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Overview

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Tool Name

slack_tools

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Purpose

The slack_tools suite connects Genesis workflows to your Slack workspace so you can notify teams, share links to generated artifacts, and target messages to the right people or channels.

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Key Features & Functions

Direct Messages

Send private, targeted updates to specific users with rich context links.

Channel Posts

Broadcast milestone updates, alerts, and summaries to team channels.

User Lookup

Resolve display names to Slack user IDs for accurate delivery.

Share Links

Include URLs to files, artifacts, dashboards, and docs produced by workflows.
Prefer short, actionable messages with a clear link or next step. Add the most important info in the first sentence.

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Input Parameters for Each Function

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_send_slack_direct_message

Parameters
NameDefinitionFormat
slack_user_idRecipient’s Slack user ID (e.g., U0123ABCD).String
messageMessage text. URLs will auto-link in Slack clients.String

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_send_slack_channel_message

Parameters
NameDefinitionFormat
channelChannel name or ID (e.g., #data-ops or C07FBCHFZ26).String
messageMessage text to post to the channel.String

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_lookup_slack_user_id

Parameters
NameDefinitionFormat
user_nameDisplay name to resolve to a Slack user ID.String
Names are not unique in Slack. Use _lookup_slack_user_id and store the returned slack_user_id for future sends.

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Use Cases

  1. Milestone Notifications Announce mission or task completion with links to assets or dashboards.
  2. Analysis Hand-offs DM stakeholders a summary plus links to reports, notebooks, or Sheets.
  3. Alerting Post pipeline failures or data quality alerts to an on-call channel.
  4. Project Coordination Share daily status updates or review requests in team channels.
  5. Artifact Sharing Send links to generated PDFs, CSVs, or artifacts for quick access.
  6. Automated Workflow Updates Notify owners when approvals are needed or when jobs finish.

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Workflow/How It Works

  1. Identify recipients by channel or resolve a display name to slack_user_id.
  2. Compose a concise message with links to relevant assets.
  3. Send via direct message or channel post.
  4. Record message ids or timestamps in your workflow logs if needed.

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Integration Relevance

  • project_manager_tools to trigger task or mission updates.
  • file_manager_tools to include links to stored files.
  • artifact_manager_tools to reference generated report artifacts.
  • data_connector_tools to share query outcomes and KPIs.
  • make_baby_bot to announce data agents deployment or configuration changes.
Respect rate limits and workspace policies. Data agents need permission to post to a channel or DM a user, and some workspaces restrict unsolicited DMs.

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Configuration Details

  • Use exact channel IDs when possible to avoid name collisions.
  • Store and reuse slack_user_id values once resolved.
  • Keep messages within Slack length limits and avoid giant payloads.
  • Ensure links point to resources recipients can access.

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Limitations or Notes

  1. Delivery depends on Slack availability and recipient permissions.
  2. User lookup may be ambiguous if multiple users share similar names.
  3. Channel posting requires the data agent to be a member of that channel.
  4. Message formatting can vary by Slack client.
  5. Cross-workspace messaging is not supported.

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Output

  • Message Delivery Confirmation with timestamp and message id.
  • Channel Info Posting confirmation and channel metadata.
  • User Lookup Resolved slack_user_id and basic profile fields.
  • Errors Clear messages for invalid users, channels, permissions, or delivery failures.