Slack has a sidebar on the left where you can find channels, direct messages, and apps. Use the search bar at the top to find specific messages or channels. You can also customize your sidebar by pinning important channels or direct messages. Learn more about navigating Slack.

To send a message, simply click on the channel you want to send it to and type your message in the message field at the bottom of the screen. Press Enter to send. Learn more about sending messages in Slack.

Yes, you can send direct messages, also known as direct messages, to individual members or groups of members. Click on Direct Messages in the sidebar to start a new direct message conversation.

Using emojis in Slack can enhance communication and add a touch of personality to your messages. Use emojis in Slack judiciously to convey tone, emphasize points, and react to messages, while being mindful of cultural differences and accessibility concerns. Learn more about using emojis in Slack.

You may use the Box: Cloud Storage integration to share files through Slack. However, in order to maintain privacy and security compliance, files may not be shared directly through the Slack application. Learn more about Box: Cloud Storage. 

Mentions allow you to get someone's attention in a channel or direct message. Simply type @ followed by their username to mention them. They'll receive a notification about the mention.

You can customize your notification preferences by clicking on your profile picture in the top right corner, selecting Preferences, and then Notifications. From there, you can choose how and when you receive notifications. Learn more about Slack Notifications.

Integrations allow you to connect Slack with other tools and services (e.g., Trello or GitHub) your team uses. You can add integrations by clicking on the + next to the message field and selecting the more message shortcuts option. NOTE: All integrations will need to be approved by workspace admins and org owners for process and approval.

You can set your status to let your team know if you're available, away, or busy. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select Set a status to update your status.

Slack for UCSF users is currently not supported on mobile devices. Phase 2 will introduce mobile app support, in the interim UCSF users should use the web or desktop Slack applications.

To leave a channel, click on its name in the sidebar, then the gear icon before selecting the Leave channel option. To leave a workspace, click on your workspace name in the top left corner, then select Sign out of [workspace name].

No, Slack is only allowed for P1 and P2 data—it is NOT approved for sensitive (P3) and restricted (P4) data, including Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Learn more about the UCSF Data Classification Types.