Slack Enhances App Integration with In-Message Drop-Down Menus
Slack continues to innovate as it solidifies its position as a leading team collaboration platform. With over 5 million daily active users and 1.5 million paying customers (as of January 2017), the company is doubling down on features that streamline workflows and improve app integrations. Its latest release? Message menus—dynamic drop-down menus designed to simplify complex interactions within Slack.
Why Message Menus Matter
Slack’s ecosystem has grown exponentially since the launch of its third-party app directory in 2015. Today, the platform hosts 900+ apps, with 90% of paid teams actively using at least one integration.
“We see Slack as the hub where software embeds seamlessly into conversations,” explains Ceci Stallsmith, Slack’s Head of Platform Marketing. “Message menus are the next evolution of interactivity, building on slash commands, bots, and message buttons.”
Key Benefits of Message Menus:
- Dynamic Data Handling: Ideal for scenarios requiring nuanced decisions (e.g., pulling CRM records from Salesforce).
- Improved Workflow Efficiency: Reduces app-switching by enabling actions directly within messages.
- Scalability: Supports enterprises with complex workflows as Slack expands into larger organizations.
Types of Message Menus Available
Developers can leverage five menu types:
- Static Menus: Fixed options (e.g., survey choices).
- User Menus: Displays team members.
- Channel Menus: Lists public channels.
- Conversation Menus: Includes private channels/DMs.
- Live Menus: Dynamically updates based on server responses.
Launch Partners Showcasing Use Cases
Slack debuted the feature with 16 partners, including:
- Salesforce (via Troops): Syncs account data for sales teams.
- SurveyMonkey: Embeds polls directly in messages.
- OpsGenie: Manages on-call alerts.
- Statsbot: Delivers AI-powered analytics.
Image Credit: Slack
The Road Ahead for Slack’s Platform
Message menus align with Slack’s public developer roadmap (hosted on Trello), which hints at future upgrades like text input interactivity. This move underscores Slack’s focus on making messages a “canvas” for actionable workflows.
Availability: Message menus are live as of April 2017.
Editor’s Note: Updated to clarify Slack’s user metrics were announced earlier in January.
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