This guide explains how to set up and use Yoodli's Slack integration. It covers the required admin steps, user matching, and what learners see once the integration is active.
Before you start — who does what
Two roles are involved and both must be held by the same person during setup:
Slack workspace admin — has permission to approve app installations in the Slack workspace.
Yoodli org admin — is signed in to the Yoodli org that should be connected.
If your Slack admin and Yoodli admin are different people, coordinate so one person has both roles before starting. Individual learners do not need to do anything — accounts are matched automatically.
Step 1 — Install the Yoodli Slack app
Sign in to the Slack workspace you want to connect.
Sign in to Yoodli as an org admin for the org you want to connect.
Open the install link:
Install Yoodli for Slack
Slack displays a permission screen for the "Yoodli" app. Review the requested permissions (detailed below) and click Allow.
What Yoodli requests
Information Yoodli can view:
View people in your workspace (app action)
View email addresses of people in your workspace (app action)
Actions Yoodli can take:
Send messages as @yoodli (direct messages only — assignment notifications to learners)
What Yoodli does NOT do
Does not read Slack messages or channel history
Does not post in public channels
Does not monitor conversations
Does not access any content beyond workspace member names and emails
Notes
You will see a notice that says "App is not approved by Slack." This is expected. Slack shows this for any app distributed outside the Slack Marketplace. Yoodli is in the process of completing Marketplace review. The app works identically regardless of this notice.
If your organization requires all Slack apps to be Marketplace-listed before installation, contact your Yoodli account team to discuss timing.
Step 2 — Confirm the connection in Yoodli
After clicking Allow, you are redirected back to Yoodli.
Go to Org Settings → Integrations.
You should see "Slack connected successfully" with an Integration ID.
Notes
There is a known issue where the Integrations page may briefly show the connection as unsuccessful after the initial redirect. If this happens, click the "Connect to Slack" button on that page. This resolves the issue and shows the correct connected state.
Step 3 — Verify user mappings
Once connected, Yoodli automatically matches Slack users to Yoodli users by email address. No action is needed from individual learners.
The User Mappings section on the Integrations page shows each matched user's email, Slack display name, Slack User ID, and Yoodli User ID.
If a user's email in Slack does not match their email in Yoodli, they will not appear in the mapping and will not receive Slack notifications. They will continue to receive email notifications as usual.
Click Re-sync Users at any time to refresh the mappings — for example, after adding new members to your Yoodli org or Slack workspace.
What learners see
Once the integration is active, Yoodli sends direct messages to matched learners in Slack:
New assignments: When a program or roleplay is assigned, the learner receives a DM with the assignment name and a direct link to start practicing.
Pending work at time of install: If a learner already has outstanding assignments when Slack is first connected, they receive a single summary DM listing up to 10 pending items.
Notifications appear as direct messages from the Yoodli app. After installation, the app appears under Apps in the Slack sidebar.
Scale and delivery
The integration is designed for organizations up to several hundred users. If your org has more than approximately 1,000 Yoodli users with active Slack accounts, contact your Yoodli account team before enabling to ensure reliable delivery.
Troubleshooting / common failure modes
Connection shows as failed after install: Click the "Connect to Slack" button on the Integrations page. This is a known UI issue — clicking the button resolves it.
User not receiving Slack notifications: Check the User Mappings table. If they are not listed, their Slack email and Yoodli email do not match. Update the email in either system so they match, then click Re-sync Users.
"App is not approved by Slack" warning during install: Expected behavior. The app functions normally. See note in Step 1.
Install link does not load or returns an error: Confirm you are signed into the correct Slack workspace in your browser. The install link targets the workspace you are currently authenticated to.
Learner sees notifications from "@yoodli2": This display name appears in workspaces that already have a user or app named @yoodli. It does not affect functionality.
Who to contact
For setup questions, rollout timing, or scale planning, contact your Yoodli account team.
For technical issues with delivery or user mapping, contact engineering (Alasdair Young).
Short checklist for a successful setup
[ ] Confirm you have both Slack workspace admin and Yoodli org admin access.
[ ] Open the install link while signed into the correct Slack workspace and Yoodli org.
[ ] Click Allow on the Slack permission screen.
[ ] Go to Org Settings → Integrations and confirm "Slack connected successfully."
[ ] Review User Mappings to verify matched users.
[ ] Assign a program or roleplay to a matched user and confirm they receive a Slack DM.