Using Agents in Slack

Connect your Gumloop agents to Slack channels so your entire team can interact with AI-powered assistants in the tools they use every day.

Why Use Agents in Slack?

Bringing agents to Slack transforms how your team learns and adopts AI automation:

Shared Learning

Visibility by default: Every interaction in a channel becomes a learning opportunity for the team. No more siloed knowledge—everyone sees how to use agents effectively.

Natural Integration

Where work happens: Teams already use Slack for communication. Agents integrate seamlessly into existing workflows without requiring new tools.

Collaborative Usage

Team-wide access: Instead of one person running automations, entire teams can leverage the same agent with consistent results.

Instant Adoption

Zero learning curve: If your team knows how to @mention someone in Slack, they know how to use an agent. No training required.

The Learning Effect: When someone asks an agent a question in a channel, everyone sees the interaction. This passive learning accelerates team-wide adoption faster than any training session could.

Adding an Agent to Slack

Authenticate with Slack (First-Time Only)

If you haven’t connected Gumloop to your Slack workspace yet, visit the personal credentials page, click Add Credential for Slack, and follow the OAuth flow to authorize Gumloop.

Gumloop credentials page showing Slack authentication

Connect Your Agent

Open your agent in Gumloop, click External Channels in the left sidebar, and click Connect next to Slack.

This opens a dialog with three connection methods:

New Channel
Existing Channel
Slash Command

Creates a brand new Slack channel and connects your agent to it automatically.Enter a channel name, optionally toggle Make Channel Private, and click Create & Connect.

New Channel tab showing channel name input and private toggle

The Gumloop bot is added to the channel and your agent is ready to go.

If you prefer to connect manually, this tab gives you a step-by-step guide: install the Gumloop Slack bot, copy the /gummie add command for your specific agent, and paste it in any Slack channel.

Slash Command tab showing manual setup steps with copy button

One agent per channel with the standard @Gumloop bot. To switch agents, remove the current one first with /gummie remove. Need multiple agents in one channel? Use a Custom Slack App for each additional agent.

Agents can be added to public or private channels, but not to direct messages (DMs).

Using Your Agent in Slack

To interact with your agent, @mention it in any message:

@Gumloop [your question or task]

You can @Gumloop in a top-level message to start a new thread, or inside an existing thread to continue the conversation. The agent responds wherever you tag it.

Agent interaction in Slack showing @Gumloop mention and threaded response

Need custom branding? Connect your own Slack app so the agent appears with a custom name and avatar instead of “@Gumloop”. See Custom Slack App Integration.

Customizing Agent Behavior in Slack

These preferences are in your agent’s settings under Slack Preferences. Changes take effect immediately for new conversations.

Thread Response Trigger

Controls whether the agent responds to every message in a thread or only when @mentioned.

On All Messages
Only on Mentions (Recommended)

Agent responds to every thread reply, no @mention needed. Best for support channels and active collaboration where the agent should participate in every message.Example: You start with @Gumloop analyze this customer. Any follow-up like “What about their purchase history?” automatically triggers the agent.

Agent only responds when explicitly @mentioned. Your team can discuss in the thread without triggering the agent.Example: After @Gumloop analyze this customer, your team can discuss the results freely. The agent only responds again when someone @Gumloops a follow-up.

Stream Reasoning

Shows the agent’s step-by-step thought process as it works. Disabled by default for cleaner threads. Enable it when you need to debug agent behavior or understand how it arrived at a response.

Hide Workflow Run Results

Hides the “View full workflow results” button and run metadata from threads. Disabled by default (details shown). Enable it for cleaner, more conversational threads when your team doesn’t need workflow visibility.

Image Generation

When your agent uses the Image Generation tool, both the image file and a link are sent directly in the thread. Enable it by adding the Image Generation tool in your agent’s Tools section.

Image generation costs 30 credits per image regardless of model (DALL-E 3, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini 3 Pro, or GPT-Image-1). This is in addition to normal model costs.

Credentials & Authentication

How Authentication Works

When you interact with an agent in Slack, the agent uses your personal default credentials (unless workspace credentials are configured)—not the agent creator’s credentials. This ensures proper access control and data privacy.

