

Slack offers around 2,000 apps, many of which extend the power of the app. Again, it’s easy to take these features for granted since so many people use the app, but the quick search function, workflow functions that automate routine tasks, the built-in storage, the ability to start a voice or video chat with a click, and the apps and bots make it quite powerful.
#FEATURES IN FREE SLACK PLAN INSTALL#
Some of the features in Slack that we take for granted - this easy install and setup process, plus the ability to add anyone within your company quickly - were ground-breaking when the app first launched way back in 2013.īeyond that, Slack offers a good balance between accessibility of basic features - you can expect users to start chatting and sharing files right away - and advanced functions. After another 10 minutes, you can add team members and start collaborating. One of the most impressive features of this collaborative messaging platform is that anyone can sign-up for an account and become an admin in minutes, establishing their own domain (such as ). These interface elements seem commonplace now, but back in 2013 they were quite novel. Within Slack, if you use a hashtag for a channel (like #mychannel) then users can quickly click it to go to that channel. As far as team messaging, the first time many users ever tagged someone in an app like this was probably in Slack. They seem tailor-made for Slack.Īlthough Slack might not have introduced the mention or the hashtag, it does make frequent use of them in the interface. Some users might not even realize that there is plenty of power under the hood and an extensive array of apps and bots you can add to the interface. While Microsoft Teams chugs along at times under the weight of its many enterprise-grade features, Slack is light and airy by comparison. (Note that the purple and white interface is associated with Slack so much that changing these colors can throw people off.) The clean interface is easily recognizable - it uses dark purple and white/gray colors, although you can customize the appearance. The app avoids the word “chat” and borrows a term from Twitter with “direct messages” instead, which automatically implies privacy. While some team messaging apps don’t know when to use the word “chat” versus “channel,” it is always clear in Slack. Below that, you see direct messaging chats which can be 1-on-1 or in small groups.

At the top left of the screen, you see a series of default channels for collaborating in groups.
#FEATURES IN FREE SLACK PLAN HOW TO#
It is almost effortless in the sense that you intuitively know how to use it. (Image credit: Slack) Interface and performance
