Slack

Oblique sends notifications about events in Oblique, such as requests, to ensure these are reviewed and applied in a timely manner.

Notification methods

Oblique supports sending notifications in the following ways:

• Slack. Oblique has a Slack app that can be used to send notifications about requests made in Oblique.

Events

Oblique sends notifications about the following events:

Type	Event
Requests	A request was created.
	A request was assigned to a reviewer.
	A request was approved.
	A request was applied.
	A request was closed.

Slack app

The Slack integration lets Oblique notify users about pending requests directly in Slack, and lets reviewers approve or close requests directly in Slack.

The Oblique Slack app supports sending request notifications in Slack in two ways:

• Direct messages (DMs). Request notifications are sent directly to individuals who are requestors or reviewers as direct messages, if they exist in the Slack workspace. Reviewers are notified when they need to approve a request, and requestors are notified when the status of their request changes.
• Channels. All request notifications are sent to one or more public or private Slack channels. The notification tags the requestor and the reviewers for the request, if they exist in the Slack workspace.

Changes to a request are automatically updated and threaded in Slack. When one reviewer approves or closes a request from Slack, all DMs and channel messages for that request update to reflect the new status. Updates on a given request are threaded under the original notification.

The Oblique Slack app can be configured to send DMs to users, send notifications to one or more Slack channels, or both. DMs are enabled by default.

Approvals from Slack are disabled by default.

Note

The Oblique Slack app does not currently support making requests or commenting on requests via Slack.

Note

Notifications about a request approval do not currently include any approval comments.

When notifications are sent

Notifications are sent or updated for both the requestor and reviewers when one of the following happens:

• A request is assigned to a reviewer
• A request is approved
• A request is applied
• A request is closed

When multiple events affecting the same request happen simultaneously, such as when a request is created with reviewers already selected, or when a request is approved and applied, only a single notification is sent.

When a user performs an action that would send themselves a direct message, e.g., approve their own request, they will not be sent a direct message.

Required permissions

The Oblique Slack app requires the following permissions to operate in your Slack workspace:

• View basic information about public channels in your workspace
• View basic information about private channels that @Oblique has been added to
• View people in your workspace
• View email addresses of people in your workspace
• Send messages as @Oblique
• Post messages to specific channels in Slack

Add the Oblique app to your Slack workspace

You must be an admin to add an integration.

Navigate to the Integrations page.

1. Select Add integration.
2. Select Slack.
3. Select Connect Slack.
4. In the Slack OAuth flow, review the required permissions, ensure you have selected the correct Slack workspace, and select Allow.
5. Optionally, under Channels, select one or more Slack channels where notifications should be sent.
6. Optionally, test that the integration is working as expected and sending messages to the correct Slack workspace and channels. Select Send test notification to send a test notification.
7. Direct messages (DMs) are enabled by default. Optionally, disable DMs for users. Next to Direct messages, toggle Enabled or Disabled.
8. Approvals from Slack are disabled by default. Optionally, allow reviewers to approve or close requests directly in Slack. Next to Approve from Slack, toggle Enabled.
9. Select Add integration.

Note

The Oblique Slack app is not currently available via the Slack Marketplace. You will need to manually install it from Oblique. Because it is not in the Slack Marketplace, you also cannot install it at the organization level, like in Slack Enterprise Grid, and will need to install it for each workspace. The Oblique Slack app will have either the app ID A09EG3AJEHZ (US) or A0A5AA3PHC0 (Europe), depending on the Oblique region you are using.

Approve the Oblique app in your Slack workspace

By default, any Slack member can add an app to a workspace.

If your Slack workspace or organization has configured app approval ↗ to restrict installing Slack apps that aren’t approved, then your Slack workspace owner will need to approve the Oblique app for workspace members to use it. You can’t pre-approve the Oblique app since it’s not available in Slack Marketplace.