For Existing Gumloop Users

If your Slack email matches your Gumloop account:

The agent automatically uses your personal default credentials
You have immediate access to all tools and workflows you’re authorized to use
No additional setup required

Example: If the agent uses Gmail and Google Calendar, it will access your personal Gmail and Calendar using your authenticated credentials.

For Non-Gumloop Users

If you’re not yet a Gumloop user, you’ll see a signup prompt the first time you try to use an agent:

What happens:

Agent responds with a message asking you to sign up
Click the link to create your Gumloop account using your Slack email
After signing up, authenticate with the services the agent needs
Return to Slack and @Gumloop the agent again

You must use the same email address for Slack and Gumloop for the integration to work properly.

Missing Credentials

If the agent needs a credential you haven’t set up yet:

The agent will notify you about the missing authentication
Visit your Gumloop credentials page
Authenticate with the required service
Return to Slack and retry your request

Example: If an agent uses Google Calendar but you haven’t authenticated, you’ll get a message like:

⚠️ I need access to Google Calendar to complete this task. 
Please authenticate at: https://www.gumloop.com/settings/profile/credentials

Personal vs Workspace Agents

Recommendation: Always create agents in your personal workspace unless you need shared workspace credentials or team collaboration features.

Personal Agents (created in personal workspace):

Anyone in the Slack channel can use the agent
Each user’s request runs on their own personal credentials
Non-Gumloop users will be prompted to sign up
Best for most use cases

Workspace Agents (created in shared workspace):

Access control: Only members of that specific Gumloop workspace can use the agent
Credential behavior: If an MCP integration or credential is set to use “workspace default,” the workspace credentials are used instead of personal credentials
Non-workspace members will receive an access denied message

Learn more about the differences between personal and shared workspaces in the Organizations and Workspaces documentation.

Key Differences Summary

Feature	Personal Agent	Workspace Agent
Who can use it?	Anyone in Slack channel	Only workspace members
Credentials used	Always personal default	Personal default OR workspace default (if configured)
Best for	General use, maximum accessibility	Team collaboration with shared credentials

Using Workspace Credentials with Agents

If you want team members to use your agent without requiring them to set up their own credentials, you can configure the agent to use workspace credentials. This is particularly useful when you want to share an agent with your team and have everyone use the same authenticated accounts.

Team or Enterprise plan required: Workspaces are available on Team and Enterprise plans only.

Create or Select a Workspace

First, ensure you have a workspace set up. You can check your existing workspaces or create a new one from the hub page by clicking the workspace dropdown and selecting ”+ Add a workspace”.

Alternatively, you can use your organization’s default workspace, which automatically includes all organization members. Find it in your organization settings under the General tab.

Default workspace in organization settings

Move the Agent to the Workspace

From the hub page, find your agent and click the three-dot menu. Select “Move to Workspace” and choose the workspace you want to use.

Add Workspace Credentials

Open the workspace settings by navigating to the workspace and clicking on “Workspace Credentials” in the left sidebar. Add the credentials that your agent needs (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive, Salesforce).

Members of your workspace will be able to use the integrations you link here through workflows and agents.

Configure Agent to Use Workspace Credentials

In your agent’s settings, switch each integration from “Use Personal Default” to “Use Workspace Default”. Click the three-dot menu next to each integration and select the workspace credential option.

Switch agent to use workspace credentials

Important: When an agent is in a workspace, users invoking the agent must also be members of that workspace. Otherwise, they will not be able to use the workspace credentials or invoke the agent. To avoid manually adding users, use your organization’s default workspace which automatically includes all members.

Data Privacy & Security

Your Data Stays Private

When you use an agent with personal credentials, only your authenticated credentials are used. Other team members cannot access your personal data through the agent.

Controlled Access

Admin security controls and user roles in Gumloop apply to agents just like they do to workflows. You can only access what you’re authorized to access.

Slack Commands

Channel Commands

Command	What It Does
`/gummie add [agent-id]`	Add an agent to the current channel
`/gummie remove`	Remove the agent from the current channel
`/gummie active`	Show which agent is active in this channel
`/gummie help`	Show all available commands
`/invite @Gumloop`	Add the Gumloop bot to the channel (required before `/gummie add`)

Thread Commands

Command	What It Does
`!stop`	Stop the agent’s current response and prevent further replies in this thread. The agent reacts with 👍 to confirm.
`!link`	Get an ephemeral link (only visible to you) to view the full conversation in Gumloop, including tool calls and credit usage.

