Introducing lists: Track projects and tasks in Slack
Note: Lists are rolling out gradually. We appreciate your patience as they become available in the coming weeks.
Lists are designed to align organization and collaboration on work happening in Slack. Use lists to keep track of the tasks you’ve got on the go, stay aligned with your teammates in the flow of your conversations, and save time on your work with less switching between apps.
Ways to use a list
Browse the guides below to make the most of list features and functionality. Each guide starts from a template, and shows you how to customize it to get to work faster.
Manage a projectPlan and assign tasks, then track their status in a list shared with your project team. |
|
Triage requestsCollect messages and triage them as requests in a list. |
|
Plan team prioritiesCollaborate with your team to prioritize your quarterly projects. |
Get started
Create a list
To create a list in Slack, you can either start from scratch or use one of our templates.
- From your desktop, click the Lists icon in the navigation bar. If you don't see it, hover over More to find it.
- In the top-right corner, click New, or choose a template and click Use Template to get started.
Customize your list
Lists can be tailored for all kinds of work management needs. Once you know how you'll be using a list, decide on the fields you need, add items to represent the tasks you'll complete, then start collaborating with your team.
Create fields
Add items
Collaborate
Add and adjust the fields for the items you'll track in your list.
- Click a field in the top row of the list, then select Edit field.
- Edit the name of the field, and select a Field type to change the format of the data.
- Click Save.
- To add more fields, click the plus icon at the end of the top row.
Note: You can also add more fields by opening an item. From the table or board layout, click any item to open it, then click Add Field in the panel on the right.
Add items and fill out the fields for each task or deliverable.
- Click Untitled item and enter a description.
- For each item, click the field cells to enter the relevant data. The data will be formatted according to the field type.
- To add more items, click Add item at the bottom of the list.
Share your list in Slack, add assignees to items, and add comments to collaborate with your team.
Share your list
- From a list, click Share in the top-right corner.
- From the General tab, select if everyone in your workspace should have Restricted, Can view, or Can edit access, then click Save.
- From the Channels or People tabs, add the names of people or channels who can collaborate on the list, then click Share. The list will be sent as a message to the people or channels you specified.
Add assignees
- Click the plus icon at the end of the top row of a list to create a new field. If your list already has a people field, skip to step 4.
- Add a name for the field, then select People from the Field type drop-down menu.
- Choose if you’d like to allow multiple selections and whether you’d like names to show in the list, then click Save.
- Click the people field on an item, then search for and select a member.
Comment in thread
- Hover over an item, then click Add comment.
- Type your message, then press Send.
Tip: For detailed instructions on creating and working with lists, visit Use lists in Slack.
FAQ
Can I replace my existing work and project management software with Slack lists?
Slack lists help save time switching between apps and tools. We hope you’ll find lists helpful for organizing work and collaborating as a team, but more dedicated project tracking software might be necessary for more complex projects that require reporting or analytics.
Can I use lists on mobile?
Yes! You can create and update lists on your iOS and Android devices.
Who can see my lists?
By default, lists you create are private and can only be accessed by you, but you can share a list to allow others to see or edit it. When you share an item from a list in a channel or direct message (DM), the recipients are granted edit access to the list. If you link to a list from a canvas, permissions are not synced with the canvas permissions, so you can control who has access to the list separately.
Will people be notified when I assign them to an item or mention them in a thread?
Only if they have access to the list. If the list has not been shared with them nor in a public channel, the user will not be notified.
How does data retention work with lists?
Lists and canvases share a data retention policy. If you already have a retention policy set for for canvases, lists will follow the same policy.
- All members and guests
- Available on paid plans