Use Ada in Slack
Add Ada to Slack so teammates can ask for help without leaving a workspace conversation. Ada works from the app Home tab, direct messages, channel mentions, and commands from the message box.
Who This Guide Is For
Use this guide if you are:
- a Slack workspace admin adding Ada for a team
- a Lovelace workspace owner checking what Slack access means
- a teammate learning how to use Ada in Slack
- a support or success teammate helping someone fix Ada in Slack
Before You Add Ada
You need permission to add apps to the Slack workspace, access to the Lovelace workspace where your team uses Ada, and permission to connect apps for that Lovelace workspace.
Check the Slack workspace name before approving. Slack often opens the last workspace you used when you belong to multiple workspaces.
What Slack Will Ask You To Approve
Slack's review screen lists the jobs Ada needs to do:
| What Ada needs to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Appear in Slack as an assistant | Gives teammates a clear Ada app entry point. |
| Answer in Slack | Lets Ada respond, share progress, and ask follow-up questions. |
| Receive direct messages | Lets someone work privately with Ada. |
| Notice mentions | Lets a channel bring Ada into a shared conversation. |
| Support commands | Lets someone start Ada from the message box. |
| Read basic member details | Lets Ada show whether a Slack profile is connected to Lovelace. |
Do not approve the connection if the review screen asks for something that does not fit these jobs.
Add Ada To Slack
- Open the Slack connection flow from Lovelace.
- Choose the Slack workspace where Ada appears.
- Read Slack's review screen.
- Read the Lovelace data notice.
- Approve the connection.
- Open Slack and find Ada in the app list.
If Slack asks you to sign in or switch workspaces, finish that step and check the workspace name again before approving.
Check The Home Tab
Open Ada from Slack's app list and select the Home tab.
Every viewer sees:
- a short explanation of how Ada uses Slack
- whether their Slack profile is connected to Lovelace
- a button for connection details
- recent Ada work when their profile is connected
- request cards when Ada needs a decision
Slack workspace admins also see workspace controls. Non-admin members use Ada without seeing settings or the disconnect button.
Use Ada In Slack
Use a direct message when the work is private or exploratory:
What can you help me with here?
Mention Ada in a channel when the answer belongs with the team:
Ada, can you summarize the decision in this thread?
Use a command when your workspace has a known Ada shortcut:
/ada write a status update for this project
Commands start a new request from the message box. Use a direct message for private work, or mention Ada when Ada needs to answer in a shared channel conversation.
When channel-agent presence is enabled for your workspace, mentioning Ada in a shared channel can also create a visible work card. The card shows who asked, what Ada is working on, what access is being used, whether Ada is waiting for a decision, and how to stop the work. Longer channel work links back to the same Ada session in Lovelace so you can continue from another Ada client.
Workspace admins can also enable channel routines. A routine is recurring Ada work for a channel, such as a scheduled summary or blocker check. Routine setup shows the channel, schedule, access, memory behavior, and budget impact before the routine is saved.
Account Connection
Ada asks a person to connect their Slack profile to Lovelace when Ada needs to show recent Lovelace work in Slack or keep the same person connected across Ada surfaces.
Connecting a Slack profile does not make the person a Slack admin and does not share their Lovelace account with other Slack members.
Admin Controls And Disconnect
Slack workspace admins review the connected workspace, the accepted Lovelace data notice, and the Slack abilities approved for Ada from Ada's Home tab. When channel-agent presence is enabled, admins also review channel routines, channel memory, access bundles, and budget stops from the Slack and Lovelace management surfaces.
Disconnecting Slack:
- stops Ada from answering in that Slack workspace
- removes Lovelace's access to that Slack workspace
- turns off Slack conversations connected to Ada
- keeps Lovelace conversations and Library resources that belong to users
To reconnect, start the Slack connection flow from Lovelace again and approve the same Slack workspace.
Data And History
Ada uses Slack messages sent directly to Ada, places where Ada is mentioned, and Slack actions someone takes in Ada's Home tab. Disconnecting Slack removes Slack access, but it does not delete Lovelace-owned conversations or Library resources.
Do not paste secrets or unrelated confidential content into Slack requests unless that content is appropriate for Ada to use.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | What to check |
|---|---|
| You cannot approve Ada in Slack | Make sure you have permission to add apps to the Slack workspace. |
| You approved the wrong Slack workspace | Disconnect Ada from that workspace, then connect the right one from Lovelace. |
| Ada does not appear in Slack | Open Slack's app list and search for Ada. If Ada is missing, repeat setup and confirm the workspace name. |
| Ada does not answer a direct message | Confirm Ada is still connected in the Home tab, then send a new direct message to Ada. |
| Ada does not answer in a channel | Make sure Ada has been added to that channel or mentioned where apps are allowed. |
| The Home tab does not show settings | Only Slack workspace admins see workspace settings and disconnect controls. |
| Ada asks you to connect your profile | Follow the connection prompt so Ada matches Slack to your Lovelace account. |
| Disconnect did not delete Lovelace history | This is expected. Disconnecting Slack removes Slack access, not user-owned Lovelace work. |