With the standard @Gumloop bot, only one agent can be active per channel. To switch agents, run /gummie remove first. If you need multiple agents in the same channel, use a Custom Slack App for each additional agent.

Best Practices & Troubleshooting

Best Practices
Troubleshooting

Choose the Right Channels

Deploy agents strategically to appropriate channels:Supported channel types:

✅ Public channels
✅ Private channels
❌ Direct messages (DMs) - Not supported

Example deployments:

#support: Customer service agents with ticket triage capabilities
#sales: Lead research and enrichment agents
#marketing: Campaign planning and content strategy agents
#data: Data analysis and reporting agents

Set Channel Expectations

When adding an agent to a channel, post a message explaining what the agent can do, how to use it (@Gumloop [your question]), and a quick example. This reduces friction and encourages proper usage.

Use Descriptive Agent Names

✅ “Support Ticket Assistant”, “Sales Lead Researcher”
❌ “Agent 1”, “My Bot”

Team members can check which agent is active with /gummie active.

Configure Thread Response Mode

“On all messages”: Best for support bots and active collaboration
“Only on mentions” (Recommended): Best for most use cases, lets teams discuss without triggering the agent

Monitor Usage Patterns

Watch which questions get asked most, where agents struggle, and which workflows are called most often. Use these insights to refine instructions, add tools, and improve accuracy. View all conversations in the agent’s settings page.

Ensure Credentials Are Set Up

Before deploying to a team channel: test with your own credentials, document which services team members need to authenticate with, and share the credentials page link.

Combine with Workflow Triggers

For maximum automation, combine agents with Slack triggers. The agent handles ad-hoc questions while a workflow trigger automatically processes every new message for logging.

Agent Doesn't Respond

✅ Did you @Gumloop the agent in your message?
✅ Is Gumloop added to the channel? (/invite @Gumloop) 3. ✅ Is an agent added to this channel? (/gummie active to verify) 4. ✅ Is this a public or private channel? (Not DMs)
✅ Have you authenticated with the required services?

Agent Doesn't Respond in Threads

Check thread response mode: if set to “Only on mentions,” you must @mention the agent in each thread reply. Verify in Gumloop → Agent Settings → Slack → Thread Response Trigger.

Signup Prompt for Existing Users

Authentication Errors

Visit your credentials page, authenticate with the required service, and retry. For workspace agents, contact your workspace admin.

Wrong Agent Responding

With the standard @Gumloop bot, only one agent can be active per channel. Run /gummie active to check, /gummie remove to clear, then /gummie add [correct-agent-id]. For multiple agents in one channel, use a Custom Slack App.

Can't Add Agent to Channel

✅ Agents work in public and private channels, not DMs
✅ Run /invite @Gumloop in the channel first
✅ Ensure you have permission to add apps to the channel
✅ Verify you copied the complete agent ID

Agent Responses Too Slow

Optimize workflows to use fewer AI nodes, limit tools to only what’s necessary, use faster models, or break complex tasks into smaller interactions.

Can't Find Agent ID

Skip the ID entirely: go to your agent → External Channels → Connect next to Slack. The New Channel and Existing Channel tabs handle everything. For the manual method, use the Slash Command tab to copy the full command.

Example Use Cases

Support Channel
Sales Channel
Data Channel

Agent: Support Ticket AssistantChannel: #customer-support (public channel)Common interactions:

Team member: "@Gumloop Is ticket #12345 eligible for a refund?"
Agent: [Checks ticket, reads policy, evaluates eligibility]

Team member (in thread): "What about ticket #12346?"
Agent (if "On all messages"): [Automatically checks ticket #12346]
Or (if "Only on mentions"): [Waits for @mention]

Team member: "@Gumloop Pull the last 5 interactions with customer@email.com"
Agent: [Searches CRM and email, returns history]

Why it works: Support team gets instant access to information without leaving Slack. Every interaction teaches the team how to use the agent for similar queries.Setup tip: Use “On all messages” mode for support channels to maintain conversation flow.