If you have already installed the Oblique app in your Slack workspace, approve it for all workspace members:

1. Find the app in your list of installed apps, at https://app.slack.com/apps-manage/$workspace-id/integrations/installed and select the app. Alternatively, navigate directly to the Oblique Slack app at https://$workspace-name.slack.com/marketplace/A09EG3AJEHZ-oblique (US) or https://$workspace-name.slack.com/marketplace/A0A5AA3PHC0-oblique (Europe).
2. On the app listing, find the desired workspace. Next to Manage app for entire workspace?, select Approve.

If you have app requests ↗ enabled, and a workspace member has requested the app, then:

1. Find the app in your list of app requests, at https://app.slack.com/apps-manage/$workspace-id/integrations/requests and select the app. Alternatively, navigate directly to the Oblique Slack app at https://$workspace-name.slack.com/marketplace/A09EG3AJEHZ-oblique (US) or https://$workspace-name.slack.com/marketplace/A0A5AA3PHC0-oblique (Europe).
2. On the app listing, find the desired workspace. Next to Manage app for entire workspace?, select Approve.

Once the app is approved, it will be listed in your list of installed apps, at https://app.slack.com/apps-manage/$workspace-id/integrations/installed , with the App resolution Approved. The app listing, at https://$workspace-name.slack.com/marketplace/A09EG3AJEHZ-oblique (US) or https://$workspace-name.slack.com/marketplace/A0A5AA3PHC0-oblique (Europe), will also show as approved for your workspace.

Enable or disable DMs for all users

When you add the Oblique Slack app to a workspace, all users will begin receiving DMs by default.

You can enable or disable DMs for all users from the Slack integration’s detail page:

1. Navigate to Settings.
2. In the Slack settings section, next to Direct messages, toggle Enabled or Disabled.

Users can also enable or disable whether they receive DMs.

User notification settings Learn how users can modify their notification settings.

Enable or disable approvals from Slack

Approvals from Slack are disabled by default. When approvals from Slack are enabled, reviewers can approve or close requests directly in Slack. Slack-based approvals are subject to the same rules as approvals in Oblique.

Requests approved or closed in Slack are recorded in audit logs just like any other approval. The reviewer is listed as the author, and the Oblique Slack integration is listed as the client.

You must be an admin to change Slack settings.

You can enable or disable approvals from Slack from the Slack integration’s detail page:

1. Navigate to Settings.
2. In the Slack settings section, next to Approve from Slack, toggle Enabled or Disabled.

Change the Slack channels used by the Oblique app

The Oblique Slack app can be configured to send notifications to none, one, or several Slack channels. Both public and private channels are supported.

To change the channels used, from the Slack integration’s detail page:

1. Navigate to Settings.
2. In the Slack settings section, next to Channels, select the Slack channel or channels where notifications should be sent.
3. Optionally, test that the integration is working as expected and sending messages to the correct Slack workspace and channels. Select Send test notification to add the Oblique app to the channels and send a test notification.

Note

The Oblique Slack app can only be connected to one workspace. To change workspaces, delete the integration and add it again.

Caution

For Oblique to send messages to a private channel, the Oblique app must first be added to that channel by a member. The list of selectable private channels only includes channels that the Oblique app has access to. If you don’t see a private channel you expect, invite @Oblique to the channel in Slack and try again.

Remove the Oblique app from your Slack workspace

Remove the Oblique app from Slack to stop receiving Slack notifications about requests in Oblique.

From the Slack integration’s detail page:

1. Navigate to Settings.
2. Under Danger zone and Delete integration, select Delete….
3. Review and confirm you wish to delete the integration. Select Confirm.

This will stop Oblique from sending notifications to Slack. You will still need to remove the Oblique app from the Slack workspace ↗.

Troubleshooting

If you get the error Apologies, but Oblique can't be installed, your Slack workspace or organization has configured app approval ↗ to restrict installing Slack apps that aren’t approved or aren’t in the Slack Marketplace. See Approve the Oblique app in your Slack workspace.