We offer a number of features and tools to help anyone automate work in Slack. Read on for an overview of automation using Workflow Builder, what you can build and how pricing works.

New to Workflow Builder? Check out What is a Slack workflow? and our Build a workflow tutorial to get started.

How it works

•  Workflow Builder offers a set of tools to help you automate routine tasks and processes in Slack. Workflows can be as simple or as complex as you like, and can even be connected to other apps and tools you use to get work done.
• Choose from several Slack steps or add steps from third-party apps to connect your workflows with third-party services. Developers in your organisation can also create custom workflow steps.
• Members of your workspace or Enterprise Grid organisation (and external people if you like) can run workflows from channels, direct messages (DMs) and canvases.
• Premium workflows run after you've reached your subscription's included allotment will be billable. If your workspace is paid for by credit card or self-serve invoice, you can manage additional workflow runs from your billing settings.

Note: In September 2023, we began migrating legacy workflows to the new version of Workflow Builder that offers standard and premium workflows. If your legacy workflow meets premium workflow criteria, you won’t be charged unless it’s migrated.

Standard and premium workflow usage

Paid Slack subscriptions include standard workflow runs and an allotment of premium workflow runs. Whether a workflow is standard or premium depends on the types of steps it includes, and your allotment is determined by the plan you’re on.

Standard and premium workflows

• Standard workflow
  A workflow with Slack steps or one connector step.
• Premium workflow
  A workflow with at least one custom step or two or more connector steps. 

Workflow usage

Workflow usage is determined by how many times a workflow is run. These are the allotments per subscription:

Subscription	Premium workflow runs	Cost per additional run
Pro subscription	1,000 runs/month	£0.05/run
Business+ subscription	2,000 runs/month	£0.05/run
Enterprise Grid subscription*	5,000 runs/month	£0.05/run

*Per Enterprise Grid organisation, not per workspace

Customers must strictly review premium workflow runs by their users and enforce the limit set forth herein. For Slack subscriptions purchased via the Slack website and paid for by credit card or self-serve invoicing, allotments will reset once per month and no rollover will be permitted. For all other subscriptions, allotments will reset at the end of your billing period and no rollover will be permitted. Additionally, customers may not use more than 50,000 premium workflow runs per hour or more than 500,000 premium workflow runs per month. Slack may review customers’ premium workflow runs at any time through the service. Slack reserves the right to enforce these limits at its sole discretion, which may result in Slack serving an ‘allotment exceeded’ page or other notice to you or your users. Slack may also technologically enforce the limits set forth herein. Such limits may prevent customers from using premium workflows until additional premium workflow runs are purchased. Following the end date of the promotional period, Customers that have executed an order form for a good faith quantity of the Slack platform – Additional premium workflow runs will not begin to incur overages (if and as applicable) until after 31st January 2025.

Usage notifications

As you make your way through your subscription's allotment of premium workflow runs, you'll receive notifications from Slackbot letting you know how many runs have been used. Here's when you'll be notified:

• First run
  The first time a member in your workspace runs a premium workflow
• Usage updates
  When your workspace or Enterprise Grid org has used 50, 75 and 90% of your premium workflow allotment. You can action the notification to set a limit on additional runs, if you like.
• Allotment reached
  When your workspace or Enterprise Grid org has reached your allotment of premium workflow runs. If you haven't already, you can action the notification to set a limit on additional runs or pay for each additional run.
• Run limit updates
  When your workspace or Enterprise Grid org reaches 50, 75, 90 and 100% of your additional runs. Your members won't be able to run additional premium workflows when the limit is reached. If you authorise unlimited additional runs, you won't receive these notifications. 

Billing

If you reach the maximum number of runs for your subscription’s allotment, you can choose from the following options:

• Block additional runs
  Members won't be able to run any premium workflows beyond your subscription's allotment until the billing cycle resets.
• Authorise unlimited additional runs
  Members can continue to run unlimited premium workflows once the allotment is reached and you'll pay for each additional run at the end of the month when you're charged for your Fair Billing adjustments.
• Set a limit on additional runs
  Members can run additional workflows up to a certain spend amount. We'll notify you of both your original allotment usage and your spend limit usage. You'll be charged for the amount of the limit you used when you're charged for your Fair Billing adjustments.

Note: Customers with a dedicated account manager will need to reach out to our Sales team to purchase additional workflow runs.

FAQ

When will I start being charged for premium workflow runs?

On 1st November 2023, your premium workflow runs will be reset to zero, and any runs over your subscription's allotment will be billed.

How often will I be charged?

You'll receive a refresh of your subscription's free allotment on a monthly basis. If you never exceed your included allotment, you won't be charged. If you exceed the allotment and have authorised additional runs, you'll pay for these when you're charged an outstanding balance for member changes. This means that your amount owed for additional premium workflow runs could accumulate if you're on an annual subscription and don't add any new members over the course of a month.

Where can I view and monitor workflow usage?

You can view which of your workflows are standard and which are premium from the workflow dashboard. You’ll be able to track how many times each workflow has been run and you’ll see a banner at the top of the dashboard page showing how much of your premium workflow allotment has been used.

How do I manage access to the new version of Workflow Builder?

If you’re on our Pro or Business+ subscriptions, any existing Workflow Builder permissions will apply to the new version of Workflow Builder. Workspace Owners and Admins can adjust these permissions anytime from the workspace settings page.
If you’re an Enterprise Grid customer, your members’ access to premium or standard workflows depends on your org level setting. To learn more, visit Manage Workflow Builder access and permissions.

How do I manage access to connectors?

If your workspace or Enterprise Grid org requires app approval, members will see the option to request access to connectors from the step library in Workflow Builder for Workspace Owners/Admins and Org Owners/Admins to approve or deny. To learn more, visit Manage access to third-party steps in Workflow Builder.

How do I manage apps built by developers in my organisation that contain custom workflow steps?

When a developer deploys their custom app to your workspace or org, we’ll check to see if app approvals are required. If they are, the app can be reviewed and approved or restricted through your normal app approval process. When reviewing app requests, app managers will see any domains the app communicates with in addition to its scopes.

How do I manage access to custom workflow steps?

If you’ve approved an app that contains custom workflow steps, you can restrict access to those steps. Visit Manage who can add custom steps to workflows to learn how.