Slack Guide
How we use Slack at Kyndof for real-time communication and team coordination.
Slack is our primary tool for quick questions, real-time collaboration, and team updates. Understanding Slack norms helps you communicate effectively and stay connected.
What Slack Is For
Slack is Kyndof's central nervous system for synchronous and near-synchronous communication.
Use Slack when you need to:
- Ask quick questions that need same-day answers
- Have real-time discussions with teammates
- Share time-sensitive updates or announcements
- Coordinate immediate action on urgent issues
- Build team rapport through casual conversation
Don't use Slack for:
- Long-term documentation (use Notion or Wiki instead)
- Permanent records of decisions (document in Notion)
- File storage (files get buried, use Google Drive)
- Complex technical specifications (use GitHub)
- Anything you'll need to reference months later
Think of Slack as your office hallway. Great for quick exchanges, terrible for long-term memory.
Workspace Structure
Channel Organization
Kyndof's Slack workspace uses a consistent naming convention to help you find the right channel:
Team Channels (#team-*)
Dedicated spaces for each functional team:
- #team-engineering - Engineering team coordination
- #team-design - Design team collaboration
- #team-sales - Sales team discussions
- #team-operations - Operations team updates
- #team-hr - HR team matters
- #team-finance - Finance team coordination
Project Channels (#proj-*)
Temporary channels for specific projects:
- #proj-website-redesign - Website redesign project
- #proj-q4-campaign - Q4 marketing campaign
- #proj-inventory-system - Inventory system implementation
These are archived when projects complete. Don't let dead project channels clutter your sidebar.
Topic Channels (#topic-*)
Cross-functional discussion areas:
- #topic-security - Security discussions and alerts
- #topic-compliance - Compliance and legal topics
- #topic-tooling - Tool discussions and requests
Social Channels (#fun-*)
Non-work channels for team building:
- #fun-random - General chat, memes, life updates
- #fun-food - Food recommendations and recipes
- #fun-books - Book club and recommendations
- #fun-fitness - Fitness challenges and tips
Announcement Channels
Company-wide broadcast channels:
- #announcements - Official company announcements (post-only)
- #wins - Team and individual wins (celebrate publicly)
- #general - Company-wide discussion and Q&A
Support Channels
Help and assistance:
- #help - General questions and support requests
- #it-support - Technical issues with tools and access
- #feedback - Product feedback and improvement ideas
Finding the Right Channel
Not sure where to post? Follow this logic:
- Is it team-specific? → Use your team channel
- Is it project-specific? → Use project channel (or create one)
- Is it a cross-functional topic? → Use topic channel
- Is it a question? → Use #help
- Is it an announcement? → Check with your manager first
- Is it social/fun? → Use appropriate #fun-* channel
When in doubt, ask in #help. Better to ask than post in the wrong place.
Communication Etiquette
Using @Mentions Wisely
Mentions trigger notifications. Use them intentionally:
@person - Notify a specific person
- Use when you need their specific input or action
- Don't overuse—not everything needs immediate attention
- Example: "@sean Can you review the deck before EOD?"
@channel - Notify everyone in the channel
- Use sparingly for urgent, channel-wide announcements
- Good: "Deploy starting now, expect 10min downtime"
- Bad: "Anyone want coffee?"
@here - Notify currently active members
- Slightly less intrusive than @channel
- Use for time-sensitive but not critical updates
- Good: "Standup starting in 5 minutes"
- Bad: "Check out this article"
No mention - Informational, respond when convenient
- Default choice for most messages
- People will see it when they check Slack
- Example: "Shipped the new feature, docs here: [link]"
Rule of thumb: If you wouldn't walk to their desk and interrupt them, don't use @mention.
Threading Conversations
Always reply in thread for follow-up discussion. This keeps channels scannable and organized.
How threading works:
- Someone posts a message in a channel
- You hover over the message and click "Reply in thread"
- Your response appears in the thread, not as a new top-level message
- Thread participants get notified of new replies
When to thread:
- Any back-and-forth conversation (2+ messages)
- Follow-up questions on someone's post
- Detailed discussions that would clutter the main channel
When NOT to thread:
- New topics (start a new message instead)
- Information everyone should see (post at top level)
- Reviving a dead thread from days/weeks ago (start fresh)
Thread best practices:
- Check "Also send to #channel" if your thread reply is important for everyone
- Summarize long threads as a top-level message if decisions were made
- Don't let threads go on forever—move to a meeting if needed
Direct Messages (DMs)
Use DMs sparingly. DMs create information silos and exclude teammates who might benefit from the conversation.
