Managing Slack Workspace Connections

After authorizing Slack workspaces, ongoing management ensures connections remain functional and aligned with organizational needs. Administrators can monitor connection status, revoke access when connections are no longer needed, delete obsolete entries, and reauthorize workspaces when required. Proper connection management maintains reliable Slack message delivery and prevents silent automation failures.

Accessing Connection Management

To manage Slack workspace connections:

1. Navigate to Setup > Extend > Slack
2. Verify that Slack Integration is enabled (status shows "Connected")
3. Locate the Connected Workspaces section below the Status panel
4. Use the table and Actions menu to manage individual connections

Viewing Connection Details

The Connected Workspaces table displays comprehensive information about each authorized connection. Understanding these details helps administrators make informed management decisions.

Connection Information Fields

Workspace Name: The display name of the Slack workspace. Use this to identify which workspace the connection belongs to, especially when managing connections to multiple workspaces.

Workspace ID: Slack's unique technical identifier for the workspace. This ID remains constant even if the workspace name changes and is used internally for message routing.

Slack User ID: The Slack user identifier associated with the connection. For bot tokens, this displays the bot's user ID. For user tokens, this displays the Slack user ID of the authorizing user.

Token Type: Indicates whether the connection uses a bot token or user token. This determines messaging capabilities: bot tokens for channel messages, user tokens for direct messages to human users or Slack channels.

Active: Indicates whether the connection is currently valid and usable. Active connections can deliver messages. Inactive connections have been revoked or expired and cannot be used.

Connection Date: The timestamp when the authorization was completed. This helps track connection age and may indicate when reauthorization should be considered.

Owner: The Magentrix user who completed the authorization. For user token connections, this user's language preference affects direct message translation.

App: Identifies the Slack app used for the connection, either "Magentrix" (the shared multi-tenant app) or the Custom Slack App identifier.

Identifying Connection Purpose

When managing multiple connections, use these details to understand each connection's role:

• Match Workspace Name to your organization's Slack workspaces
• Check Token Type to understand messaging capabilities (bot for channels, user for direct messages)
• Review Owner to identify who authorized the connection and who to contact for reauthorization
• Examine Connection Date to identify older connections that may need verification or renewal

Understanding Connection Status

Connection status determines whether a connection can be used for Slack message delivery.

Active Connections

Connections with the Active checkbox selected are fully functional:

• The connection token is valid and has not been revoked
• The connection appears in Slack Message task configuration dropdowns
• Automation tasks can successfully deliver messages using this connection
• The connection is ready for immediate use

Inactive Connections

Connections without the Active checkbox selected cannot deliver messages:

• The connection token has been revoked in Magentrix or invalidated by Slack
• The connection does not appear in Slack Message task configuration dropdowns for new tasks
• Existing automation tasks referencing this connection skip Slack message delivery
• The connection remains visible in the table for administrative reference and potential reauthorization

Revoking Workspace Connections

Revoking a connection disables the Slack token and immediately stops all message delivery using that connection. Revocation is appropriate when a connection is no longer needed, when security concerns require disconnecting a workspace, or when a connection owner has left the organization.

When to Revoke Connections

• Security Concerns: Immediately revoke connections if unauthorized access is suspected or if the connection owner's account has been compromised
• Employee Departure: Revoke user token connections when the authorizing user leaves the organization
• Workspace Decommissioning: Revoke connections to Slack workspaces that are being retired or consolidated
• Connection Cleanup: Revoke duplicate or unnecessary connections to maintain a clean configuration
• Temporary Suspension: Revoke connections to temporarily stop Slack messaging while preserving the connection record for potential reauthorization

Revocation Process

To revoke a workspace connection:

1. Navigate to Setup > Extend > Slack
2. Locate the connection in the Connected Workspaces table
3. Click the Actions menu (three-dot icon) for the connection
4. Select Revoke from the menu
5. A confirmation dialog appears with the message: "You are about to revoke the connection for this workspace. This will prevent all Slack messages from being sent to this workspace. Are you sure you wish to continue?"
6. Click Revoke to confirm, or Cancel to abort
7. The connection's Active status changes to inactive (unchecked)

