Slack lets a team run the same public workflows where requests and decisions already happen. Mention Okou in a channel for visible work, or use a direct message for private drafts and sensitive analysis.
The workflow still belongs to one Okou agent. Slack determines where the conversation happens; it does not change the workflow instruction, connections, or permission model.
1. Install Okou for the Slack workspace
A workspace Admin sets up the shared integration:
- Open the page where Okou's channels or work surfaces are managed.
- Find Slack and select Install to Slack.
- Choose the intended Slack workspace.
- Review and approve the requested Slack permissions.
- Complete the installation and return to Okou.
If you are not a workspace Admin, the product shows Ask your admin to install the Slack integration. Your Slack organization may also require a Slack Admin to approve the app.
Install the app once for the workspace. Each member then connects their own Okou identity so messages and runs are attributed to the right person.
2. Connect each member
After the workspace installation:
- Open the Slack integration in Okou.
- Select Connect.
- Complete the Slack account connection.
- In Slack, open the Okou app home or use
/okou connectif Slack asks you to link the account.
The current primary slash command is /okou.
3. Add Okou to a channel
Invite Okou to each channel where the team wants it to work. Okou can only read and reply in channels it has been added to.
Use the smallest useful set of channels. A support workflow may only need #support-triage; a launch workflow may only need #launch-room.
For private work, open a direct message with Okou instead of adding it to a shared channel.
4. Select the right agent
The selected agent determines which role, public workflows, connections, and permissions are available to a new Slack conversation.
Use:
/okou switchto choose the agent for the next conversation;/okou modelto choose the model when that option is available;- the Okou app home controls when you prefer a visual picker.
Agent and model choices bind when a Slack thread is created. Changing them does not rewrite an existing thread. Start a new top-level mention when you need a different agent for unrelated work.
5. Invoke a shared workflow
Mention Okou and name either the workflow or the outcome. Include the input and any destination or approval constraint the run needs.
Explicit workflow name:
Okou run qualify-inbound-lead for this message.
Create the brief and a reply draft. Do not send it.
Natural-language request:
Okou qualify this inbound lead using our shared process.
Post the brief in this thread and create an email draft for review.
When a request depends on the current Slack conversation, mention Okou from that message or thread so the relevant context stays attached.
6. Keep follow-ups in the same thread
Okou replies to a channel mention in a thread. Continue related corrections and follow-up requests there. That thread is one conversation with its own context.
Start a new top-level mention when:
- the task is unrelated;
- a different agent should own it;
- the current thread contains context that should not carry forward;
- the team wants a separate review trail.
This keeps channel traffic readable and prevents instructions from unrelated tasks from mixing together.
Channel, thread, or DM?
| Surface | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Channel mention | Work the team should see and review | Summarize an incident thread and draft action items |
| Thread follow-up | Corrections and next steps for the same task | Verify one claim, change the format, or file the approved issue |
| Direct message | Private drafts, sensitive analysis, and individual work | Draft a customer reply or analyze a private document |
Do not put confidential inputs in a public channel merely because the workflow is public. Workflow visibility and message visibility are different.
Example: a shared bug-triage workflow
Assume the workspace has a public triage-bug-report workflow on a public Product agent.
- A teammate posts a screenshot and description in
#bug-report. - They write:
Okou run triage-bug-report on this message. Draft the GitHub issue, but ask before creating it. - Okou applies the shared reproduction, severity, duplicate-check, and issue-format rules.
- The teammate reviews the draft in the Slack thread.
- After approval, Okou creates the issue using that member's authorized GitHub access and replies with the link.
- If the same missing field appears repeatedly, the workflow owner updates the public instruction for future reports.
The team shares the triage method and review trail. The member who approves the action still uses their own identity and granted permissions.
Troubleshooting
Okou does not respond
- Confirm the app is installed in the intended Slack workspace.
- Confirm
Okouis a member of the channel. - Connect your Okou account.
- Try
/okou helpto check the available commands.
Okou uses the wrong agent
Run /okou switch, choose the intended agent, then start a new top-level mention. An existing thread keeps the agent selected when it was created.
The workflow cannot be found
Confirm that the workflow is Public, its owning agent is public, and the Slack conversation is routed to that agent. See Share workflows with your team.
A connector permission is missing
Open the authorization prompt, confirm the account, and grant only the required permission. Shared workflows do not inherit another member's Gmail, GitHub, Notion, or other service access.
The result went to the wrong place
Name the destination in the request or workflow instruction, such as “reply in this thread,” “DM me,” or “create a draft only.” Update the public workflow if the destination should be the same for every run.
For complete Slack integration behavior, see Slack. For schedules and event-driven Slack delivery, see Automations.