Advanced Features

Integrating Slack for Notifications

Shapeshifter sends real-time Slack notifications when your clients take action—like moving a job to the interview stage or hitting milestones. You can receive notifications in your coach team channel and set up individual channels for each client.

This guide walks you through connecting Slack, configuring notification channels, and customizing what alerts you receive.

Before you begin: You'll need admin access to both Shapeshifter and the Slack workspace where you want to receive notifications.

Step 1: Navigate to Notifications Settings

Go to Settings in your Shapeshifter dashboard and select the Notifications tab. You'll see options for both Email and Slack notifications.

Shapeshifter Settings page with Notifications tab selected, showing Email and Slack notification toggles and Coach Notifications configuration options

Step 2: Connect Your Slack Workspace

In the Slack Notifications section, click the Connect button. A modal will appear prompting you to connect your workspace.

Slack Configuration modal window with Slack icon and Connect Workspace button

Click Connect Workspace and you'll be redirected to Slack's authorization page.

Step 3: Authorize Shapeshifter in Slack

On the Slack authorization page, select the workspace you want to connect (if you're part of multiple workspaces), then review the permissions. Shapeshifter needs access to view channel content and send messages.

Slack app permissions page for Shapeshifter app, asking to allow access with details about viewing channel content and performing actions

Click Allow to complete the connection. You'll be redirected back to Shapeshifter.

Choose the workspace where your coaching team and client collaboration channels live.

Step 4: Configure Notification Channels

After connecting, you'll see that Slack is now linked, but the default channel isn't configured yet.

Notifications settings page showing Slack Notifications connected to workspace but with Default Channel not configured

Important: Add the Shapeshifter Bot First

Before a channel will appear in the selection list, you must invite the Shapeshifter bot to that channel.

In Slack, open the channel where you want notifications (for example, #test-coach-team), then type:

/invite @Shapeshifter
Slack workspace interface showing the test-coach-team channel with initial setup and message about joining

Channels won't appear in the Shapeshifter channel selector until the bot has been added. Repeat this step for every channel you want to use.

Set Your Default Coach Channel

Back in Shapeshifter, click Configure next to Default Channel. You'll see a list of all channels where the Shapeshifter bot has been added.

Select Default Channel modal displaying list of Slack channels including test-support-old-client, social, and test-coach-team

Select your main coach team channel - this is where you'll receive summaries, performance reports, and general coaching notifications. For example, #test-coach-team.

Notifications settings page now showing Default Channel configured as test-coach-team

Set Client-Specific Channels

You can assign individual Slack channels to specific clients for personalized notifications.

Go to your Clients dashboard and find the client you want to configure. Click the Set Slack Channel icon next to their name.

A modal will appear where you can search for and select the channel dedicated to that client. Again, make sure you've already added the Shapeshifter bot to this channel.

Select Slack Channel for Rachel Alencar modal with search bar and list of channels, highlighting test-rachel

When a client channel is configured, all notifications related to that client (job applications, milestone updates, etc.) will go to their dedicated channel instead of the default coach channel.

Step 5: Customize Notification Preferences

Back in Settings > Notifications, you can toggle individual notification types on or off.

Notifications settings page highlighting Coach Notifications section with various toggles and Day dropdown for Execution Reminder and Execution Report

Notification types include:

  • Action-based notifications: Client moves a job to interview, reaches a milestone, completes tasks

  • Time-based notifications: Daily execution reminders, weekly execution reports (configure the day of week)

  • Lifecycle notifications: Client lifetime milestones

Toggle the notifications you want to receive via Slack and configure scheduling for time-based alerts.

Step 6: Test Your Integration

To verify everything is working, have a client take an action that triggers a notification. For example, when a client moves a job to the "Interviewing" stage in their Job Tracker:

Within seconds, you should receive a notification in the configured Slack channel:

Slack channel showing notification from Shapeshifter App that Rachel Alencar moved a job to interview at Canonical

The notification is clickable and will take you directly to the relevant details in Shapeshifter.

Clients access their portal via a passcode-protected branded page. Test the integration by simulating client actions in their account or ask a client to update their job tracker.

Troubleshooting

Channel Not Appearing in Selector

If a channel doesn't show up when trying to configure it, make sure you've invited the Shapeshifter bot to that channel using /invite @Shapeshifter in Slack.

Not Receiving Notifications

Check that:

  • The notification type is toggled ON in Settings > Notifications

  • The correct channel is configured (default or client-specific)

  • The Shapeshifter bot is still a member of the channel

  • Your Slack workspace connection hasn't been revoked

Disconnecting and Reconnecting

If you need to disconnect Slack, go to Settings > Notifications and click the disconnect option next to your workspace name. You can reconnect at any time by following the steps above.

Video Walkthrough

Watch the complete setup process in this video tutorial:

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