Slack Integration

Connect BuildBetter with Slack to share call summaries and create signals from customer conversations

Quick Reference:

• Want automatic Signal creation from a channel? → Run /bb connect and select “Import Conversations”
• Want to push call summaries to a channel? → Run /bb connect and select “Push Summaries”
• Want to track Topics from a channel? → Run /bb connect and select “Topics Source”
• Want to manually create a Signal from any message? → Use the ••• menu (no /bb connect needed)
• Want to submit structured feedback (with CRM contact lookup)? → Use /bb feedback
• Want to send call summaries from a workflow? → Use the Slack channel picker in the workflow editor

What It Does

BuildBetter connects to Slack in three distinct ways:

Option 1: Channel Connection (Requires /bb connect)

Connect entire channels to BuildBetter for automated workflows:

Push Summaries - Share call summaries automatically to channels Import Conversations - Automatically monitor and create Signals from channel messages (with live ingestion and backfill) Topics Source - Use a channel as a source for the Topics experience (channels are gated — only channels explicitly set to track topics are processed)

You must run /bb connect in a channel to enable automatic Signal creation or push summaries to that channel.

Option 2: Manual Signal & Feedback Creation

Create Signals or submit feedback on-demand:

• Right-click any message → Create Signal in BuildBetter (no /bb connect required)
• Run /bb feedback to open a feedback modal — captures structured customer feedback with CRM contact search and your custom properties
• Works in any channel where BuildBetter is installed

Option 3: Workflow Integration

Slack is a first-class destination inside BuildBetter workflows. The workflow editor includes a Slack channel picker for connected channels — no more manual webhook URLs. Slack actions run through the connected Slack bot with automatic token refresh.

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Active Slack workspace with admin permissions to install apps
• BuildBetter organization admin access
• The Slack channel where you want to connect BuildBetter

Step 1: Install BuildBetter App in Slack

1. Connect from BuildBetter

   • Go to Settings → Integrations in BuildBetter
   • Find Slack in the Communication category
   • Click “Connect”

2. Authorize in Slack

   • Sign in to your Slack workspace
   • Review and approve the permissions
   • Click “Allow” to install the app

After installation, BuildBetter is available in your Slack workspace. Now you can choose how to use it:

Step 2A: Connect a Channel (For Auto-Scraping & Push Summaries)

Required if you want automatic Signal creation or to push call summaries to Slack

1. Go to the channel you want to connect in Slack
2. Invite BuildBetter (if private channel): /invite @BuildBetter
3. Run the connect command: /bb connect
4. Select your organization from the dropdown
5. Choose connection type:
   • Push Summaries - Share call summaries to this channel
   • Import Conversations - Automatically scrape messages and create Signals (with live ingestion and backfill)
   • Topics Source - Make this channel a source for Topics ingestion
6. Click “Confirm”

Private confirmation: The connection confirmation is now shown only to the person who ran /bb connect, reducing channel noise for everyone else.

Step 2B: Manual Signal Creation (No Connection Needed)

You can create Signals manually from any message without running /bb connect

No setup needed! Once the BuildBetter app is installed, you can:

• Right-click any message
• Select “Create Signal in BuildBetter”
• Works immediately in any channel where BuildBetter is installed

How to Use

Using Connected Channels (Requires /bb connect)

These features only work in channels where you’ve run /bb connect:

Push Summaries Mode

From BuildBetter:

1. Open any call recording in BuildBetter
2. Click “Share” → “Share to Slack”
3. Select the connected channel
4. BuildBetter posts the summary to that channel

Automatic Sharing (via Workflows):

• Set up workflows in BuildBetter to automatically share summaries
• Example: Share all customer success calls to #customer-success

Import Conversations Mode

Automatic Daily Scraping:

• BuildBetter monitors the connected channel for new messages
• Runs daily to check for customer conversations
• Automatically creates Signals from relevant threads
• No manual action needed—it just works in the background

Automatic Signal creation only happens in channels where you ran /bb connect and selected “Import Conversations”

Manual Signal Creation (Works Anywhere)

You can create Signals from any message in any channel—no /bb connect needed:

1. Hover over the message you want to turn into a Signal
2. Click the ••• menu (or right-click the message)
3. Select “Create Signal in BuildBetter” from the shortcuts menu
4. Choose the interaction type:
   • Internal - For team discussions and internal feedback
   • External - For customer conversations and support threads
5. Click “Create”
6. BuildBetter adds a :memo: reaction and processes the Signal

What Gets Analyzed:

• Message text and entire thread
• Sender information (automatically creates people in BuildBetter)
• Timestamp and context
• Channel information

Message Ingestion Behavior

Live Ingestion + Backfill

Once a channel is connected with Import Conversations or as a Topics Source, BuildBetter ingests new messages in near real time and backfills historical messages so you don’t lose context.

