Slack Integration

Slack lets you log decisions directly from conversations where they happen. It's the lowest-friction way to capture important product decisions without context-switching.

What does Brief capture from Slack?

• Decisions via `/decide` command — Quick decision logging
• Decisions via `@brief-bot` mentions — Conversational decision capture
• Author Attribution — Who made the decision
• Channel Context — Where the decision was discussed

Why should I connect Slack to Brief?

Decision Capture in Context

Log decisions right where the conversation happens—no need to open Brief or switch tools.

Team Adoption

Easier to get your team to use /decide in Slack than to remember to log decisions elsewhere.

Context Preservation

Captures who, when, and where decisions were made automatically.

How do I set up the Slack integration?

Steps

1. Go to Integrations in Brief
2. Find Slack and click Connect
3. Select Slack workspace — Choose which workspace to install Brief
4. Authorize the Brief bot — Grant permissions
5. Done! Brief is now in your Slack

The /decide command is available immediately in all channels.

How do I use the /decide command?

Quick Decision Logging

/decide "Use PostgreSQL for the new API because of better JSON support"

What happens:

- Inferred topic (e.g., "Database Choice") - Your decision text - Confirm or Edit buttons

1. Slack shows a preview with:
2. Click Confirm to log to Brief
3. Click Edit to modify before saving

Using @brief-bot

For conversational decision capture:

@brief-bot we decided to use weekly sprints instead of kanban

What happens:

1. Brief analyzes the conversation context
2. Proposes a structured decision
3. Shows preview for you to confirm or edit
4. Saves to Brief when you approve

Decision Structure

When you log a decision, Brief captures:

• Topic — What the decision is about (inferred or edited)
• Decision — The choice made
• Rationale — Why (from your message)
• Author — Who logged it (you)
• Timestamp — When it was made
• Channel — Where the conversation happened

Common Issues

Why isn't the bot responding?

Brief bot isn't in the channel. In Slack, type /invite @brief-bot to add the bot to the channel, then try /decide again.

Why can't I see the /decide command?

Slash command didn't install properly. Go to Brief → Integrations, disconnect Slack, then reconnect and re-authorize. The slash command should appear.

Why did it connect to the wrong workspace?

You connected to the wrong Slack workspace. Disconnect in Brief, then reconnect selecting the correct workspace.

Why aren't decisions saving?

This could be a network issue or bot permissions problem. Check that Brief bot has "Write" permissions in the channel and try again in a few seconds. If it persists, contact support.

Tips for Best Results

Good Decision Examples

✅ Clear and specific:

/decide "Use React instead of Vue for the frontend because the team has more React experience"

✅ Includes rationale:

/decide "Launch MVP without social login to ship faster, add in v1.1"

❌ Too vague:

/decide "We should do the thing"

Decision Categories

Brief auto-categorizes decisions:

• tech — Technology choices
• product — Feature decisions
• design — UX/UI decisions
• process — Team workflow changes
• general — Everything else

You can edit the category in Brief after logging.

Slack Permissions

Brief's Slack bot requires these permissions:

• Read messages — To understand context for @brief-bot mentions
• Send messages — To show decision previews
• Slash commands — To provide /decide command

Brief does not read:

• Private DMs (unless you explicitly invite the bot)
• Private channels (unless you explicitly invite the bot)
• Messages unrelated to decision logging

What's Next?

Now that Slack is connected:

• Log your first decision — Learn best practices
• View Decisions — Understand how decisions are stored
• View Integrations — See all available integrations