Overview
Slack is an optional messaging tool and collaboration platform designed to support natural teamwork, allowing you to collaborate online as effectively as you do face-to-face. It is available to UCSF employees and learners but should not be used to share restricted data. Please coordinate with your department to establish communication best practices for applications.
Getting Started with Slack
Are you new to Slack? The following links will assist you with learning and navigating Slack.
Channels
In Slack, work is organized into dedicated spaces called channels. Channels bring order and clarity, and you can create them for any project or team. With the right people, tools, and information in one place, teams can make decisions, share ideas, and get work done.
Messaging
Direct messages (DMs) are smaller conversations in Slack that happen outside of channels. DMs work well for one-off conversations that don’t require an entire channel of people to weigh in, like if you wanted to ask a coworker to reschedule a meeting.
Huddles
Recreate the quick, informal discussions you’d have in person right in Slack with huddles. You can start a huddle in any channel or direct message (DM) to work in real time alongside your coworkers with video, multi-person screen sharing, a dedicated thread for notes, and more.
Collaboration in Slack
To help you work with your team in Slack, you can add files to your workspace. Files are searchable and shareable across Slack, making it easier for everyone to find the information they need and work together.
Remember, 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.