• Backfills cover threaded, non-threaded, and single-message conversations by default
• Backfill grouping: Related closed conversations are no longer split into duplicates during backfill
• Buffered message flushing: Buffered Slack messages are flushed reliably even if a worker restarts

Channel Gating for Topics

Only channels explicitly configured to track topics are processed for Topics ingestion. This gives admins precise control over which channels contribute to topic discovery — noisy channels can stay connected for other purposes without contaminating topic signal.

Channel-Purpose Context

When a channel’s purpose/description is set in Slack, BuildBetter uses it as context for topic classification, improving naming and routing for topics derived from that channel.

Edited Messages

When a Slack message is edited:

• The stored conversation text is refreshed so downstream content stays current
• Threaded replies that are edited reprocess correctly so classification, topics, and signal extraction stay accurate

Multi-Org Shared Channels

For Slack workspaces connected to multiple BuildBetter organizations (including shared channels):

• Messages and edits are routed correctly to every connected org
• Duplicate creation from repeated imports, retries, or polling is prevented
• Recovery after rate limits resumes imports from the correct cursor without dropping or duplicating messages

Source Context on Evidence

Signals and evidence from Slack now include clearer source context — the channel name, platform label, and a link back to the original message — so you can always tell where a piece of evidence came from.

Configuration

Connection Types

Push Summaries:

• Best for: Sharing insights with your team
• Use cases: Post call summaries, share highlights, notify about important conversations
• Permissions needed: Post messages, read channels

Import Conversations:

• Best for: Customer support, community channels, feedback channels
• Use cases: Analyze customer issues, track feature requests, monitor sentiment
• Permissions needed: Read message history, post messages, add reactions
• Schedule: Imports run daily by default (configurable)

Message Import Options

When configuring Import Conversations mode, you have control over how messages are processed:

Import All Messages By default, only threaded conversations (messages with replies) are imported. Enable “Import all messages” to also capture standalone messages without replies. This is ideal for:

• Feedback channels where each post is its own entry
• Announcement channels with individual updates
• Channels where conversations happen in single messages

Message Grouping When importing standalone messages, you can choose how they’re processed:

Setting	Behavior	Best For
Group related messages (default)	AI groups related standalone messages into conversations	General channels with flowing discussions
Treat as separate conversations	Each standalone message becomes its own conversation	Dedicated feedback channels where each post is independent

For channels like #customer-feedback where each message is a distinct piece of feedback, enable both “Import all messages” and “Treat as separate” to ensure each feedback item is captured individually.

Managing Connections

View All Connections:

• Go to Settings → Integrations → Slack in BuildBetter
• See all connected channels and their types
• Edit or disconnect channels

Connect Multiple Channels:

• Run /bb connect in each channel you want to connect
• Each channel can have a different connection type
• You can connect the same workspace to multiple BuildBetter organizations

Disconnect a Channel:

• Go to Settings → Integrations → Slack in BuildBetter
• Click “Disconnect” next to the channel
• Or uninstall the BuildBetter app from your Slack workspace

Slack Commands

Use these commands in any Slack channel where BuildBetter is installed:

/bb connect

• Connect the current channel to BuildBetter
• Choose Push Summaries, Import Conversations, or Topics Source mode
• Must be run in a channel (not DMs)

/bb feedback

• Open the feedback modal to capture structured customer feedback
• After submission, you’ll see a View in BuildBetter link to jump straight to the submitted feedback and related insights

/bb help

• Show available commands and features
• Get quick help without leaving Slack

Slack Feedback Modal

The /bb feedback command opens a modal that mirrors BuildBetter’s feedback intake — designed so reps can capture customer input without leaving Slack.

What’s in the modal:

• CRM Contact Search — Search and select HubSpot or Salesforce contacts directly from the modal. Selecting a contact automatically deduplicates and creates or updates the person record in BuildBetter.
• Dynamic Custom Properties — The modal shows all custom properties configured for your organization, with the right input type for each:
  • Text fields — free-form input
  • Select fields — single-select dropdowns
  • Hierarchy fields — multi-select taxonomy nodes with live search and hierarchical display
  • User fields — pick a teammate
• Signal Type & Speaker — set the signal type, attach a speaker (search existing or create new), and add taxonomy tags inline
• Title & Context — capture a title and supporting context alongside the message
• View in BuildBetter — after submission, jump directly to the feedback record

Two Ways to Create Signals from Slack

Automatic (Requires /bb connect)

Setup Required:

1. Run /bb connect in the channel
2. Select “Import Conversations” mode
3. BuildBetter will automatically check for new messages daily

What Happens:

• Monitors channel continuously
• Creates Signals from customer conversations automatically
• No manual action needed after setup

Automatic scraping only works in channels where you ran /bb connect and selected “Import Conversations”

Manual (Works in Any Channel)

No Setup Required: Use the message ••• menu to create Signals on-demand

How to Use:

