Slack Guide

Introduction

We use Slack as our primary form of communication. Slack is a platform that makes communication in a team or organization easy. Email communication can be slow, cluttering, and not fun. With Slack we as an organization are able to give timely announcements, be more connected with each other, and have better organized communication. Plus Slack is easy and fun to use and in this guide we will get you up and running with it. If you want to learn more about Slack you can visit their website here

Joining our Slack Workspace

Our Slack workspace is a shared space where all our members can communicate with each other. Our workspace is where all our channels are. It is also where you will be able to communicate with other members. This section will show you how to get started and join our Slack workspace.

  1. In a web browser join our Slack workspace through this invite link.
  2. Start creating a workspace account. You can continue with your university Google account or you can create an account using an email and password.

    If you are not using your Google account then take the following steps:

    1. Enter in your university email address and confirm your email address.
    2. Then enter in your name and a unique password.

  3. Once you have created an account, you will use that account to sign into our Slack workspace.
  4. Now you are all set! Next you can check out our Slack guide to learn how to get started in Slack.

Now you are all set! Be sure to say hello and introduce yourself in the #meet channel

Installing Slack on a Computer and/or Phone

Downloading the Slack app will provide you with the best Slack experience on your device. After you have joined our workspace you can download the Slack app for Windows, Mac, Linux. There are also mobile apps available for Android and iOS.

Download the lastest Slack apps below:

After you have downloaded the Slack apps you will have to add our workspace and sign-in again using your Slack account you created for our workspace.

Basic Usage

Profiles

Setting up your profile is a great way for others to identify you and get to know you. You profile is how you will present yourself in our Workspace. Get to know others by viewing their profile

To edit your profile on Desktop App: Click on the Workspace name and a dropdown menu will appear. In the dropdown menu click on "View profile". Then click on the "Edit Profile" button.

To edit your profile on Mobile App: Navigate to the "You" bottom tab. Then select "View profile" and then press the "Edit profile" button.

We highly recommend you fill out the "Full name", "Display name", and "What I do" sections. For "Display name", you will enter a name you want other people to refer to you by in slack. It can be a preferred nickname or it can just be your first name. For the "What I do" section give a brief description of yourself. Things to include your major, areas of interest, and your hobbies. After that, whether you want to fill out the other sections is up to you.

Joining Channels

When you first join Slack you are automatically put into default channels. There are other great channels that we offer. You are able to browse channels as well as join channels.

The process for browsing and joining channels is the same across platforms. Select the channel browser and then search for or scroll through and select the channel you want to browser. You can also click on the '+' icon next to the channels label and choose "Browse channels"

Once you select a channel, a preview of the channel will appear and then you are able to choose "Join channel" to join the channel.

Posting in Channels

Posting a message in a channel is as easy as writing the message in the input box at the bottom and pressing the send button. On a computer you can also press the enter button to send the post. To add a new line to your message press 'Shift + Enter'. Slack gives a couple of options to add formatting to your message. You can add links, code snippets, emojis, and attachments. To refer to someone in a message you can @ them by typing @ then followed by their display name.

Drafts

If you are writing a post in a channel and you want to save it to your drafts to edit or send later then you would want to not send it and switch to another channel where. Then that message will automatically save to your drafts. You can also make a new draft by navigating to "Drafts" and clicking on "New Message".

Reacting to a Post

Reactions are a way to interact with a post. Reaction can be used to show your support for a post or how you feel about a post. To react to a post you can click on the "Add reaction" button. The button will be at the bottom or top of the post. On mobile you can press and hold a post to display a menu that will also allow you to add reactions. If you see there are already reactions at the bottom of the post to use you can click on those reactions to use them.

Sending Direct Messages

Sending a direct message or DM is a way to private chat with a person or small group of people. To send a DM you can click the "+" Icon next to the "Direct messages" label then type in and choose the people to message. Or you can click on someone's profile and click on the "Message" button.

Channels

Channels are dedicated spaces for discussions, conversations, and posts on specific topics. This section will cover our main Slack channels. Channel names are denoted with a hashtag ('#'). To explore all of our channels you can browse all channels on our Slack workspace. Click on the `+` beside Channels on the left side panel then choose Browse channels.

When you join a new channel be sure to also check out its pinned posts. Pinned posts are the most important posts of the channels. You can view a channel's pinned posts by clicking the Details button in the top right corner of the channel then expanding the "Pinned" section.

#announcements

This channel is where all of our important organization wide announcements and updates are posted.

#lounge

This channel is where you can socialize and engage in conversations with other members. Also you can post anything off-topic or that doesn't fit in with other channels.

#opportunities

This channel is where you can find and share opportunities to get involved in. Everything from events, programs, internships, job opportunities, hackathons, and more.

#meet

This channel is to build your personal and professional network. Meet new people and foster new connections. Introduce yourself here and say hello.

SIG channels

All of our SIGs have their own channel. SIG channels are prefixed with "sig-" and is followed by the name of the SIG.

#resources

Find and share anything that can benefit others. Old exams, articles, blog posts, videos, books, tutorials, websites, podcasts, software, apps, and more.

#showcase

Have a project you want to showcase and get feedback on? This is the place to share projects you've worked on and share what you are currently working on. Is your project not finished yet? No worries! share your current progress and get some feedback.

#gaming

This channel is for all things videogames. Talk about games, discuss the latest and greatest in game industry and game development. Also find others to play with.

#memes

Do you need a laugh? Need your daily dose of memes? This channel is for meme enthusiasts, meme connoisseur, meme masters and anyone else who loves a good meme. Please note that you will need to read the channel's pinned messages to learn about channel etiquette before posting.

Notifications

This is an important section. It is important that you know how to make Slack work for you. Many people get frustrated with Slack when it comes to notifications. Fortunately, Slack gives you many options to customize how you want to be notified. You do not have to be annoyed or overwhelmed with notifications.

Read the appropriate section to navigate to your notifications settings:

Computer App

Click on workspace name > Preferences > Notifications

Mobile App

"You" bottom tab > Notifications

For notifications we recommend you select the "Direct messages, mentions, & keywords". "All new messages" is also a good setting if you are not overwhelmed with notifications.

Be sure to set a notification schedule. These are the times you want to be notified. Outside of these days and times you will not get notifications An example we recommend is "Weekdays 8:00AM to 8:00PM".

Another great option for notifications is muting channels. You can mute certain channels where you will not get notified for new posts in that channel. We recommend you do NOT mute #announcements, #lounge, and #opportunities.