Slack Workflow Steps

The Slack plugin exposes public reusable workflow steps through SlackPlugin.get_steps(). The current surface covers connection validation, target selection, messaging, and conversation summaries.

For full contract details for every public step, including documented inputs, outputs, and return behavior, see the detailed step reference.

Functional groups

• Validation and Discovery
• Selection and Target Resolution
• Messaging
• Conversation Summaries

Summary

Step	Group	Used by built-in workflows
validate_connection	Validation and Discovery	discover-slack-workspace
list_public_channels	Validation and Discovery	discover-slack-workspace
list_users	Validation and Discovery	discover-slack-workspace
select_user_target	Selection and Target Resolution	send-slack-direct-message
select_channel_target	Selection and Target Resolution	send-slack-channel-message
select_default_or_search_channel_target	Selection and Target Resolution	-
prepare_message_destination	Messaging	send-slack-direct-message, send-slack-channel-message
open_direct_message	Messaging	-
prompt_message_body	Messaging	send-slack-direct-message, send-slack-channel-message
post_message	Messaging	send-slack-direct-message, send-slack-channel-message
select_target	Conversation Summaries	summarize-slack-target
ensure_target_conversation	Conversation Summaries	summarize-slack-target
read_recent_messages	Conversation Summaries	summarize-slack-target
ai_summarize_messages	Conversation Summaries	summarize-slack-target

Validation and Discovery

Use these steps to validate the current Slack connection and inspect the accessible workspace surface.

• validate_connection: validate the configured Slack token and expose identity metadata
• list_public_channels: list public channels visible to the current token
• list_users: list users visible to the current token

Selection and Target Resolution

Use these steps to resolve a reusable Slack target object for later workflows.

• select_user_target: filter visible Slack users by query and select one canonical user target
• select_channel_target: filter visible Slack channels by query and select one canonical channel target
• select_default_or_search_channel_target: choose one configured default channel or fall back to a unified person/channel search

Messaging

Use these steps to resolve a message destination and post a plain-text Slack message.

• prepare_message_destination: resolve the selected user or channel target into the destination conversation used for posting
• open_direct_message: open or reuse a direct message conversation for the selected user target
• prompt_message_body: capture a multiline Slack message body for later posting
• post_message: post the prepared message to the selected conversation

Conversation Summaries

Use these steps to resolve a target conversation, read its recent messages, and summarize them with AI.

• select_target: search both users and channels and select one unified Slack target
• ensure_target_conversation: resolve a Slack conversation from the selected target
• read_recent_messages: read the latest messages from the resolved conversation
• ai_summarize_messages: summarize the retrieved messages with AI

Notes

• Built-in workflows may use only a subset of these steps.
• select_default_or_search_channel_target is the step that uses repo-configured default_channels; when none are configured, or the user chooses to search instead, it falls back to the unified select_target search (person or channel). It is available for custom workflows but is not used by any built-in workflow.
• The built-in summary workflow uses the unified select_target step directly, so it can resolve either a person or a channel from one search.

Detailed Step Contracts

The summaries above show what each slack step is for. The sections below show the documented contract for each public step: what it expects from ctx.data, what it saves back, and what result types it may return.

Expand a step to see its workflow usage, required context, inputs, outputs, and result behavior.

How to read these contracts:

• Inputs (from ctx.data) = values the step expects before it runs.
• Outputs (saved to ctx.data) = metadata keys saved for later steps when the step returns Success or Skip.
• Returns = the workflow result type (Success, Skip, Error, Exit), not a separate payload.

Validation and Discovery

validate_connection

Validate the configured Slack connection and expose identity metadata.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: validate_connection

Used by built-in workflows: post-message, summarize-slack-target

Available to later steps: slack_auth, slack_team_id, slack_team_name, slack_user_id

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
None documented.	-	-

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_auth	UISlackAuth	Slack auth identity details from auth_test().
slack_team_id	str	None
slack_team_name	str	None
slack_user_id	str	None

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_auth, slack_team_id, slack_team_name, slack_user_id	If the Slack connection validates successfully.
Error	-	If the Slack client is not available or the auth request fails.

list_public_channels

List public Slack channels visible to the current token.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: list_public_channels

Available to later steps: slack_channels, slack_channels_next_cursor

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_limit	int, optional	Maximum number of channels to request. Defaults to 100.
slack_cursor	str, optional	Pagination cursor for the next page.
slack_exclude_archived	bool, optional	Whether to exclude archived channels. Defaults to True.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_channels	list[UISlackChannel]	Public channels returned by Slack.
slack_channels_next_cursor	str	None

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_channels, slack_channels_next_cursor	If the channel list is retrieved successfully.
Error	-	If the Slack client is not available or the Slack request fails.

list_users

List Slack users visible to the current token.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: list_users

Available to later steps: slack_users, slack_users_next_cursor

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_limit	int, optional	Maximum number of users to request. Defaults to 100.
slack_cursor	str, optional	Pagination cursor for the next page.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_users	list[UISlackUser]	Users returned by Slack.
slack_users_next_cursor	str	None

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_users, slack_users_next_cursor	If the user list is retrieved successfully.
Error	-	If the Slack client is not available or the Slack request fails.

