Note - If your organisation is not using Slack as a mode of communication you can still use the @mention and comments in Project. More details here


IT agents can now seamlessly collaborate on their project tasks with context from the tool of their choice, either Slack or Freshservice. Messages sent on Slack get synced to Freshservice and vice versa providing the agents much-needed flexibility to have conversations, wherever they are.


For Admin

How to set-up Contextual Collaboration in Freshservice?

From the Project Management section in admin settings

Please navigate to Admin -> Project & Workload Management --> Project Collaboration section in your Freshservice instance. If your account has more than one workspace, navigate to Admin > Global Settings > Project & Workload Management > Project Collaboration section.

Configuration

If you're configuring the set-up for the first time, please choose Connect Slack to get started.

Authorize using your Slack account and configure notifications for agents and requesters.

In the next screen, you’ll be asked permission to allow ServiceBot to access your workspace. You can permit ServiceBot by clicking on Allow.

Now you’re ready to get started with the two-way sync between projects and Slack.

You can also see that Slack is shown as Active under your "Connected apps" section.

How to set-up Contextual Collaboration within Slack?

Note: To install the Freshservice ServiceBot app in your Slack workspace, the user must have administrative privileges in Freshservice. The app should first be installed on Slack by the Freshservice admin, followed by the Freshservice agents.

For Slack admins: Please navigate to Apps -> search for "Servicebot" -> Add

For Agents & Requesters

  1. Once an admin installs the ServiceBot in Slack, other users can add the ServiceBot to their Slack easily.

  2. Use the global search bar in Slack and search for Servicebot

  3. Click “Connect” to get started.


Mapping Slack Channels to Freshservice Projects/Project Tasks

Collaboration is inevitable in a work environment. But when agents need to collaborate, switching between Slack and Freshservice hinders their productivity to a great extent.

With the ServiceBot, you can map Freshservice project/project tasks to your internal Slack channels, enabling all agents within a team to stay on top of their ticket updates.


Method 1: Creating a channel in Slack, then linking it to the Freshservice projects.

Method 2: Creating a channel in Slack while setting up a new Freshservice project


Method 1: Creating a channel in Slack, then linking it to the Freshservice projects.

1. Create a new channel in Slack

Note: To add the Slack channel on Freshservice projects, you need to add “ServiceBot” into the channel.

2. Navigate to the Channel -> Channel Name -> Integrations -> Apps -> Add an App -> Search for ServiceBot -> Add 

Now ServiceBot is added to the Slack channel. 

Starting two-way sync from Freshservice projects

To start contextual collaboration from Freshservice projects, head on to the Freshservice project task.

Please navigate to Projects -> Project name (Upgrade all PC's to Windows 11 in this case) -> Project task -> Discuss 


You can choose to start the thread from projects to Slack by selecting the relevant channel.

So for instance, we have already created a public Slack channel, “windows-11-upgrade”, which you can link it from here.


Post linking, your Slack channel will be displayed here.


You can start collaborating on this project task by clicking on the “Thread” created.

You can also @mention your teammates here.

Let’s see contextual collaboration in action:


Method 2: Creating a channel in Slack while setting up a new Freshservice project

There are multiple ways to create a new project in Freshservice. More information here


We are here creating a new project by associating a change.
While creating a project you can choose to enable the “contextual collaboration” on Slack.


You can select project members who will collaborate on this project from “add project members”. You can add/modify them later as well.


You can either create a new channel on Slack or link an existing channel from here.


Starting two-way sync from Freshservice projects

To start contextual collaboration from Freshservice projects, head on to the Freshservice project task.

Please navigate to Projects -> Project name (Upgrade all PC's to Windows 11 in this case) -> Project task -> Discuss


While creating a new project we have already created a new Slack channel, “upgrade-all-pcs-to-windows-11”


So agents can seamlessly start collaborating on the same channel. 

Live demo on contextual collaboration:


FAQs

1. Is there a restriction to the number of team members with whom I can collaborate on Slack?

No, there is no limit to how many Slack members you can collaborate with on a project task.


2. What happens when a member on Slack who has collaborated on tickets, is deactivated?

The contribution of the deactivated member to the conversation will still be available under his/her name

3. Will inline images and attachments also get synced?

Inline images and attachments are currently sent as links as part of ticket replies.

4. Is there a restriction to the number of threads I can create within a task?

No, there is no limit to how many Slack threads you can create within a project task


5. Will notifications be sent for these conversations within Freshservice?

A: No, for any Slack-based collaboration you will not receive any notifications within Freshservice as they will also receive these notifications via Slack.