Enable Slack User Groups for AI Mentions

Type uses Slack User Groups to create Space-specific handles, for example @sales-operations. If Slack lets Type create User Groups, Type can connect a channel in the @mentions mode. Type then tells Slack to send mentions of the Space handle to the correct managed agent.

If Slack blocks User Group creation, the channel can still connect. People can continue to mention the Type app directly. Space-specific handles do not work until two things occur:

1. A Slack admin updates the permissions in Update the Slack permissions.
2. Someone reconnects Slack in Type.

Note

Slack User Groups are available on paid Slack plans. If your workspace is on Enterprise Grid, an organization-level policy can control the workspace setting. In that case, an org owner or org admin must update the policy first. Then workspace admins can change the workspace setting.

Update the Slack permissions

1. In the Slack desktop app, open your workspace or organization menu.
2. Open Tools & settings.
3. If you have a single workspace, select Workspace settings. If you use Enterprise Grid and an org policy controls this permission, select Organization settings.
4. Open Roles & permissions.
5. On Account types, find Create and edit user groups.
6. Open the three-dot menu. Select Edit permission. Let regular members create and edit user groups.
7. Find Deactivate user groups.
8. Open the three-dot menu. Select Edit permission. Let regular members deactivate user groups.
9. Save the changes.

Type needs the two permissions:

• Create and edit user groups: Type creates and updates Space handles when someone connects a Slack automation.
• Deactivate user groups: Type deactivates a handle after someone removes the last automation that uses it.

For Slack’s official instructions, see Manage user groups from the admin dashboard.

Reconnect Slack in Type

After the Slack permissions are updated, do these steps in Type:

1. Open Type workspace settings.
2. Go to Connections.
3. Open Slack.
4. Reconnect Slack. Type then tries again to create the Space handles.
5. Select Sync user groups. Type then tries again to create the Space handles that Slack did not let it create before.

When Type can create the User Group, the Slack channel announcement shows the Space-specific handle that people must mention.

Remove a Slack automation

When you remove a Slack automation, Type deactivates the Space User Group if no other Slack automation uses it.

If Slack does not let Type make this change, Type still removes the automation. Type also shows a warning. An admin can then fix the permission and select Sync user groups again.

Before the permissions are fixed

Type keeps the channel connection active. In the @mentions mode, Type uses the Slack app mention, for example @Type. It does not use the Space-specific User Group handle. When you update the Slack permissions, Type can replace the app mention with the Space handle.