Manage Request Channels

This guide explains how to configure and manage Slack channels as Request Channels in ClearFeed. We'll cover adding channels so ClearFeed can monitor requests, setting up automatic monitoring, moving channels between Collections, getting channel data, and removing channels.

What are Request Channels?

Request Channels are any Slack channels where your customers or users ask for help or submit requests. ClearFeed monitors these channels, allowing your team to efficiently track and manage these incoming requests.

What You Can Do

You can perform the following actions to manage your Slack channels within ClearFeed Collections:

• Add Slack channels to a Collection to track requests and tickets.

  • From WebApp

  • From Slack

• Automatically Monitor New Slack Connect Channels: Set up a regex to automatically add new Slack Connect channels to a Collection that match a specific name pattern.

• Move channels between different Collections.

• Download Channels data from within a Collection.

• Remove channels to stop ClearFeed from monitoring them.

  • From WebApp

  • From Slack

Adding Slack channels to Collection

Slack channels can be set up for ClearFeed monitoring and added to a Collection. You can do this via the ClearFeed WebApp or directly from Slack.

From WebApp

You can add Slack channels to a Collection in ClearFeed through three methods within the WebApp.

Method 1:

• Navigate to the Inbox in the ClearFeed WebApp.

• Click on Collections, then select the name of the Collection you want to modify (e.g., Customer Support).

• Click the three dots icon next to the Collection name and select "+ New Channel".

• In the pop-up window:

  • Use the Select Channels dropdown to choose one or more Slack channels for ClearFeed to monitor.

  • Public channels will be listed automatically.

  • For private channels, you'll only see those where the ClearFeed bot is already a member.

  {% hint style="danger" %} To add a private channel not listed, go to Slack and run /invite @ClearFeed in that channel first. {% endhint %}

• Click Add, assign a Channel Owner for each, and then click Start Monitoring.

Method 2:

• Navigate to the Collection in which you want to add Slack Channels

• Open Collection Settings.

• Expand Request Channels.

• Click on the "+ Add Channels" button.

• In the pop-up:

  • Use the Select Channels dropdown to pick one or more Slack channels.

  • As above, public channels are listed; for private channels, ensure the ClearFeed bot is invited via /invite @ClearFeed in Slack.

• Click Add, assign a Channel Owner for each, and then click Start Monitoring.

Method 3:

• Navigate to the Inbox in the ClearFeed WebApp and hover over the New button at the bottom.

• From the dropdown, select Channel.

• In the pop-up:

  • Choose the Collection you want to add channels to.

  • Use the Select Channels dropdown to pick one or more Slack channels.

  • As above, public channels are listed; for private channels, ensure the ClearFeed bot is invited via /invite @ClearFeed in Slack.

• Click Add, assign a Channel Owner for each, and then click Start Monitoring.

From Slack

You can also configure a channel as a Request Channel directly from Slack:

• Go to Slack and open the channel you wish to monitor.

• Add the ClearFeed bot by typing /invite @ClearFeed and press Enter.

• ClearFeed will send a message asking how you want to configure the channel. Select the option to configure the channel As a Request Channel .

• Select the Channel Owner and Collection to which you want to add the channel.

  • A Channel Owner can move the channel from one collection to another and transfer the channel's ownership within ClearFeed.

• Click on Start Monitoring .

Adding Slack Connect Channels Already Used by Another Organization

By default ClearFeed does not work correctly if the ClearFeed app is added to the same Slack Connect channel by multiple organizations. This will result in messages from such a channel to not be processsed correctly.

To configure a Slack Connect channel as a Request Channel when another organization has already installed ClearFeed in such a channel - please contact our support team with the channel ID and the organization detail. Supporting this setup requires a manual configuration change by ClearFeed support.

Important Considerations When the same Slack Connect channel is monitored by multiple ClearFeed accounts, keep the following in mind:

1. Emoji Ticketing: Do not use the same emoji if emoji-based ticketing is enabled. Otherwise, two tickets will be filed—one in each account monitoring the channel.

2. Thread Behavior: If two tickets are filed from the same thread, replies synced from one ticket will not flow back to the other.

3. Responder Configuration: Set collection responders carefully. Incorrect responder settings may result in unexpected request creation.

4. Automatic Ticketing: If automatic ticketing is enabled in both accounts, tickets will be filed in both systems from the same thread.

5. Emoji Actions: Use separate emojis for each organization to avoid conflicts. Depending on configuration and who applies the emoji, different actions may be triggered across organizations.

Automatically Monitor Slack Connect Channels

Slack Connect channels allow external organizations to communicate with your team. If your Slack Connect channels follow a set naming pattern, ClearFeed can automatically monitor these channels using a regex (regular expression) pattern to match channel names and add them to a designated Collection when created.

Steps to Set Up Automatic Monitoring:

Steps to Set Up Automatic Monitoring:

• Navigate to the Inbox in the ClearFeed WebApp.

• Navigate to the "Collections" tab. Find the specific Collection where you want to automatically add Slack Connect channels and click on the "Settings" icon associated with it.

• In the Collection's settings, scroll to the "Request Channels" section. Look for the option "Automatic Monitoring of new Slack Connect channels" and switch it on.

• You'll need to provide a "Regex Pattern". This is a special text string that ClearFeed uses to identify which newly created Slack Connect channels to monitor.

• Click "Save" to apply the settings. ClearFeed will now automatically add new Slack Connect channels that match your regex pattern to this Collection.

Moving Request Channels

To move a channel from one collection to another within ClearFeed, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the Inbox in the ClearFeed WebApp.

• Select the Collection from which you want to move the channels.

• Click on the Collection Name to expand and see all the channels within it.

• Click on the three-dots menu against the channel you want to move.

  
• Click on Move. A modal window will be shown.