When DMs are appropriate:
- Sensitive HR or personal matters
- Salary or compensation discussions
- Confidential feedback
- Truly private 1:1 coordination
When to use channels instead:
- Work-related questions (use team channel)
- Project discussions (use project channel)
- Technical problems (use #help)
- Anything that might help others if they saw it
If someone DMs you a work question, consider responding in a public channel: "Great question! Posting in #team-engineering so others can benefit: [answer]"
Group DMs are almost always wrong. If you need to talk to 3+ people, create a channel.
Status and Availability
Set your Slack status to help teammates understand your availability:
Common status indicators:
- 🟢 Available (default)
- 🔴 Do Not Disturb (automatically set outside work hours)
- 🟡 In a meeting (manually set)
- 🏖️ Out of office (manually set)
- 🎯 Focusing (deep work, minimal interruptions)
Custom status examples:
- "In client call until 3pm"
- "Heads down on bug fix"
- "Back at 2pm"
- "Traveling, slow to respond"
Do Not Disturb mode:
- Automatically enabled outside your working hours
- Manually enable when you need uninterrupted focus
- People can still send you messages (you'll see them when you return)
- Urgent messages can override DND if sender marks them critical
Working hours: Set your working hours in Slack preferences so:
- Teammates know when to expect responses
- DND enables automatically outside those hours
- Scheduled send suggests appropriate times
Using Emoji Reactions
Emoji reactions reduce noise and provide quick acknowledgment:
Common emoji meanings at Kyndof:
| Emoji | Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| 👍 | Seen and agreed | Acknowledge message, show support |
| ✅ | Done / Completed | Confirm you completed a task |
| 👀 | Reviewing / Looking into it | Acknowledge you're checking something |
| ❓ | Question / Unclear | Politely indicate confusion |
| 🎉 | Celebrate | React to wins and achievements |
| 🙏 | Thank you | Show appreciation |
| 🚀 | Shipped / Launched | React to deployments or launches |
| 🔥 | On fire / Urgent | Highlight critical issue |
| 💯 | Agree strongly | Strong endorsement |
Using reactions effectively:
- React instead of replying "OK" or "Thanks" (reduces noise)
- Multiple reactions show team consensus
- Check existing reactions before adding your own
- Don't over-react—not every message needs emoji
Custom emoji: Kyndof has custom emoji for specific contexts. Browse the emoji picker to discover them. Ask in #help if you want to add new custom emoji.
Notifications and Focus
Slack notifications can be overwhelming. Manage them intentionally:
Notification Settings
Recommended configuration:
- Desktop notifications: Only for direct messages and mentions
- Mobile notifications: Only when not active on desktop
- Email notifications: Off (you're already in Slack)
- Thread replies: Notify only for threads you're in
- Highlight words: Add your name, your project names
Notification schedule: Set Do Not Disturb hours to match your non-working time:
- Click your profile photo → Preferences → Notifications
- Set "Notification schedule" to your working hours
- Enable "Use different schedules for weekdays and weekends" if needed
Managing Noise
Mute channels you don't need to monitor closely:
- Right-click channel → Mute channel
- You'll still see unread badges but won't get notifications
- Good for high-volume channels like #general or #fun-random
Star important channels:
- Star channels you check frequently
- Starred channels appear at the top of your sidebar
- Keep this list short (5-10 channels max)
Use sections to organize your sidebar:
- Create sections like "My Teams," "Projects," "Social"
- Drag channels into sections
- Collapse sections you're not actively using
Catch up efficiently:
- Use "All Unreads" view to see what you missed
- Mark channels as read when caught up
- Don't feel obligated to read every message in every channel
Search and Finding Information
Slack search is powerful when you know how to use it:
Basic Search
Search bar shortcuts:
from:@person- Messages from specific personin:#channel- Messages in specific channelafter:2024-01-01- Messages after datehas:link- Messages containing linkshas:file- Messages with file attachmentsis:starred- Your starred messages
Combine modifiers: "project update from:@sean in:#proj-website after:2024-01-15"
Advanced Search
Search within:
- Messages - All messages you can see
- Files - All shared files
- Channels - Find channels by name or description
Use filters:
- Click "Filter" next to search results
- Narrow by person, channel, date, type
Save searches:
- For recurring searches (e.g., "mentions of your project")
- Click "Save" next to search query
Starred Messages and Reminders
Star important messages:
- Hover over message → Click star icon
- Access later via "Starred Items" in top right
- Use for references you'll need again
Set reminders:
- Hover over message → More actions → Remind me about this
- Choose time (20 min, 1 hour, tomorrow, custom)
- Slackbot will remind you
Slack Bots and Integrations
Kyndof uses several bots and integrations to enhance Slack:
Key Bots
@Nubabel - Kyndof's custom bot
- Notion ↔ Slack sync
- Task creation and updates
- Automated reminders
- Ask in #help for bot command reference
@Slackbot - Built-in Slack assistant
- Set reminders
- Automated responses to keywords
- Away messages
GitHub Bot
- PR and issue notifications
- Code review reminders
- Deployment notifications
- Configured in project channels
Google Calendar
- Meeting reminders
- Daily schedule summaries
- RSVP to meetings from Slack
App Directory
Explore more integrations at kyndof.slack.com/apps:
- Zoom for starting meetings from Slack
- Google Drive for sharing files
- Loom for recording videos
- Notion for page previews
Need a new integration? Request in #it-support with business justification.
