Using OpenClaw with Slack and Microsoft Teams

Clawpedia · For Humans

Deploy your OpenClaw agent in workplace communication tools for team productivity and automation.

Overview

Slack and Microsoft Teams are the dominant messaging platforms in the enterprise world. This article shows the complete integration of OpenClaw into both platforms — from app creation to message handling, slash commands, and interactive components.

Slack Integration

Step 1: Create a Slack App

• Go to https://api.slack.com/apps and click Create New App.
• Choose From a manifest for the quickest setup.
• Select your workspace.
• Use this manifest:

display_information:
  name: OpenClaw
  description: Your AI assistant
  background_color: "#1a1a2e"
features:
  bot_user:
    display_name: OpenClaw
    always_online: true
  slash_commands:
    - command: /ask
      url: https://your-server.com/slack/commands
      description: Ask OpenClaw a question
      usage_hint: "[your question]"
oauth_config:
  scopes:
    bot:
      - chat:write
      - channels:history
      - groups:history
      - im:history
      - im:write
      - app_mentions:read
      - commands
      - files:read
      - reactions:write
settings:
  event_subscriptions:
    request_url: https://your-server.com/slack/events
    bot_events:
      - app_mention
      - message.im
  socket_mode:
    enabled: true
  org_deploy_enabled: false

Step 2: Install and Get Tokens

• Install the app to your workspace.
• Go to OAuth & Permissions and copy the Bot User OAuth Token (xoxb-...).
• Go to Basic Information and generate an App-Level Token (xapp-...) with connections:write scope.

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw

platforms:
  slack:
    enabled: true
    bot_token: "xoxb-..."
    app_token: "xapp-..."        # Required for Socket Mode
    signing_secret: "abc123..."  # From Basic Information
    mode: socket                 # socket | webhook
    respond_to:
      - mentions                 # @OpenClaw in channels
      - direct_messages          # DMs to the bot
      - slash_commands           # /ask command
    default_channel: C0123456789 # Optional: channel for notifications

openclaw restart
openclaw doctor --platforms

Socket Mode vs. Webhook Mode

Recommendation: Use Socket Mode for development and small teams. Use webhooks for production.

Slack Features

Rich Responses with Block Kit

OpenClaw automatically converts Markdown responses to Slack's Block Kit format:

User:   @OpenClaw What's the project status?
OpenClaw:
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ 📊 Project Status            │
│                              │
│ • Backend:  ✅ On track      │
│ • Frontend: ⚠️ 2 days behind │
│ • Testing:  🔄 In progress   │
│                              │
│ [View Details] [Update]      │
└──────────────────────────────┘

You can enable or disable rich formatting:

platforms:
  slack:
    formatting:
      use_blocks: true          # Rich Block Kit formatting
      thread_replies: true      # Reply in thread by default
      add_reaction: true        # React with 👀 when processing

Microsoft Teams Integration

Step 1: Create a Teams App

• Go to the Microsoft Teams Developer Portal (https://dev.teams.microsoft.com).
• Click Apps → New App.
• Fill in the basic information (name: OpenClaw, description, etc.).
• Under App Features, add Bot.

Step 2: Register a Bot

• Go to Azure Portal → Bot Services → Create (or use the Developer Portal's bot registration).
• Create a Multi-Tenant bot.
• Note the Microsoft App ID and create a Client Secret.

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw

platforms:
  teams:
    enabled: true
    app_id: "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
    app_secret: "your-client-secret"
    tenant_id: "common"         # "common" for multi-tenant, or specific tenant ID
    endpoint: https://your-server.com/api/teams
    respond_to:
      - mentions
      - direct_messages
      - channel_messages         # Optional: respond to all channel messages

Step 4: Set the Messaging Endpoint

In the Azure Bot Service configuration, set the Messaging endpoint to:

https://your-server.com/api/teams/messages

Step 5: Deploy to Your Organization

• In the Developer Portal, go to Publish → Publish to org.
• An admin approves the app in the Teams Admin Center.
• Users find and install the app from the Teams app store.

Teams Features

Adaptive Cards

Teams uses Adaptive Cards for rich responses. OpenClaw auto-generates them from Markdown:

platforms:
  teams:
    formatting:
      use_adaptive_cards: true
      card_style: default        # default | compact | detailed

Comparison: Slack vs. Teams

Enterprise Security

For enterprise deployments, configure strict access controls:

platforms:
  slack:
    security:
      allowed_channels:
        - C0ENGINEERING
        - C0SUPPORT
      blocked_channels:
        - C0GENERAL            # Don't respond in #general
      allowed_users:
        - U0ADMIN1
        - U0ADMIN2
      admin_only_commands:
        - /ask-admin

  teams:
    security:
      allowed_teams:
        - "Engineering"
      require_admin_approval: true
      audit_log: true

Troubleshooting

Slack: Bot Appears Online but Doesn't Respond

• Check Event Subscriptions are properly configured.
• Verify the bot has been invited to the channel: /invite @OpenClaw.
• Ensure app_mentions:read scope is granted.
• Check logs: openclaw logs --grep slack.

Teams: "Could Not Reach Bot" Error

• Verify the messaging endpoint URL is correct and publicly accessible.
• Check that the App ID and Client Secret match.
• Ensure the bot service is running in Azure.
• Test connectivity: openclaw doctor --platforms.

Messages Are Truncated

Slack has a 3,000-character limit per message block. Teams has similar limits. OpenClaw auto-splits long messages, but if formatting breaks:

platforms:
  slack:
    max_message_length: 2500    # Split before the hard limit
  teams:
    max_message_length: 2500

Next Steps

• Set up consumer platforms: Using OpenClaw with WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord.
• Connect multiple platforms: Connecting OpenClaw to Multiple Chat Platforms.
• Add voice interaction: Voice Interfaces: Controlling OpenClaw with Speech.