Selection and Target Resolution

select_user_target

Select a Slack user target through query filtering and final confirmation.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: select_user_target

Available to later steps: slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target_query	str, optional	Pre-filled query used to filter Slack users.
slack_search_limit	int, optional	Maximum number of matches to return. Defaults to 20.
slack_search_page_size	int, optional	Page size used while scanning Slack users. Defaults to 1000.
slack_search_max_pages	int, optional	Maximum pages to scan while searching. Defaults to 50.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Canonical selected Slack target.
slack_target_type	str	Selected target type (user).
slack_target_id	str	Slack user ID.
slack_target_name	str	User-facing target name.
slack_target_query	str	Query used to resolve the selection.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query	If the user target is selected successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, the query is invalid, the search fails, or no match is selected.

select_channel_target

Select a Slack channel target through query filtering and final confirmation.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: select_channel_target

Available to later steps: slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target_query	str, optional	Pre-filled query used to filter Slack channels.
slack_search_limit	int, optional	Maximum number of matches to return. Defaults to 20.
slack_search_page_size	int, optional	Page size used while scanning Slack channels. Defaults to 1000.
slack_search_max_pages	int, optional	Maximum pages to scan while searching. Defaults to 50.
slack_exclude_archived	bool, optional	Whether to exclude archived channels while searching. Defaults to True.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Canonical selected Slack target.
slack_target_type	str	Selected target type (channel).
slack_target_id	str	Slack channel ID.
slack_target_name	str	User-facing target name.
slack_target_query	str	Query used to resolve the selection.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query	If the channel target is selected successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, the query is invalid, the search fails, or no match is selected.

select_default_or_search_channel_target

Select a Slack target from a preferred value or configured default, or search.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: select_default_or_search_channel_target

Used by built-in workflows: post-message

Available to later steps: slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_preferred_target	str, optional	Person or channel name (without #) to select
automatically without prompting, when it resolves to exactly one match. Takes priority	-	-
over configured default channels and manual search.	-	-
slack_target_query	str, optional	Pre-filled query used if the user chooses to search manually.
slack_search_limit	int, optional	Maximum number of matches to return during manual search. Defaults to 20.
slack_search_page_size	int, optional	Page size used while scanning Slack. Defaults to 1000.
slack_search_max_pages	int, optional	Maximum pages to scan while searching. Defaults to 50.
slack_exclude_archived	bool, optional	Whether to exclude archived channels while searching. Defaults to True.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Canonical selected Slack target.
slack_target_type	str	Selected target type (user or channel).
slack_target_id	str	Slack target identifier.
slack_target_name	str	User-facing target name.
slack_target_query	str	Query used to resolve the selection, when manual search was used.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query	If the target is selected successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, or no match is selected.

Messaging

prepare_message_destination

Prepare a Slack message destination from the selected target.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: prepare_message_destination

Used by built-in workflows: post-message

Available to later steps: slack_conversation, slack_conversation_id

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Selected Slack target. Must be a user or channel target.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_conversation	UISlackConversation	Resolved Slack destination conversation.
slack_conversation_id	str	Conversation or channel ID used for later message operations.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_conversation, slack_conversation_id	If the Slack message destination is ready.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, the target is missing or invalid, or the Slack request fails.

open_direct_message

Open or reuse a direct message conversation for the selected Slack user target.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: open_direct_message

Available to later steps: slack_conversation, slack_conversation_id

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Selected Slack target. Must be a user target.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_conversation	UISlackConversation	Opened or reused Slack conversation.
slack_conversation_id	str	Conversation ID used for later message operations.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_conversation, slack_conversation_id	If the direct message conversation is ready.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, the target is missing or invalid, or the Slack request fails.

prompt_message_body

Capture a multiline Slack message for later formatting and posting.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: prompt_message_body

Used by built-in workflows: post-message

Available to later steps: slack_message_markdown

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_message_text	str, optional	Already Slack-ready message text. If present, the prompt is skipped.
slack_message_markdown	str, optional	Standard Markdown message already provided by a caller. If
present (and slack_message_text isn't), the prompt is skipped.	-	-

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_message_markdown	str	Captured message text, to be converted to Slack mrkdwn by a later step.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_message_markdown	If the message body is captured successfully.
Skip	slack_message_markdown	If a message was already provided by the caller.
Error	-	If the user cancels or the message body is empty.

format_markdown_message

Convert a standard Markdown message into Slack mrkdwn, if provided.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: format_markdown_message

