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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.

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Channel Access Guide

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Private Channels

To access private channels, both conditions must be met:

  1. You must be a member of the private channel
  2. 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:
    1. Type /invite @Gumloop in the channel, OR
    2. Click the channel name → Add integrations/Add app → Search for “Gumloop”

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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”

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Node Configuration

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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

  • Thread Links: Direct URLs to specific message threads in Slack. Useful for:

    • Including clickable links in notifications
    • Creating documentation with references to conversations
    • Enabling quick access to original discussions

  • 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

  • Channel Name: The name of the channel where messages were posted. Particularly useful when:

    • Processing messages from multiple channels
    • Including channel context in notifications or reports
    • Routing workflows based on channel source

  • Channel ID: The unique identifier for the Slack channel. Useful for:

    • API integrations requiring channel IDs
    • Cross-referencing channels in complex workflows
    • Creating dynamic channel targeting in multi-channel scenarios

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Basic Settings

  1. Channel: Select target Slack channel
  2. 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
    • Higher numbers return lists of messages
      • The output in this case is in the List format

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Optional Settings

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Date Range Filtering

Filter messages by a specific time period:

  • Use Dates?: Enable this toggle to filter messages by time period

  • Date Range: Choose from preset ranges for quick filtering:

    • Last 24 Hours
    • Last Week
    • Last Month
    • Last 3 Months
    • Last 6 Months

  • Use Exact Dates?: Toggle this option to specify custom date ranges

    • When enabled, you can set precise Start and End dates
    • When disabled, the preset Date Range selection is used

  • Start Date (UTC): The beginning of your custom date range (only available when Use Exact Dates is enabled)

  • End Date (UTC): The end of your custom date range (only available when Use Exact Dates is enabled)

Date filtering is useful for:

  • Historical analysis
  • Regular report generation
  • Periodic message archival
  • Retrieving messages from specific events or timeframes

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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

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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

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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.

Tip: When “Use Exact Dates?” is enabled, you can connect the Start Date and End Date inputs directly to a Datetime node for dynamic date ranges.

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Trigger Mode

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Basic Setup

When used as a trigger, the node starts your workflow when new messages appear in the selected channel.

  • 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

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Example Workflows

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1. Customer Support Monitor

Slack Message Reader → Ask AI → Notion Page Writer
Setup:
- Channel: #support
- Read Full Thread: Yes
- Ignore Bot Messages: No
Purpose: Analyze and document support conversations

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2. Team Updates Trigger

Slack Message Reader [Trigger] → Categorizer → Gmail Sender
Setup:
- Channel: #team-updates
- Message Count: 1
- Ignore Bot Messages: Yes
Purpose: Send important updates to stakeholders

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3. Resource Archival

Slack Message Reader → Attachments Output → Google Drive File Writer
Setup:
- Channel: #resources
- Read Full Thread: Yes
- Date Range: Last 7 days
Purpose: Archive shared resources and documentation

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4. Weekly Channel Report

Current DateTime → Slack Message Reader → Ask AI → Gmail Sender
Setup:
- Use Dates?: Yes
- Use Exact Dates?: Yes
- Start Date: Connected to Current DateTime with -7 days modifier
- End Date: Connected to Current DateTime
- Include Channel Name: Yes
Purpose: Generate weekly summary reports of channel activity

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Output Format

The output format changes based on Message Count:

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Multiple Messages (Count > 1)

Returns lists:

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Single Message (Count = 1)

Returns single values [text]:

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Important Considerations

  1. Private channel access requires both user and bot presence
  2. Thread messages will trigger flows when using as trigger
  3. Bot message filtering applies to thread replies
  4. Date filtering in UTC timezone may not match your local time
  5. Channel Name and Channel ID outputs will be identical for all messages when reading from a single channel

In summary, the Slack Message Reader node provides powerful message retrieval capabilities with flexible privacy options and output formats.