Manage access to steps from third-party apps in Workflow Builder
When members of your workspace or Enterprise Grid organization create workflows in Workflow Builder, they can add steps to do a variety of things. Steps from third-party apps are called connector steps, and they allow a workflow to take actions in another service. Read on to learn more about connectors and how to manage access.
What to expect
- If app approval is required, members will need to request access to connectors. By default, all connectors will be visible for members of your workspace or Enterprise Grid org to request. Some connectors include multiple steps, while others may only provide one.
- An automation rule will send requests for admins to review (either from a direct message from Slackbot or the admin dashboard). Learn more about this rule and how to make changes below.
- Once a connector has been used in a workflow (or a request has been approved), you can set different access permissions for individual steps and specify allowed domains if they’d like.
Review connector requests
Review requests sent by Slackbot
Requests from Slackbot will include the name of the connector, the person who requested it, a list of steps the connector includes and what they do, and additional comments if available. Here’s how to review them:
- When you receive a request, open your DM with Slackbot.
- Click Approve or Deny. Denying a request will remove access to the connector in Workflow Builder.
When a request is approved or denied, Slack will update the original request message to reflect the status and the person who made the request will be notified.
Review requests from the dashboard
You can also view and manage connector requests from the Requests section of the admin dashboard:
Pro and Business+ plans
Enterprise Grid plan
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Requests.
- Next to a connector, click the three dots icon.
- Select Approve or Deny.
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Requests.
- Next to a connector, click the three dots icon.
- Select Approve or Deny.
Tip: You can view all approved connectors from the Resolutions section of the Manage apps page (Pro and Business+ plans) or Resolutions in the Integrations section of the admin dashboard (Enterprise Grid plan).
Manage automation rules
By default, the automation rule for connector requests is set to send all requests for review. To automatically approve or restrict certain connectors, you can adjust the rule:
Pro and Business+ plans
Enterprise Grid plan
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Requests.
- Click Automation Rules to view a list of your existing rules, then click the three dots icon next to the Connector requests rule and select Edit rule.
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Requests.
- Click Automation Rules to view a list of your existing rules, then click the three dots icon next to the Connector requests rule and select Edit.
Note: If you remove or pause this rule, any rules you’ve configured for app approval will apply to connectors.
Manage access to individual steps
Once a connector has been added to a workflow (or a request has been approved), you can set different access permissions for individual steps.
Pro and Business+ plans
Enterprise Grid plan
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps, then select a connector from the list.
- Next to the step you’d like to manage, click the three dots icon.
- Select Edit who can use this step.
- Choose an option from the dropdown menu, then click Save.
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Workflow steps.
- Select a connector from the list and click the Steps tab.
- Next to the step you’d like to manage, click the three dots icon.
- Select Edit who can use this step.
- Choose an option from the dropdown menu, then click Save.
Manage allowed domains
To add connector steps to a workflow, the person building the workflow will need to connect their account. By default, people will be able to use an account on any domain, but you can create an allowlist to specify which domains members of your workspace or org can use.
Pro and Business+ plans
Enterprise Grid plan
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a connector and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Add your domains, then click Save.
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a connector and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Add your domains, then click Save.
Manage authentication permissions
Workflow creators who add connector steps to their workflows can choose whether people authenticate with their own account for other services or use the creator’s credentials. To prevent creators from allowing people to authenticate with their credentials, follow the steps below:
Pro and Business+ plans
Enterprise Grid plan
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a connector and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Below How workflow users authenticate, select Require the user's account.
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Settings & administration from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a connector and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Below How workflow users authenticate, select Require the user's account.
- Org Owners/Admins and Workspace Owners/Admins
- Available on paid plans
Members in your workspace or Enterprise Grid organization can add steps to their workflows that connect with and take actions in third-party apps. In some cases, these steps will require you to approve or deny their use, or to configure additional details to enable them for your members.
How it works
- By default, all steps from third-party apps will be visible for members of your workspace or Enterprise Grid org to request when building a workflow. If app approval is enabled, members will need to request access to third-party steps.
- Some third-party steps require additional configuration before they can be added to a workflow. Members will request this configuration when they add a third-party step to a workflow for the first time.
Note: If app approval is enabled, an automation rule will send all third-party step requests for review. To automatically approve or restrict certain third-party steps or adjust where requests are sent, you can edit the rule.
Set default visibility for third-party steps
You can choose if members of your workspace or Enterprise Grid org can see all available third-party steps, or whether they’ll only see those you’ve approved.
Pro and Business+
Enterprise Grid
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
- Hover over Tools & settings, then click Workspace settings.
- Click the Permissions tab.
- Next to Default visibility for third-party steps, click Expand.
- Check or uncheck the box next to Show only approved third-party steps in Workflow Builder.
- Click Save.
- From your desktop, click your organization name in the sidebar.
