Slack Message Reader
Overview
The Slack Message Reader node retrieves messages, threads, sender details, and attachments from Slack channels. It supports triggers for automation and can be customized to filter and fetch specific data for your workflows.
Channel Access Guide
Private Channels
To access private channels, both conditions must be met:
- You must be a member of the private channel
- The Gumloop bot must be in the channel
Important Notes:
- Private channels won’t appear in the dropdown if you’re not a member, even if the bot is present
- For sensitive automation, use your Personal workspace instead of shared workspaces
- To add the bot, you have two options:
- Type
/invite @Gumloop
in the channel, OR - Click the channel name → Add integrations/Add app → Search for “Gumloop”
- Type
Public Channels
- All public channels where the Gumloop bot is present will be available
- Add the bot using either:
/invite @Gumloop
command in the channel- Channel name → Add integrations/Add app → Search for “Gumloop”
Node Configuration
Message Information Options
Select which data elements you want to retrieve from Slack messages. Each option provides different information that can be used in your workflow:
-
Messages: The actual text content of the messages. This includes any formatted text, emojis, and timestamps. If “Read Full Thread” is enabled, this will include replies in the thread as well.
-
Thread IDs: Unique identifiers for each message thread. These are particularly useful when you want to:
- Reply to specific threads using the Slack Message Sender node
- Track conversations across multiple workflows
- Link related messages together
-
Attachment Names: Attached files shared in messages, including:
- Documents (PDFs, docs, spreadsheets)
- Images
- Videos
-
Sender Names: Names of the users who sent the messages. Useful for:
- Filtering messages by specific team members
- Routing messages to different workflows based on sender
- Creating user-specific automated responses
Basic Settings
- Channel: Select target Slack channel
- Message Count: Number of messages to fetch (default: 10)
- Set to 1 for single message processing
- The output in this case is in the
Text
format
- The output in this case is in the
- Higher numbers return lists of messages
- The output in this case is in the
List
format
- The output in this case is in the
- Set to 1 for single message processing
Optional Settings
Date Range
Filter messages by a specific time period:
- Enable by toggling “Use Dates?”
- Set both start and end dates for the range
- Useful for:
- Historical analysis
- Regular report generation
- Periodic message archival
Thread Settings
Control how message threads are handled:
- Read Full Thread: When enabled, retrieves:
- The main message
- All replies in the thread
- Thread participant information
- Perfect for tracking complete conversations or support threads
Bot Message Handling
Manage automated messages in your workflow:
- Ignore Bot Messages: When enabled:
- Skips messages from all Slack apps and integrations
- Only processes messages from human users
- Helps reduce noise in automated workflows
- Particularly useful when multiple automations are active in the channel
Configure Inputs
Make these parameters dynamic by enabling them in “Configure Inputs”:
- Channel: The Slack channel to read messages from. Useful when you want to switch channels based on conditions or other node outputs.
- Message Count: Number of recent messages to read (defaults to 10). Setting this dynamically allows you to adjust the volume of messages processed based on your workflow needs.
- Start Date: Beginning of date range for message filtering. Only available when “Use Dates?” is enabled. Use this to dynamically adjust your date window based on previous node outputs or workflow logic.
- End Date: End of date range for message filtering. Only available when “Use Dates?” is enabled. Pair with Start Date to create dynamic date ranges for message retrieval.
Trigger Mode
Basic Setup
When used as a trigger, the node starts your workflow when new messages appear in the selected channel.
Recommended Trigger Settings
- Enable “Ignore Bot Messages” to prevent loops and noise:
- Prevents triggering from Gumloop bot responses
- Filters out messages from other apps/integrations
- Focuses on human-generated messages only
- Consider using with filters:
- Add If/Else node to check message content
- Use Filter node to process specific message types
Example Workflows
1. Customer Support Monitor
2. Team Updates Trigger
3. Resource Archival
Output Format
The output format changes based on Message Count:
Multiple Messages (Count > 1)
Returns lists:
- Messages: [“Hello”, “How are you”]
- Thread IDs: [“123”, “456”]
- Sender Names: [“Alice”, “Bob”]
Single Message (Count = 1)
Returns single values [text]:
- Message: “Hello”
- Thread ID: “123”
- Sender Name: “Alice”
Important Considerations
- Private channel access requires both user and bot presence
- Thread messages will trigger flows when using as trigger
- Bot message filtering applies to thread replies
In summary, the Slack Message Reader node provides powerful message retrieval capabilities with flexible privacy options and output formats. Understanding the channel access requirements and workspace privacy model is key to successful implementation.