Agent: Lead Research AssistantChannel: #sales-team (public channel)Common interactions:

Team member: "@Gumloop Research this company: [LinkedIn URL]"
Agent: [Enriches lead, checks CRM for activity, drafts outreach]

Team member (in thread): "Thanks! What's the best time to reach out?"
(With "Only on mentions" - no agent response, allows team discussion)

Team member: "@Gumloop What's the status of opportunities over $50k?"
Agent: [Queries Salesforce, summarizes pipeline]

Why it works: Sales reps get instant research without switching tools. Newer reps learn by watching experienced reps use the agent.Setup tip: Use “Only on mentions” mode to allow sales discussions without agent interruption.

Agent: Data Analysis AssistantChannel: #data-team (private channel)Common interactions:

Team member: "@Gumloop Compare Q4 revenue vs Q3 by product line"
Agent: [Runs BigQuery workflow, generates comparison]

Team member (in thread): "@Gumloop Now break it down by region"
Agent: [Continues analysis with regional breakdown]

Team member: "@Gumloop Flag any anomalies in yesterday's user signups"
Agent: [Analyzes data, identifies outliers, reports findings]

Why it works: Analysts get quick answers to data questions. Non-technical team members learn what data is available and how to access it.Setup tip: Works in private channels too! Use “Only on mentions” for controlled analysis requests.

Important Limitations

One Agent Per Channel (Standard Bot)

Only one @Gumloop agent per channel. For multiple agents in the same channel, use a Custom Slack App for each.

No Direct Messages

Agents work in public and private channels only, not in DMs.

@Mention Required

You must @mention the agent to invoke it. Thread behavior depends on your response mode setting.

Credentials Depend on Agent Type

Personal agents use your personal default credentials. Workspace agents may use workspace credentials if configured.

Email Matching Required

Your Slack email must match your Gumloop account email for the integration to work.

Next Steps

Build Your First Agent

Learn how to create and configure agents in Gumloop

Browse Agent Templates

Explore pre-built agents you can deploy to Slack immediately

Agents Course

Watch video tutorials on agents and Slack integrations

Get Started

Core Concepts

Enterprise Features

Nodes

Common Errors

Using Agents in Slack

Why Use Agents in Slack?

Shared Learning

Natural Integration

Collaborative Usage

Instant Adoption

Adding an Agent to Slack

Using Your Agent in Slack

Customizing Agent Behavior in Slack

Thread Response Trigger

Stream Reasoning

Hide Workflow Run Results

Image Generation

Credentials & Authentication

How Authentication Works

Key Differences Summary

Using Workspace Credentials with Agents

Data Privacy & Security

Your Data Stays Private

Controlled Access

Slack Commands

Channel Commands

Thread Commands

Best Practices & Troubleshooting

Example Use Cases

Important Limitations

One Agent Per Channel (Standard Bot)

No Direct Messages

@Mention Required

Credentials Depend on Agent Type

Email Matching Required

Next Steps

Build Your First Agent

Browse Agent Templates

Agents Course

Get Started

Core Concepts

Enterprise Features

Nodes

Common Errors

​Why Use Agents in Slack?

Shared Learning

Natural Integration

Collaborative Usage

Instant Adoption

​Adding an Agent to Slack

​Using Your Agent in Slack

​Customizing Agent Behavior in Slack

​Thread Response Trigger

​Stream Reasoning

​Hide Workflow Run Results

​Image Generation

​Credentials & Authentication

​How Authentication Works

​Key Differences Summary

​Using Workspace Credentials with Agents

​Data Privacy & Security

Your Data Stays Private

Controlled Access

​Slack Commands

​Channel Commands

​Thread Commands

​Best Practices & Troubleshooting

​Example Use Cases

​Important Limitations

One Agent Per Channel (Standard Bot)

No Direct Messages

@Mention Required

Credentials Depend on Agent Type

Email Matching Required

​Next Steps

Build Your First Agent

Browse Agent Templates

Agents Course

Why Use Agents in Slack?

Adding an Agent to Slack

Using Your Agent in Slack

Customizing Agent Behavior in Slack

Thread Response Trigger

Stream Reasoning

Hide Workflow Run Results

Image Generation

Credentials & Authentication

How Authentication Works

Key Differences Summary

Using Workspace Credentials with Agents

Data Privacy & Security

Slack Commands

Channel Commands

Thread Commands

Best Practices & Troubleshooting

Example Use Cases

Important Limitations

Next Steps