Revocation Impact

When a connection is revoked:

• Magentrix sends a request to Slack to invalidate the access token
• The connection immediately stops functioning for message delivery
• All Slack Message automation tasks using this connection skip message delivery
• Other automation tasks in the same workflow continue executing normally
• The connection remains visible in the Connected Workspaces table with inactive status
• The connection cannot be reactivated; reauthorization creates a new connection

Verifying Revocation in Slack

After revoking a connection in Magentrix, verify that the revocation is complete on the Slack side:

1. Open your Slack workspace
2. Navigate to workspace settings (click the workspace name, then Settings & administration)
3. Select Manage apps or navigate to the Apps section
4. Locate the Magentrix app in the installed apps list
5. Verify the app's access status reflects the revocation

If the app still appears as fully installed in Slack after revoking in Magentrix, you may need to also remove the app from Slack's side to ensure complete disconnection.

Deleting Workspace Connections

Deleting a connection permanently removes it from the Connected Workspaces table. Deletion is appropriate for cleaning up obsolete connections that are no longer needed for reference.

Delete Prerequisites

A connection must be revoked before it can be deleted. The Delete action only appears in the Actions menu for connections that have already been revoked (inactive status).

When to Delete Connections

• Permanent Removal: Delete connections to workspaces that will never be reconnected
• Configuration Cleanup: Delete old revoked connections that clutter the management interface
• Workspace Retired: Delete connections to Slack workspaces that no longer exist
• Duplicate Cleanup: Delete redundant connections after consolidating to preferred connections

Deletion Process

To delete a revoked workspace connection:

1. Navigate to Setup > Extend > Slack
2. Locate the revoked connection in the Connected Workspaces table (Active checkbox unchecked)
3. Click the Actions menu for the connection
4. Select Delete from the menu
5. A confirmation dialog appears with the message: "You are about to permanently delete this workspace. To use this workspace again in the future, you will need to re-authorize it. Are you sure you want to continue?"
6. Click Delete to confirm, or Cancel to abort
7. The connection is permanently removed from the table

Deletion Impact

When a connection is deleted:

• The connection entry is permanently removed from Magentrix
• No record of the connection remains in the Connected Workspaces table
• Any automation tasks that referenced this connection retain their configuration but cannot deliver messages
• To use the workspace again, complete a new authorization process
• Deletion does not affect the Slack workspace itself or other connections to the same workspace

Revoke vs. Delete: Choosing the Right Action

Understanding when to revoke versus delete helps maintain an organized connection configuration.

Use Revoke When:

• You want to stop message delivery but may reconnect later
• You need to preserve the connection record for audit or reference purposes
• You are troubleshooting connection issues and may reauthorize
• You want to temporarily suspend Slack messaging
• The connection owner has left but you may assign a new owner through reauthorization

Use Delete When:

• The workspace will never be reconnected to this portal
• The connection record is no longer needed for reference
• You are cleaning up old revoked connections to reduce clutter
• The Slack workspace has been permanently retired
• You want a fresh start and prefer to reauthorize without old entries visible

Reauthorizing Workspaces

Reauthorization creates a new connection to a workspace, replacing a revoked or expired connection. The process is identical to initial authorization but results in new connection tokens.

When Reauthorization Is Needed

• After Revocation: If a connection was revoked but the workspace should be reconnected
• Token Expiration: If Slack has invalidated the connection token (check Slack documentation for token policies)
• Permission Changes: If Slack app permissions have been modified and new authorization is required
• Owner Change: If a different user should own the connection (particularly relevant for user tokens)

Reauthorization Process

To reauthorize a workspace:

1. Navigate to Setup > Extend > Slack
2. Click Connect Workspace (the same process as initial authorization)
3. Select the app type (Magentrix Slack App or Custom Slack App)
4. Click Authorize
5. Complete the Slack OAuth flow for the same workspace
6. New connection entries appear in the Connected Workspaces table

The new connections have new Slack User IDs, new Connection Dates, and the current user as Owner. If old revoked connections still exist, you may delete them after verifying the new connections work correctly.

