops workflows, automated help desk functionality, and seamless ticket management directly from your Slack workspace.What the Slack integration enables
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Help Desk | Transform Slack channels or DMs into a full-featured help desk with ticket routing, tracking, and management |
| Team Inbox | Create a unified channel where all team tickets are aggregated for centralized visibility and collaboration |
| Automation workflows | Trigger workflows, receive notifications, and interact with Serval directly from Slack |
| Slash Commands | Use /help from any channel or DM to instantly create tickets without leaving your conversation |
| Message Actions | Convert any existing message into a ticket using the … menu on a message in Slack |
Connect Slack to Serval
Step 1: Initiate the Connection
- In Serval, find the team you want to connect Slack to under My Teams
- From there, navigate to Applications → Available → Slack
- Click Connect to begin the OAuth flow
Step 2: Authorize in Slack
You’ll be redirected to Slack’s authorization page. Important: Ensure you have the correct Slack workspace selected in the top-right corner before proceeding.- Review the requested permissions
- Select a channel to connect to Serval, you will configure the channel settings in Serval after connecting
- Click Allow to authorize the connection
Configure Slack as Your Help Desk
After connecting Slack, you’ll automatically land in the Slack app configuration page in Serval. The channel you selected during setup will be visible but in a disabled state by default—Serval won’t take any actions in the channel until you configure it.Configure Your Connected Channel
Once you’ve connected Slack, you’ll see your channel configuration options:-
Your channel is connected but disabled:
- The channel you selected during setup is listed but inactive
- Serval won’t perform any actions in the channel until you enable it
-
Enable and configure the channel:
- Select the mode for how Serval should operate in the channel.
- See Channel Configuration Modes for more details.
Connect Additional Channels
You can connect more channels in two ways:-
Through the Slack connection flow:
- Click Connect on the Slack app again
- During the authorization process, select a different channel from the dropdown
- Complete the OAuth flow to add the new channel
- Configure the mode for how Serval should operate in the newly selected channel.
-
Using @mention in Slack:
- Go to any Slack channel where you want to add Serval
- Type @Serval to mention the Serval app
- Click the Add them button when prompted to connect the channel
Enable Direct Messaging (Optional)
In addition to channel-based support, you can also enable direct messaging for more private support interactions:- Navigate to the Slack app in Serval
- Access the help desk configuration settings
- Enable the Direct Messaging option
Recommended: Start with Silent Mode
When first setting up your Slack help desk, we recommend enabling Silent Mode:- This allows you to test the integration without immediately notifying users
- You can observe how tickets are created and routed
- Once comfortable, switch to Help Desk Mode to fully activate Serval in the channel
Channel Configuration Modes
When you connect a Slack channel to Serval, you can configure it to operate in different modes depending on your needs:Disabled Mode (Default)
Serval will do nothing- Serval will not create tickets from messages
- Serval will not respond to any messages in the channel
- This allows you to safely add Serval to a channel before activating any features
Silent Mode
Serval monitors the channel but operates quietly- Creates tickets based on messages in the channel
- Does not post responses or acknowledgments in the channel
- Ideal for testing or when you want ticket creation without channel noise
- If you @Serval when making a request or at any point in a message thread, Serval will be toggled on and attempt to help resolve the ticket.
Help Desk Mode
Full help desk functionality- Creates tickets from channel messages
- Responds with a link to the created ticket
- Attempts to resolve tickets using AI guidance and help desk workflows
- Provides the complete support experience for end users
Team Only Mode
Designed for internal Serval team channels- Team members can create tickets and request automation workflows
- Access to all available workflows, including secure team-only workflows
- Provides maximum functionality for internal operations
- Should only be used in channels restricted to your Serval team members
Team Inbox Mode
A dedicated channel for support agents to triage all escalated team tickets within Slack- Aggregates all escalated tickets for your support team into one channel, regardless of where end users created them
- Support agents can view, respond to, and collaborate on tickets without switching to the Serval web interface
- Responses in threads are automatically synced back to the end user’s original location
- Egress-only: does not create new tickets from channel messages
- Should be a private channel with only support agents and managers
Team Inbox is especially valuable when tickets come from DMs or other non-helpdesk sources that support agents can’t see directly.
Configure Team Inbox Channels
What is a Team Inbox?
A private channel where support agents triage all escalated tickets for your team within Slack. Every escalated ticket created for your team—from DMs, help desk channels, or the web—appears as a thread in this channel. Key benefits:- Triage all tickets in one place without switching to the web interface
- Collaborate with other agents on ticket resolution
- Respond to end users directly from the inbox thread
Setting Up a Team Inbox
1
Create a private Slack channel
Create a private channel in Slack for your support team’s inbox (e.g.,
it-inbox, finance-support-inbox). Make it private and only invite the support agents and managers who will be handling tickets.Use a clear naming convention like
[team-name]-inbox to easily identify inbox channels. Only add support staff—not end users—to this channel.2
Add Serval to the channel
In the channel, type
@Serval to mention the Serval app and click “Add them” when prompted. Alternatively, you can connect the channel through the Serval app configuration in your Slack integration settings.3
Configure as Team Inbox mode
In Serval, navigate to Applications → Slack and find the channel you just created. Set the channel mode to Team Inbox.All tickets for your team will now sync to this channel automatically.
Working in Team Inbox Channels
Once configured, tickets automatically populate as threads:- View: Each ticket appears as a thread with details and history
- Respond: Reply in the thread - your message sends to the end user automatically
- Manage: Use commands like
@Serval assign to meto triage tickets
Messages posted directly to the Team Inbox channel (not in ticket threads) will not create new tickets. Team Inbox mode is egress-only, designed for viewing and responding to existing tickets.
Interacting with Serval in Slack
Serval provides multiple ways to interact directly from Slack, making it seamless to create tickets, manage requests, and trigger workflows:For a comprehensive guide covering all interaction methods, see Comprehensive Guide to Slack.
Quick highlights:
- Slash Commands: Use
/helpfrom any channel or DM to create tickets instantly - Message Actions: Convert any existing message into a ticket using the … menu
- @Mentions: Tag @Serval in channels to activate assistance
- Thread Replies: Continue natural conversations with context preservation
- Direct Messages: Private support conversations when enabled
Need help? Contact support@serval.com for assistance with your Slack integration.