If your team’s constantly switching tabs between customer tickets and Slack, you’re probably missing stuff—or just feeling scattered. This guide is for folks who want Freshworks alerts to show up in Slack, fast, so nothing falls through the cracks and nobody gets pinged for no reason. If you want a step-by-step guide that skips the sales pitch and gets right to what works (and what doesn’t), you’re in the right place.
Why connect Freshworks and Slack?
First, let’s level-set. Integrating Freshworks with Slack isn’t magic. It won’t fix a broken process or turn bad notifications into good ones. But it can:
- Send ticket updates, assignments, or customer messages into channels or DMs.
- Cut down on email noise.
- Let your team respond faster, especially if they live in Slack.
You can set up the basics in under an hour. Getting the right notifications (not just more of them) takes a bit more thought.
The main ways to connect Freshworks to Slack
There are a few legit options, and a lot of noise. Here are the ones that actually work:
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Official Freshworks Slack App
Most Freshworks products (Freshdesk, Freshservice, etc.) offer a built-in Slack integration. This is the easiest way if you want standard notifications. -
Zapier or similar automation tools
For custom workflows or connecting less-common Freshworks modules, Zapier or Make can act as the middleman. Downside: it might cost extra, and there’s a bit more setup. -
Custom Webhooks or Bots
If you want total control and aren’t afraid of a little code, you can use webhooks or build a Slack bot. This is overkill for most teams.
Skip:
- “Unofficial” Slack apps from the Slack App Directory that aren’t from Freshworks.
- Expensive third-party tools that just repackage what you can do yourself.
For most teams, the official integration is enough—and it’s what this guide will focus on.
Prerequisites (What you need before you start)
Before you dive in:
- Admin access to both Freshworks and Slack, or at least enough permissions to add apps.
- A clear idea of which Freshworks notifications you actually want in Slack. (Start small. Too many alerts = everyone tunes out.)
- The right Freshworks product—this guide will use Freshdesk as a reference, but the steps are similar for Freshservice and others.
Pro tip: If you’re not the Slack admin, loop them in early. Slack can get weird about who can add integrations, especially with tight security settings.
Step 1: Find and enable the Freshworks Slack integration
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Log into your Freshworks dashboard.
We’ll use Freshdesk as the example. If you’re on Freshservice or another module, look for “Apps” or “Integrations” in the sidebar. -
Go to the app marketplace or integrations page.
In Freshdesk, it’s under “Admin” > “Apps” or “Marketplace.” -
Search for “Slack.”
Find the official Slack integration by Freshworks. Ignore anything that looks sketchy or third-party. -
Click “Install” or “Connect.”
You’ll be prompted to authorize the connection. Make sure you’re logged into the right Slack workspace. -
Authorize permissions in Slack.
Freshworks will ask for certain permissions (posting in channels, seeing messages, etc.). Don’t just hit “Allow” blindly—know what’s being accessed.
What can go wrong:
- Permission denied: You’re not a Slack admin, or your org blocks certain apps.
- Multiple workspaces: Double-check you’re connecting to the right Slack workspace, especially if you have access to more than one.
Step 2: Set up your Slack notification rules
Here’s where most integrations go off the rails—by default, you’ll get every single ticket notification, which gets old fast.
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Pick the right channels.
Decide where you want notifications to show up. A dedicated #support-notifications channel works well. Avoid dumping alerts in your main chat. -
Configure which events trigger Slack messages.
Most integrations let you pick: - New ticket created
- Ticket assigned
- Status changed
- Notes added
- Customer replied
Start with one or two. You can always add more later.
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Set up user or group-based alerts, if needed.
Want only certain teams or agents to get pings? Route notifications to private channels or DMs. Be careful—if you overdo it, people will ignore the noise. -
Customize the notification message, if possible.
Some integrations let you tweak the message format. Add key info (ticket ID, subject, customer name), but keep it short. No novels.
What to ignore:
- Default “notify on every change” settings.
- Channel-wide @here or @channel mentions unless it’s truly urgent.
Step 3: Test your integration
Don’t skip this. A broken integration is sometimes worse than none at all.
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Create a test ticket in Freshworks.
Fill out the fields as if you’re a real customer. -
Watch your chosen Slack channel.
Did the alert show up? Is it readable? Did it include the info you care about? -
Try the key scenarios:
- New ticket
- Customer reply
-
Ticket assignment
-
Adjust notification rules if you get too many (or too few) alerts.
It’s normal to go through a few rounds of tweaks before it feels right.
Pro tip:
Get feedback from your team. If they’re muting the channel, it’s a sign you’re sending too much (or the wrong kind) of info.
Step 4: Train your team (lightly)
You don’t need a 50-slide deck, but do let folks know:
- What kind of notifications will show up in Slack
- Where to look for them
- What, if anything, they’re expected to do (reply in Slack, click through to Freshworks, etc.)
If you expect people to act, make that clear. Otherwise, people assume it’s just more noise.
Step 5: Maintain and improve
Integrations break, teams change, and notification fatigue is real. Here’s how to keep things sane:
- Review your notification rules every month or so. What felt useful at first might be annoying later.
- Watch for duplicate alerts if you’re using both email and Slack. Decide which channel is your “source of truth.”
- Turn off notifications nobody reads. If a Slack channel is a ghost town, kill it or repurpose it.
Don’t bother:
- Automating everything. Some things are better left in email or in Freshworks itself.
- Overengineering with bots unless there’s a real need.
What about Zapier (or Make, or webhooks)?
If the official integration doesn’t cut it, Zapier and similar tools can help. For example:
- Send only certain ticket types to Slack
- Trigger Slack alerts based on custom fields or tags
- Combine Freshworks data with info from other apps
Setup is a bit more complex: 1. Create a Zap with Freshworks as the trigger. 2. Set filter conditions (e.g., only when “priority = high”). 3. Add a Slack “Send Channel Message” action. 4. Test thoroughly.
Downside: Zapier can get expensive fast as your usage grows, and there’s more to maintain. Only go this route if you’ve outgrown the built-in tools.
Honest pros and cons
What works well: - Quick, basic setup with official integration - Real-time visibility into customer issues - Less inbox overload (if you’re disciplined)
What doesn’t: - Too many notifications = everyone tunes out - Slack’s search is not great for tracking old tickets - Customization is limited unless you use Zapier or code
Watch out for: - Security settings: Some orgs block app installs by default - Notification fatigue: If you hear “I just ignore that channel” you’ve gone too far
Wrapping up: Don’t overthink it
Start simple. Set up the integration, pick just the notifications that matter, and see how your team actually uses them. Slack notifications should make your life easier, not noisier.
Iterate as you go. If something’s not working, change it or turn it off. Most importantly, ask your team what’s actually useful—and ignore the rest.
No fancy dashboards, no endless automation. Just the alerts you need, where you need them. That’s enough.