1. Hover over any Slack message
2. Click the ••• menu (message actions)
3. Select “Create Signal in BuildBetter”
4. Choose Internal or External interaction type
5. Click “Create”

What Happens:

• BuildBetter processes the message and thread immediately
• Creates a new Signal with extracted topics, impacts, and emotions
• Adds a :memo: reaction to the original message
• Posts a confirmation in the thread
• Signal appears in your BuildBetter dashboard with link to original Slack message

Manual Signal creation works in any channel where BuildBetter is installed—even if you haven’t run /bb connect

Troubleshooting

Installation Issues

“BuildBetter is not authorized”

• Go to Settings → Integrations in BuildBetter and reconnect
• Make sure you have permission to install apps in your Slack workspace
• Check with your Slack admin if app installations are restricted

“/bb connect doesn’t work”

• Make sure you’re in a channel (not a DM)
• Verify BuildBetter is installed in your workspace
• Try /invite @BuildBetter first, then /bb connect

“You need to update your app connection”

• BuildBetter added new features that require additional permissions
• Go to Settings → Integrations → Slack in BuildBetter
• Click “Reconnect” to reauthorize with updated permissions

Connection Issues

“You are not connected to any organization”

• First connect Slack in BuildBetter: Settings → Integrations → Slack
• Make sure you authorized the app
• Then run /bb connect in your Slack channel

“You are already connected this channel”

• The channel is already connected to a BuildBetter organization
• Go to Settings → Integrations → Slack to manage existing connections
• Disconnect first if you want to change the connection type

Message Import Issues

“Signals not being created automatically”

• Verify the channel is connected with “Import Conversations” mode
• Check that the import schedule is active (daily by default)
• Ensure BuildBetter has “channels:history” or “groups:history” permission
• Messages must have text content (attachments-only messages aren’t supported)

“Can’t create Signal from message”

• Message must contain text (not just images or attachments)
• BuildBetter must be invited to the channel
• You must be connected to a BuildBetter organization
• Check billing credits haven’t been exceeded

“Signal creation says not enough credits”

• Your BuildBetter plan has run out of conversation import credits
• Check your billing status in BuildBetter
• Contact BuildBetter support to upgrade your plan

Push Summary Issues

“Can’t share to Slack channel”

• Verify the channel is connected with “Push Summaries” mode
• Check that BuildBetter is still invited to the channel
• Ensure the Slack app hasn’t been uninstalled
• Try reconnecting in Settings → Integrations

“Private channel won’t receive summaries”

• BuildBetter must be explicitly invited to private channels
• Type /invite @BuildBetter in the private channel
• Then run /bb connect to set up the connection

Privacy & Security

Channel Access:

• BuildBetter only reads channels where it’s explicitly invited
• Private channel messages are only accessible if BuildBetter is a member
• You control which channels are connected

Data Handling:

• All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• OAuth tokens are securely stored
• BuildBetter only accesses the channels you configure
• You can disconnect at any time

Message Visibility:

• Imported messages respect Slack’s privacy settings
• Signals created from Slack are visible to your BuildBetter organization
• You control who in BuildBetter can see imported conversations

Best Practices

Start with Customer-Facing Channels Connect channels like #customer-support or #feedback first to maximize Signal value.

Choose the Right Mode

• Use “Push Summaries” for internal team channels where you want to share insights
• Use “Import Conversations” for channels with customer feedback and support requests

Use Message Shortcuts for Quick Signals Right-click any important message and create a Signal immediately—don’t wait for automatic import.

Set Up Multiple Channels Connect different channels with different modes based on how your team uses Slack.

Review Signals Regularly Check your BuildBetter Signals dashboard to see what’s being extracted from Slack.

Notify Channel Members Let your team know BuildBetter is monitoring the channel and creating Signals from conversations.

Slack in Workflows

Slack steps inside BuildBetter workflows use the connected Slack bot — no webhook URLs to copy around:

• Channel Picker: Choose a connected Slack channel directly from a dropdown in the workflow editor
• Automatic Token Refresh: Slack actions keep working even after tokens rotate
• Better Setup Guidance: Errors and missing-channel states are surfaced clearly inside the editor
• Real Error Messages: When a Slack step fails, you see the actual channel error rather than a generic failure

You can also send Slack thread updates from custom object pages so the channel stays in the loop on status changes.

Workspace-Level Integration

• One Slack workspace can connect to multiple BuildBetter organizations
• Each channel can only be connected to one BuildBetter organization at a time
• Shared channels across multiple connected orgs are handled correctly — messages and edits route to every connected org
• If multiple team members connect Slack, they share the same workspace integration
• Uninstalling the BuildBetter app removes all channel connections

Support

Need help with Slack integration?

• Type /bb help in any Slack channel where BuildBetter is installed
• Check connection status in Settings → Integrations → Slack
• Verify BuildBetter is invited to the channel
• Contact BuildBetter support with your workspace name and channel details