- Hover over Tools & settings, then click Organization settings.
- Click Settings on the left, then select Organization Settings.
- Next to Default visibility for third-party steps, click Edit.
Check or uncheck the box next to Show only approved third-party steps in Workflow Builder. - Click Save.
Manage third-party steps
Change a third-party step’s status
You can approve or deny access to steps in advance of receiving requests from your members, or set the steps to require an approval request.
Pro and Business+
Enterprise Grid
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps.
- Next to a third-party app, click the three dots icon.
- Select Approve, Deny or Change to approval required.
- From your desktop, click your organization name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps.
- Next to a third-party app, click the three dots icon.
- Select Approve, Deny or Change to approval required.
Note: If app approval isn't enabled, all third-party steps will be visible in Workflow Builder by default, and their status set to Approved. When app approval is enabled, third-party steps will be hidden by default.
Review approval requests sent by Slackbot
If your workspace or Enterprise Grid org has app approval enabled, members will need to request approval to use any third-party steps in workflows they build. By default, requests are sent to your DM with Slackbot and will include the name of the third-party app, the person who requested it, a list of steps the app includes and what they do, and additional comments if available. Here’s how to review them:
- When you receive a request, open your DM with Slackbot.
- Click Approve or Deny. Denying a request will remove access to the third-party steps in Workflow Builder.
When a request is approved or denied, Slack will update the request message to reflect the status and the person who made the request will be notified.
Configure third-party steps
Third-party steps may require additional configuration before they can be added to workflows. If you have app approval enabled, you’ll be prompted to configure apps as you approve their workflow steps. If app approval isn’t enabled, or if the third-party step is approved but not configured, your members will need to request configurations for third-party steps.
Review configuration requests sent by Slackbot
Members can request configuration for third-party apps from the step library in Workflow Builder. Requests will include the name of the third-party app, the person who requested it, a list of steps the app includes and what they do, and additional comments if available. Here’s how to review them:
- When you receive a request, open your DM with Slackbot.
- Click Configure, then follow the prompts to configure the app for use with Workflow Builder.
- If app approval is turned on, return to your Slackbot DM, then click Approve.
Once you’ve completed the requested configuration (and approved the step, where necessary), Slack will update the request message to reflect the status and the person who made the request will be notified.
Review outstanding requests
Pro and Business+
Enterprise Grid
You can also view and manage third-party step requests and configurations from the Requests section of the Manage Apps page.
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Requests.
- Next to a third-party app, click the three dots icon.
- Select Approve, Deny or Configure and approve.
Note: The Requests section will only appear on the Manage Apps page if app approval is enabled.
You can also view and manage third-party step requests and configurations from the Requests section of the admin dashboard.
- From your desktop, click your organization name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Requests.
- Next to a third-party app, click the three dots icon.
- Select Approve, Deny or Configure and approve.
Tip: You can view all approved third-party steps from the Workflow steps section of the Manage apps page (Pro and Business+ plans) or Workflow steps in the Integrations section of the admin dashboard (Enterprise Grid plan).
Set specific access permissions
Once a third-party step has been added to a workflow (or the requested app has been approved), you can set specific access permissions for individual steps.
Pro and Business+
Enterprise Grid
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps, then select a third-party app from the list.
- Next to the step you’d like to manage, click the three dots icon.
- Select Edit who can use this step.
- Choose an option from the dropdown menu, then click Save.
- From your desktop, click your organization name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Workflow steps.
- Select a third-party app from the list and click the Steps tab.
- Next to the step you’d like to manage, click the three dots icon.
- Select Edit who can use this step.
- Choose an option from the dropdown menu, then click Save.
Manage allowed domains
When adding third-party steps to a workflow, the person building the workflow will need to connect their account from that service to authorize its use by the workflow. By default, people will be able to use an account on any domain, but you can create an allowlist to specify which domains members of your workspace or org can use.
Pro and Business+
Enterprise Grid
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- From the left sidebar, click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a third-party step and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Add your domains, then click Save.
- From your desktop, click your organization name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a third-party step and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Add your domains, then click Save.
Manage authentication permissions
When a workflow creator adds a third-party step to their workflow, they can choose whether people who run the workflow authenticate with their own account for other services or if they can use the creator’s credentials to skip the authentication step. To prevent creators from allowing people to authenticate with their credentials, follow the steps below:
Pro and Business+
Enterprise Grid
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Manage apps.
- Click Workflow steps in the left column.
- Click the three dots icon next to a third-party and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Below How workflow users authenticate, select Require the user's account.
- From your desktop, click your organization name in the sidebar.
- Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
- From the left sidebar, click Integrations, then click Workflow steps.
- Click the three dots icon next to a third-party and select Manage domains and authentication.
- Below How workflow users authenticate, select Require the user's account.
- Org Owners/Admins and Workspace Owners/Admins
- Available on paid plans