You can download the Slack app for your computer, phone, and/or tablet. One of the nicest features is being able move across devices easily. You will also need to create an account using an email and a password.
Once you have downloaded the above apps and created a login, click here to join our group’s Slack workspace. (Note: These links expire after 30 days. If it is past 2/6/2021, email Lucy for a fresh link.)
At the top right-hand corner of the desktop version, you’ll see a small photo (your user photo). Click here to edit your profile (click edit profile). [View Screenshot] You may want to change your display name or other details. You can also find Preferences here, which allow you to customize your Notifications and other settings. [View Screenshot] There is an option to turn off notifications at certain times, or to only be notified under certain conditions.
On the left panel, you’ll notice a Channels area. [View Screenshot] Channels organize conversations related to specific topics. These are the channels available to us currently (but we can always add more):
Post your questions in the channel that most resembles their topic, or search through a channel relevant to information you need. If you don’t wish to be a part of a channel, you can right-click on the channel itself and mute it or leave it entirely. [View Screenshot]
Before you ask a question in a channel, use the search bar located on the very top of the Slack app to see if your question has already been answered. Once you search a specific term, you’ll see all messages, channels, or individuals that match that search term. If you see a post that looks helpful, click on it to be transported to that space in Slack.
Slack can quickly get messy and difficult to navigate. To keep things organized, pay attention to a few things:
Create Thread. This will keep all posts and relevant replies organized together. [View Screenshot]@ symbol to tag that individual in your post or reply. [View Screenshot]Once you’ve posted something, you may edit or delete it by hovering over the message and pressing the vertical ... (or clicking on it in your phone) and selecting either of those options. [View Screenshot]
Files can be “dropped” into Slack in two ways:
Write a relevant description of what the file is so that people may search for it. Files can generally be previewed in Slack, but they can also be downloaded by hovering over the file and selecting Download in the upper right-hand corner.
Files are also located in the menu item File Browser if you wish to see all files available within the Slack workspace. [View Screenshot]
You may privately message individuals or a small group of individuals (up to 7) in the Slack workspace. In the Direct Messages area, press the + symbol and search for the person you wish to message. If you can’t remember their name, you can find them in by searching the People and User Groups menu area on the top left-hand panel.