Slack

Install the Empuls Slack app to send peer recognition, get engagement notifications in channels, and optionally configure Slack as your SSO identity provider.

Empuls integrates with Slack in two ways. First, you can use Slack as a login method (SSO), allowing employees to authenticate with their Slack workspace credentials. Second, the Empuls Slack app connects your Empuls engagement activity — recognition, announcements, and notifications — directly into Slack channels and direct messages, so your team can participate without leaving Slack.

Slack as a login method (SSO)

Slack SSO lets employees sign in to Empuls using their existing Slack workspace credentials. This is useful when Slack is already your organization’s primary identity anchor and you want to minimize the number of login steps for users.

1. Open User Authentication settings

   Navigate to Admin > User Access Settings > User Authentication.

2. Enable Slack SSO

   Toggle on the Slack option and click Proceed to continue.

3. Enter your workspace URL

   A Slack authentication page opens. Enter your Slack workspace URL and click Continue.

4. Sign in with Slack credentials

   Complete the Slack sign-in process. Slack sends a verification code to your registered email address.

5. Enter the verification code

   Enter the code from your email to verify your identity.

6. Confirm success

   Empuls displays a confirmation message once Slack SSO is successfully integrated.

Once Slack SSO is enabled as the default login method, employees must authenticate through Slack to access Empuls. Make sure all users have active Slack accounts whose email addresses match their Empuls user records before switching.

Empuls notifications in Slack

The Empuls platform can deliver engagement notifications to Slack channels and direct messages. This means recognition awards, anniversary alerts, birthday announcements, survey reminders, and other Empuls activity appear directly in Slack — where your team is already paying attention.

What appears in Slack

Depending on your configuration, the following events can generate Slack notifications:

• Peer recognition — when someone awards a colleague a recognition badge or sends a shoutout, the recipient (and optionally the team channel) sees it in Slack
• Milestones — birthdays, work anniversaries, and onboarding events are surfaced in the designated Slack channel
• Survey invitations — employees receive a prompt in Slack when a new survey is published that they need to complete
• Reward redemption — confirmation when a user redeems points for a reward
• Admin announcements — organization-wide messages published through Empuls

Configuring Slack notifications

Slack notification settings are configured at the organization level by an Empuls admin. You connect Empuls to your Slack workspace and designate which channels receive which types of notifications.

1. Connect Empuls to your Slack workspace

   From the Empuls admin panel, go to Integrations and find the Slack integration. Click Connect and authorize Empuls to access your Slack workspace. You must be a Slack workspace admin or have the necessary Slack permissions to authorize app installations.

2. Select notification channels

   Once connected, specify which Slack channels should receive organization-wide Empuls notifications such as recognition posts and milestone announcements. You can designate different channels for different notification types.

3. Configure direct message preferences

   Set whether personal notifications (survey reminders, point awards, redemption confirmations) are delivered as Slack direct messages to individual employees or only within Empuls.

4. Test the connection

   Send a test notification from Empuls to confirm messages appear correctly in the designated Slack channels.

Recognition from within Slack

The Empuls Slack app allows employees to give recognition directly from Slack without opening a separate browser tab.

Sending recognition via Slack

Once the Empuls app is installed in your Slack workspace, employees can send recognition using the Empuls app’s message shortcuts. The recognition appears both in Empuls and — if configured — in the shared Slack channel your organization uses for recognition posts.

Recognition shared in a public Slack channel gives peer appreciation a wider audience, which amplifies the impact of the recognition for the recipient and reinforces your culture for the entire team.

Admin setup requirements

Setting up the full Slack integration (both notifications and in-Slack recognition) requires:

• Slack workspace admin access (or permission to install Slack apps)
• Empuls Super Admin access
• Selection of which Slack channels Empuls should post to

Do not install the Empuls Slack app to channels outside your intended audience. Recognition posts and milestone notifications will be visible to all members of any channel you configure.

Frequently asked questions

Can employees give recognition in Slack without using the Empuls web app?

Yes. With the Empuls Slack app installed, employees can award recognition directly from Slack. The recognition is recorded in Empuls and, depending on configuration, posted to a shared Slack channel.

Does Slack SSO and the Empuls Slack notification app need to be configured separately?

Yes. Slack SSO (for login) and Slack notifications (for engagement activity) are separate configurations. You can enable one without the other. Slack SSO is configured under User Authentication; notification channels are configured under Integrations.

What email address does Empuls use to match Slack users?

Empuls matches users by the email address associated with their Slack account. Ensure the email in Slack matches the email in the user’s Empuls record exactly.

Can I limit which employees receive Slack direct messages from Empuls?

Yes. Notification preferences can be configured at the organization level by admins and, in some configurations, adjusted by individual employees through their Empuls notification settings.