  
• From the dropdown, choose the target collection where you plan to move the channel.

• To confirm the transfer, click on the Save button.

  

Downloading Request Data

To download the request data for channels that are added to a Collection, follow the below steps:

• Navigate to the Collection for which you want to download the requests.

• Open Collection Settings.

• Expand Request Channels.

• Click on the Download icon.

Stop Monitoring Slack channels

You can stop ClearFeed from monitoring a Slack channel either from the WebApp or directly from Slack. ClearFeed offers flexibility: you can retain existing requests for future reference, or permanently delete all data related to the unmonitored channel.

You can do this from the ClearFeed WebApp or directly from Slack.

From WebApp

Option 1: From the Request Channel List

• Open the ClearFeed WebApp and go to the Inbox.

• Expand the Collections menu in the left sidebar.

• Locate the channel you want to stop monitoring under the relevant Collection.

• Hover over the channel name and click the three-dots menu.

• Select Stop Monitoring.

  
• You’ll now see two options for handling channel data:

  • Keep Data

    • Monitoring will stop, but all existing requests will be retained according to your account’s data retention policy.

    • If the channel is public, you’ll also be prompted to remove the ClearFeed bot.

  • Delete Channel Data

    • Monitoring will stop, and all associated data will be permanently deleted. ⚠️ This action is irreversible.

Option 2: From Collection Settings

• Navigate to the Collection containing the channel.

• Open Collection Settings.

• Expand the Request Channels section.

• Find the channel and click Stop Monitoring.

You'll be presented with the same options: Keep Data or Delete Channel Data.

From Slack

• Use the following command in the Slack channel:

  Copy

  /remove @ClearFeed

• Once this is done:

  • The ClearFeed bot is removed from the channel.

  • Monitoring stops immediately.

  • Channel status is updated in the WebApp.

  • Collection owners receive a Slack notification with a link to manage the channel’s data (keep or delete).

What You’ll See in the WebApp

• The channel will remain visible under its Collection and data is retained.

• A banner appears on the channel’s page, offering two actions:

  • Monitor Channel – to resume tracking

  • Delete Channel Data – to permanently remove data

    
• You can also manage this from:

  • Collection Settings > Request Channels – where the option to delete retained data remains available.

    

    

FAQs

1. Is it possible to bulk-add private channels into a Collection? Answer: It is not possible to bulk-add private channels using the standard method because apps with bot privileges (like ClearFeed) cannot list private channels in Slack. You have to manually invite ClearFeed to each private channel individually by running /invite @Clearfeed from within that channel in Slack. Once the bot is a member, you can then add the channel via the WebApp as described in the "Adding Slack channels from WebApp" section.

2. How can I add a private Slack channel to ClearFeed? Answer: To add a private channel, you must invite ClearFeed into it:

   1. Go to the private channel in Slack.

   2. Type /invite @clearfeed.

   3. You’ll get a prompt to add the channel to a collection. You can complete this step either:

      • Directly within Slack, or

      • From the ClearFeed web application (the private channel will now appear in the Add Channel dropdown).

3. I see multiple ClearFeed apps when trying to invite—what should I select? Answer:: Slack may show three apps with names related to ClearFeed when you type /invite @clearfeed. This happens if you have a Slack Connect channel shared with ClearFeed. To pick the correct one:

   1. Ignore any app named ClearFeed Support.

   2. If you see multiple apps named ClearFeed - the correct one is the ClearFeed app without any small secondary icons.

   3. This is the ClearFeed app installed in your workspace.

   4. Ignore any ClearFeed apps with a small secondary icon on the bottom-right since those refer to ClearFeed apps installed in external workspaces and visible via shared Slack Connect channels.

4. How can I invite the ClearFeed bot to a shared Slack channel if I don't have permission? Answer: If you are in a shared Slack channel where your customer owns the channel and has not granted you permission to invite users or apps, they will have to temporarily grant you permission to invite apps. You can then add the ClearFeed bot using /invite @Clearfeed, and the owner can revoke the permissions later if desired. Note that your customer directly adding the ClearFeed bot will not work correctly for ClearFeed monitoring purposes.

5. What happens when we archive a Slack Channel? Answer: Once a channel is archived in Slack, ClearFeed is automatically removed from that channel, and monitoring stops. You should see an interface reflecting this change in the WebApp under the Collection dropdown, similar to when you manually remove the channel from Slack.

6. How do I monitor archived channels in ClearFeed? Answer: To resume monitoring an archived channel, you must first unarchive the channel in Slack. Then, in the ClearFeed WebApp, you can typically click on the "Monitor Channel" button to add ClearFeed back into the channel and resume monitoring, with previous Requests data also being restored.

7. What is a Channel Owner in ClearFeed? Answer: Think of the channel owner as the person who is managing a specific client or request channel. Channel owners are referred to in a few places in ClearFeed:

   • When sending bulk announcements: The announcement can be sent on behalf of the respective channel owner for each channel. This allows the announcement to look more personalized from the customer's perspective.

   • To receive important channel related notifications: When a channel is moved across Collections or removed from ClearFeed - a notification is sent to the channel owner. If you are worried about what to fill out for the channel owner - just leave it to the default (which would be the user who is adding the channel in ClearFeed)

8. Is it possible to reconfigure a channel as a Request Channel if it was mistakenly set up as a Triage Channel earlier? Answer : Yes we can reconfigure channels that were incorrectly added a Triage channel instead of a Request Channel. The steps for it as as follows :

   1. Visit ClearFeed Triage Settings

   2. Find the channel name and click on Edit

   3. Scroll to the bottom and click Delete

   4. Navigate to the Collection where you want to add the Request Channel and click on the Collection Settings

   5. You’ll now see the channel available to be added as a Request Channel, Select it and Add it to the Collection