Updating Automation Tasks After Reauthorization

After reauthorizing a workspace:

1. Review automation tasks that used the old connection
2. Edit each Slack Message task to select the new connection from the dropdown
3. Save the updated automation tasks
4. Test message delivery to verify the new connection works correctly

Managing Multiple Connections

Organizations with multiple workspace connections benefit from systematic management practices.

Connection Inventory

Maintain documentation of your Slack connections including:

• Which workspaces are connected and why
• Which token types are used for which automation scenarios
• Who owns each connection and who to contact for reauthorization
• When connections were last verified as functional
• Which automation tasks use each connection

Periodic Review

Establish a schedule for reviewing connection status:

• Monthly: Verify all connections show active status
• Quarterly: Test message delivery for critical automations
• Annually: Review connection ownership and reauthorize if owners have changed roles
• As needed: Review connections when Slack workspace changes occur

Searching Connections

Use the search bar to quickly locate specific connections:

• Search by workspace name to find all connections for a specific Slack workspace
• Search by owner name to find connections authorized by a specific administrator
• Search is case-insensitive and filters results in real-time

Impact on Automation Tasks

Connection status directly affects Slack Message automation task behavior.

Active Connection Behavior

When a Slack Message task references an active connection:

• Messages deliver normally to the specified channel or user
• The connection appears in task configuration dropdowns
• Automation workflows complete with successful Slack delivery

Inactive Connection Behavior

When a Slack Message task references an inactive (revoked) connection:

• The Slack Message task is skipped during automation execution
• No Slack notification is delivered
• Other tasks in the same automation continue executing normally
• No error notification is sent to administrators (silent failure)
• The task configuration remains unchanged, referencing the inactive connection

Deleted Connection Behavior

When a Slack Message task references a deleted connection:

• The task cannot deliver messages
• The task configuration may show an invalid or missing connection reference
• The task must be updated to select a valid active connection

Best Practices

Proactive Monitoring

Regularly verify connection status rather than waiting for users to report missing notifications. Check the Connected Workspaces table monthly and test message delivery periodically.

Document Connection Ownership

Maintain records of who authorized each connection and who is responsible for reauthorization. This is especially important for user token connections where the owner's account affects functionality.

Plan for Employee Transitions

When connection owners leave the organization or change roles, proactively reauthorize connections with appropriate new owners. Do not wait for connections to fail.

Verify Both Platforms

When revoking connections, verify the revocation status in both Magentrix and Slack. Ensure the integration state is consistent across both platforms.

Clean Up Obsolete Connections

Delete revoked connections that are no longer needed to maintain a clean, manageable configuration. Excess entries make it harder to identify active connections.

Test After Changes

After any connection management action (revoke, delete, reauthorize), test affected automation tasks to verify message delivery works as expected.

Troubleshooting

Connection Shows Inactive Unexpectedly

If a connection becomes inactive without being revoked in Magentrix:

• The Slack workspace administrator may have removed the app from Slack
• The Slack token may have been invalidated by Slack platform policies
• The authorizing user's Slack account may have been deactivated
• Reauthorize the workspace to create a new active connection

Revoke Action Not Available

If the Revoke option does not appear in the Actions menu:

• Verify you have Administrator System Role permissions
• Check that you are viewing an active connection (revoked connections show Delete instead)
• Refresh the page and try again

Delete Action Not Available

If the Delete option does not appear in the Actions menu:

• The connection must be revoked before it can be deleted
• Revoke the connection first, then the Delete option becomes available

Messages Not Delivering After Reauthorization

If messages fail to deliver after reauthorizing a workspace:

• Verify the new connection shows active status
• Update automation tasks to select the new connection (tasks do not auto-update)
• For private channels, verify the bot is still a member after reauthorization
• Test message delivery with a sample record to isolate the issue

Cannot Find Specific Connection

If you cannot locate a connection in the table:

• Clear any search filters that may be hiding entries
• Verify Slack Integration is enabled (connections are hidden when disabled)
• Check if the connection was deleted by another administrator
• Reauthorize the workspace if the connection is missing

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