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This upgrade impacts how Glean accesses Slack data. Review the Limitations and functionality differences section before proceeding.
Use this guide if you already have the Slack connector configured in Glean using a custom Slack app. For more information, see Identify data source type.

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Current vs new configuration

This table compares how your Slack integration works today with a custom app, and how it will work after you complete the upgrade.
FeatureCurrent State (Legacy)New State (Upgraded)
App TypeCustom Slack App (Workspace-specific).Custom Slack app with an updated manifest, plus the Slack RTS app.
Data SourceSingle “Slack” data source.Combined “Slack” and “Slack Real Time Search” data sources.
Message AccessLegacy indexing-only pattern.Query-time retrieval via Slack’s Real-Time Search API.
ReliabilitySusceptible to Slack rate-limit changes.Aligned with Slack’s current API and rate-limit model.
If you do not complete this upgrade, your existing Slack connector may be affected by Slack’s API and rate-limit changes. Make sure you finish both the custom app update and the RTS setup.

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Upgrade steps

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1. Confirm your current configuration

  1. In Glean, go to Admin Console > Data sources.
  2. Search for your existing Slack data source and open the Setup tab.
  3. Verify that the App-level token, Client ID, Client Secret, and Signing Secret fields are populated. This confirms you are using a custom Slack app.
    If these are missing, you are likely using a Central App and should follow the Central App Migration Guide instead.

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2. Set up Slack Real-Time Search (RTS)

  1. In Glean, go to Admin Console > Data sources > Add data source.
  2. Select Slack Real Time Search.
  3. On the Setup tab, enter your Slack domain and Slack team ID.
    These must exactly match the values in your primary Slack data source.

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3. Update your existing custom Slack app manifest

  1. On the Slack RTS setup page in Glean click Show setup instructions.
  2. Locate the section providing the Slack app manifest and copy the code block.
  3. In a new browser tab, go to the Slack app admin panel and open the existing custom Slack app that your Slack data source is currently using.
  4. In the left sidebar, navigate to App Manifest.
  5. Paste the new manifest from Glean, overwriting the old one.
  6. Click Save Changes.
  7. Remove any existing /glean slash commands and disable Interactivity for the existing custom app.
  8. Reinstall the app to your workspace if prompted by Slack to apply the new permissions.
  9. Click Allow to confirm the updated permission scopes.
  10. Once successful, go back to the Glean Admin console.

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4. Authorize and validate the Slack RTS data source

  1. In Glean, return to the Admin Console > Data sources and open the Slack RTS data source you just added.
  2. On the Setup tab, click Authorize. This performs the OAuth flow using the updated manifest permissions from your custom app.
  3. After the authorization completes successfully, click Sync now on the Slack RTS data source to start the initial message mapping.
  4. Click Save to store the configuration.

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Limitations and functionality differences

  • After this change, your Slack integration will include both the existing Slack data source (using your custom app) and the Slack Real Time Search (RTS) data source.
  • The Slack Real Time Search (RTS) data source fetches messages at query time rather than relying only on the legacy indexing behavior.
  • Long-term reliance on legacy indexing-only behavior may be limited by Slack’s API and rate-limit changes. RTS is required to keep Slack results reliable over time.