File Sharing in Slack
You can share files in Slack, but it's not a file storage system:
Best practices:
- For active collaboration: Upload to Google Drive, share link in Slack
- For quick screenshots: Paste directly in Slack message
- For code snippets: Use Slack's code snippet feature (click + → Create snippet)
- For long-term storage: Use Google Drive or Notion
File retention:
- Free plan: Limited file storage
- Files older than 90 days may be archived
- Important files belong in Drive/Notion, not Slack
Sharing permissions:
- Files are visible to anyone in the channel where shared
- DM files are visible only to participants
- External sharing is disabled by default (ask IT if needed)
Video and Voice Calls
Slack supports huddles and calls, but Zoom is preferred for scheduled meetings:
Slack Huddles - Lightweight audio calls
- Click headphone icon in channel or DM
- Good for quick sync-ups
- Share screen if needed
- No recording or calendar integration
When to use huddles:
- Spontaneous quick discussions
- < 5 people
- < 15 minutes
- No need for recording
When to use Zoom instead:
- Scheduled meetings
-
5 people
- Need recording
- Need calendar invites
- Client or external participants
Slack Shortcuts and Productivity
Master these shortcuts to work faster:
Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Cmd/Ctrl + K | Quick switcher (jump to any channel/DM) |
Cmd/Ctrl + F | Search |
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A | All unreads |
Cmd/Ctrl + . | Toggle right sidebar |
Up Arrow | Edit your last message |
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + \ | React to last message |
@ | Mention someone |
# | Link to channel |
/ | Slash commands |
Useful Slash Commands
| Command | What It Does |
|---|---|
/remind | Set reminder for yourself or others |
/away | Set yourself as away |
/dnd | Enable Do Not Disturb for specified time |
/mute | Mute current channel |
/collapse | Collapse all images in channel |
/status | Set custom status |
See all commands: Type / and browse the list
Mobile Slack
Slack mobile app for when you're away from your desk:
Mobile best practices:
- Enable push notifications only for DMs and mentions
- Use mobile for quick responses, not long compositions
- Set "Mobile only" notification hours for off-hours
- Download the app: iOS / Android
Mobile-specific features:
- Swipe to mark as read/unread
- Quick reply from notification
- Voice messages (tap mic icon)
- Share from other apps to Slack
Working across devices: Slack syncs read status across desktop and mobile. Message you read on desktop won't notify on mobile.
Slack Etiquette Recap
Key norms for effective Slack use at Kyndof:
- Default to channels over DMs - Transparency by default
- Use threads for follow-ups - Keep channels scannable
- Be mindful of @mentions - Don't interrupt unnecessarily
- Set your status - Help others understand your availability
- React instead of replying - 👍 beats "OK"
- Don't expect instant responses - Async is default even in Slack
- Search before asking - Answer might already exist
- Document important decisions elsewhere - Slack is not permanent storage
- Respect people's off-hours - Use scheduled send
- Keep it professional - Even in #fun channels
Common Issues and Solutions
"I'm getting too many notifications"
Solution:
- Mute high-volume channels
- Adjust notification keywords
- Enable DND during focus time
- Turn off "all messages" notifications
"I can't find an old message"
Solution:
- Use search with filters (from:, in:, after:)
- Check if thread was archived
- Important info should be in Notion/Wiki anyway
"Channel is too noisy/off-topic"
Solution:
- Ask to create topic-specific thread or channel
- Suggest splitting into separate channels
- Mute if it's not essential to your work
"Someone isn't responding to my DM"
Solution:
- Check if they're out of office or in DND
- If work-related, post in team channel instead
- Use email for non-urgent async communication
- Call/text only if truly urgent
"I accidentally posted in wrong channel"
Solution:
- Delete message (hover → More actions → Delete)
- Repost in correct channel
- If already got replies, add note: "Moving to #correct-channel"
Getting Help with Slack
First steps:
- Check this guide
- Search Slack Help Center
- Ask in #help channel
For access issues: Post in #it-support or contact your manager
For workspace settings: Only workspace admins (IT team) can change workspace settings. Request in #it-support.
Related Documentation
- Communication Norms - Overall communication guidelines
- Meeting Guidelines - When to meet vs. use Slack
- Remote Work Policy - Remote communication expectations
- Notion Guide - For documentation and long-term storage
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Last Updated: 2026-02-03