OpenWork in Slack - OpenWork Docs

Private alpha. OpenWork in Slack must be enabled for your organization by a platform administrator. This guide is public; it does not grant alpha access. Contact the OpenWork team to request access. Slack’s agent features must also be available in your workspace.

Who does what

Who	What	Guide
Slack and OpenWork administrator	Merge the manifest into the existing Slack app, install the bot, choose reply mode and channels. Once per workspace.	Set up the Slack app
Every member	Connect your own Slack account once, then DM or mention `@openwork`.	Connect your account
Anyone	Fix a bot that is missing, silent, or never finishes.	Troubleshooting

Ask your agent to set it up

Give an agent with browser or computer access this prompt:

Set up OpenWork in Slack for my organization, using:
https://openworklabs.com/.well-known/agent-skills/set-up-openwork-slack/SKILL.md

Use our existing Slack app and Slack connector. Preserve existing user
OAuth scopes, redirect URLs, and MCP settings. Check private-alpha access
before making changes. Enable private replies. Ask me whether to limit
channels or allow all channels. Handle the configuration and verification
with my existing access, and bring me in for any required authorization.
Keep secrets out of chat and files. Test a real bot answer and report
what passed and anything still blocked.

The agent can inspect the setup, merge the manifest, verify event delivery, configure replies and channel limits, and test the bot. A Slack administrator authorizes installation; every member authorizes their own account. Your agent’s tool permissions still apply.

How replies and permissions work

The person who mentions or DMs @openwork is the only actor. The assistant uses that member’s own Slack and connected-service access, not a shared account.

Two members in the same Slack thread get separate OpenWork sessions.

DMs and private rollout replies stay in the invoking member’s DM. Channel replies are visible to the channel when private replies are off.

If the assistant needs a permission decision, continue in OpenWork Web. Slack does not approve it for you.

This assistant builds on the Slack MCP connection. Set that up first if your organization does not have one yet.

​Who does what

​Ask your agent to set it up

​How replies and permissions work

Who does what

Ask your agent to set it up

How replies and permissions work