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Needle Slackbot

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5 min read

The Needle Slackbot brings the power of Needle's RAG-powered search directly into your Slack workspace, enabling seamless knowledge discovery and team collaboration without leaving Slack.

Slack authorization

Key Features​

  • Collection-Based: Leverages your Needle collections to provide accurate, context-aware answers
  • Seamless Slack Integration: Interact with the bot using simple Slack commands and messages
  • Channel and DM Configuration: Set different API keys and collections for each channel or direct message as needed
  • Instant Setup: Get started in minutes with a simple installation and configuration process
  • Team Collaboration: Share answers and knowledge with your team in real time, right where you work

Use Cases​

The Needle Slackbot is ideal for enhancing team productivity and knowledge sharing directly within Slack. Common use cases include:

  • Instantly answering team questions using your organization's knowledge base
  • Onboarding new team members by providing quick access to documentation
  • Resolving support and IT queries without leaving Slack
  • Sharing product, engineering, or HR information in relevant channels
  • Surfacing FAQs and best practices for distributed teams
  • Enabling real-time, context-aware knowledge discovery during discussions

Quickstart​

Prerequisites​

  • Needle API Key
  • Access to install apps to your Slack workspace

1. Install the Bot to Your Workspace​

  1. Visit the installation URL: https://bots.needle-ai.com/slack/install
  2. Authorize the app for your workspace.
    Slack authorization
  3. You will receive a message like below when the bot is installed
    Slackbot welcome message

2. Add the Bot to Channels​

To interact with the bot in a channel:

  1. In Slack, go to the desired channel.
  2. Type /invite @Needle
    Invite Slackbot message
  3. The bot will join and start listening for events and commands for this channel.

3. Setup Your API Key and Collection​

Before you can interact with the bot, you will need to setup:

  1. Needle API Key
  2. Needle collection

API Key​

  1. Go to https://needle-ai.com/dashboard/settings

  2. Copy the API Key

    API Key Needle screenshot

  3. Open the Slack channel you want to use.

  4. Use /api-key command to set up your key.

    API Key command message

  5. You will see a confirmation

    API Key confirmation message

Collection​

  1. Open Needle: https://needle-ai.com/dashboard/collections
  2. Open the collection you want to use and copy the collection ID
    Collection Needle
  3. Open the Slack channel you want to use.
  4. Use /collection command to set up your collection.
    Collection command message
  5. You will see a confirmation
    Collection confirmation message

4. Use the Bot​

You can use the bot in two ways:

  1. Simply tag Needle and ask your question in a channel. It will create a new thread for each question.

    Channel answer

  2. Send a direct message to the app. As this is private to you, it will answer directly in the chat.

    Channel answer

Need Help?​

You can contact us anytime by discord or email. We are happy to help!