Used by built-in workflows: post-message

Available to later steps: slack_message_text

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_message_text	str, optional	Already Slack-ready text. If present, this step does
nothing and leaves it untouched.	-	-
slack_message_markdown	str, optional	Standard Markdown text to convert to Slack mrkdwn.
Ignored when slack_message_text is already present.	-	-

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_message_text	str	Slack mrkdwn-ready message text, when slack_message_markdown was converted.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Skip	slack_message_text	If slack_message_text is already set, or neither input is provided (a later step
can still prompt the user to compose one interactively).	-	-
Success	slack_message_text	If slack_message_markdown was converted successfully.
Error	-	If the Textual UI context is not available.

post_message

Post a plain-text Slack message to the prepared conversation.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: post_message

Used by built-in workflows: post-message

Available to later steps: slack_message, slack_message_ts, slack_message_channel

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_conversation_id	str	Slack conversation ID to post into.
slack_message_text	str	Message body to post.
slack_thread_ts	str, optional	Thread timestamp for replies.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_message	UISlackPostedMessage	Posted Slack message metadata.
slack_message_ts	str	Timestamp of the posted message.
slack_message_channel	str	Channel or conversation ID where the message was posted.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_message, slack_message_ts, slack_message_channel	If the Slack message is posted successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, required context is missing, or the Slack request fails.

Conversation Summaries

select_target

Search both Slack users and channels for a single unified target selection.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: select_target

Used by built-in workflows: summarize-slack-target

Available to later steps: slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target_query	str, optional	Query used to search both users and channels.
slack_search_limit	int, optional	Maximum number of matches to keep from each search. Defaults to 10.
slack_search_page_size	int, optional	Page size used while scanning Slack. Defaults to 1000.
slack_search_max_pages	int, optional	Maximum pages to scan while searching. Defaults to 50.
slack_exclude_archived	bool, optional	Whether to exclude archived channels. Defaults to True.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Canonical selected Slack target.
slack_target_type	str	Selected target type (user or channel).
slack_target_id	str	Slack target identifier.
slack_target_name	str	User-facing target name.
slack_target_query	str	Query used to resolve the selection.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_target, slack_target_type, slack_target_id, slack_target_name, slack_target_query	If the unified target is selected successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, the query is invalid, the search fails, or no match is selected.

ensure_target_conversation

Resolve a Slack conversation from the selected target.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: ensure_target_conversation

Used by built-in workflows: summarize-slack-target

Available to later steps: slack_conversation, slack_conversation_id

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_target	UISlackTarget	Selected Slack target.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_conversation	UISlackConversation	Resolved Slack conversation.
slack_conversation_id	str	Conversation ID used for later operations.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_conversation, slack_conversation_id	If the target conversation is resolved successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, the target is missing, or the Slack request fails.

read_recent_messages

Read the most recent messages from the resolved Slack conversation.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: read_recent_messages

Used by built-in workflows: summarize-slack-target

Available to later steps: slack_messages, slack_user_display_names, slack_channel_display_names, slack_messages_next_cursor, slack_messages_has_more

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.slack	-	An initialized SlackClient.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_conversation_id	str	Slack conversation ID to read.
slack_history_limit	int, optional	Number of recent messages to fetch. Defaults to 30.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_messages	list[UISlackMessage]	Retrieved Slack messages.
slack_user_display_names	dict[str, str]	Resolved Slack user display names keyed by user ID.
slack_channel_display_names	dict[str, str]	Resolved Slack channel names keyed by channel ID.
slack_messages_next_cursor	str	None
slack_messages_has_more	bool	Whether more messages are available.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_messages, slack_user_display_names, slack_channel_display_names, slack_messages_next_cursor, slack_messages_has_more	If recent messages are retrieved successfully.
Error	-	If Slack is unavailable, required context is missing, or the Slack request fails.

ai_summarize_messages

Summarize recent Slack messages with AI.

Workflow usage

- plugin: slack
  step: ai_summarize_messages

Used by built-in workflows: summarize-slack-target

Available to later steps: slack_summary, slack_summary_source_count, slack_summary_transcript_chars

Requires

Name	Type	Description
ctx.textual	-	Textual UI context.

Inputs (from ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_messages	list[UISlackMessage]	Messages to summarize.
slack_target_name	str, optional	Human-facing target label for the summary.
slack_summary_max_chars	int, optional	Maximum transcript size passed to AI. Defaults to 12000.

Outputs (saved to ctx.data)

Name	Type	Description
slack_summary	str	AI-generated Slack summary.
slack_summary_source_count	int	Number of source messages summarized.
slack_summary_transcript_chars	int	Transcript size sent to AI after truncation.

Returns

Result	Saved for later steps	Description
Success	slack_summary, slack_summary_source_count, slack_summary_transcript_chars	If the summary is generated successfully.
Skip	slack_summary, slack_summary_source_count, slack_summary_transcript_chars	If AI is not configured or not available.
Error	-	If messages are missing or the AI request fails.