What's New in Slack: January 2026 Update

Critical deadline, AI-powered assistant, and enhanced Salesforce controls you need to know

What Is the New Slackbot AI Assistant?

Slackbot has evolved from a simple notification bot into a full-fledged AI assistant that understands your workspace context, searches across conversations and files, and generates structured content automatically.

What Can Slackbot AI Do?

1. Intelligent Search and Retrieval

• Search across all channels you have access to (public and private)
• Find information buried in threads, files, and canvases
• Surface relevant context automatically based on your question
• Respect permission boundaries (only sees what you can see)

2. Document Analysis and Summarization

• Analyze uploaded documents and extract key information
• Summarize long threads into actionable bullet points
• Compare multiple documents side-by-side
• Generate executive summaries from detailed reports

3. Calendar Management

• Check your availability directly in Slack
• Schedule meetings without leaving the conversation
• Send calendar invitations to channel members
• Remind you of upcoming meetings with context

4. Content Creation

• Create canvases with structured information automatically
• Generate meeting notes from huddle transcripts
• Draft project updates based on channel activity
• Format data into tables and lists

How Do I Start Using Slackbot AI?

Step 1: Open a direct message with Slackbot (click "Direct Messages" → "Slackbot")

Step 2: Ask a question in natural language. Examples:

• "What decisions did we make about the Q1 budget in #finance-planning?"
• "Summarize the last 50 messages in #product-launch"
• "Find all mentions of 'API integration' in my channels from the last month"
• "Schedule a meeting with @sarah and @john for next Tuesday afternoon"

Step 3: Slackbot searches your workspace and provides answers with source links

Step 4: Refine your question or ask follow-ups for deeper analysis

No setup required: Slackbot AI works immediately with your existing workspace permissions. It can only access channels and content you have permission to see.

What Are the Limitations of Slackbot AI?

Privacy boundaries:

• Cannot access private channels unless you're a member
• Cannot see DMs between other users
• Respects content deletion and retention policies
• Does not learn from your conversations (each session is independent)

Availability:

• Requires Business+ or Enterprise+ plan
• Not available on Free or Pro plans
• Mobile support limited to iOS and Android apps (no web mobile)

Accuracy considerations:

• AI-generated summaries should be verified before sharing
• May miss nuance in complex technical discussions
• Works best with clear, well-documented conversations
• Cannot interpret images, videos, or audio files (text only)

How Do Salesforce Channel Permissions Work?

What Are Granular Salesforce Channel Permissions?

Slack now allows admins to restrict Salesforce channel visibility based on record-level permissions in your Salesforce org, not just standard view access.

Before (Default): Anyone who could view a Salesforce record could see and join its related Slack channel.

Now (Customizable): Admins choose from three permission levels:

Why Does This Matter for Sales Teams?

Problem: With default settings, entire sales teams could see Slack channels for confidential opportunities they weren't directly involved in.

Solution: Restrict channels to only deal owners or those with edit permissions, preventing information leaks and maintaining competitive sensitivity.

Example scenario:

• Deal: $500K enterprise opportunity with NDA requirements
• Old behavior: All 30 sales reps could discover and join the deal channel
• New behavior: Only the opportunity owner and sales engineers with edit permissions can access
• Result: Confidential client information stays within the core deal team

How Do I Configure Salesforce Channel Permissions?

Step 1: Access Salesforce Integration Settings

1. Go to Slack workspace settings (click workspace name → Settings & administration → Workspace settings)
2. Navigate to Apps → Salesforce
3. Click "Manage" next to Salesforce integration

Step 2: Configure Global Default

1. Under "Channel Permissions," select default level:
1. View permissions (least restrictive)
2. Edit permissions (moderate restriction)
3. Record ownership (most restrictive)
2. Save changes

Step 3: Configure Per-Channel Overrides (optional)

1. Navigate to specific Salesforce-connected channel
2. Click channel name → Settings → Integration settings
3. Override global default with channel-specific permission level
4. Save changes

Step 4: Audit Existing Channels

1. Review current Salesforce channels for sensitivity
2. Identify channels requiring restricted access
3. Apply appropriate permission level
4. Communicate changes to affected teams

Step 5: Monitor and Adjust

1. Track permission-related access issues
2. Adjust settings based on team feedback
3. Document permission matrix for future reference

Implementation Checklist for Salesforce Permissions

• Document current channel access patterns
• Identify confidential deals requiring restricted channels
• Choose appropriate global default setting
• Configure per-channel overrides for sensitive deals
• Communicate changes to sales team with clear guidance
• Create escalation process for access requests
• Review settings quarterly for alignment with business needs

Critical: Audit Log Retention Policy Change

What is changing with Slack audit logs?

Current State: Slack stores customer audit logs indefinitely (no automatic deletion).

New Policy (Effective April 30, 2026): Slack will implement a two-year rolling retention policy for audit logs. Logs older than two years will be automatically deleted.

What this affects:

• Administrative actions (user invites, permission changes, app installations)
• Security events (login attempts, data exports, API access)
• Compliance audits (workspace configuration changes, data retention modifications)

What this does NOT affect:

• Message retention settings (unchanged - controlled by your workspace policy)
• File storage (unchanged - controlled by your workspace policy)
• Workflow Builder logs (unchanged)

Why Does This Matter?

Compliance Requirements: Many industries require audit trails longer than two years:

• Financial Services: SEC regulations often require 5-7 year retention
• Healthcare: HIPAA requires 6 years
• Government Contractors: DFARS requires 7 years
• Public Companies: SOX requirements vary by control

Legal Discovery: Audit logs may be needed for litigation or investigations years after events occurred.

Security Forensics: Historical logs help identify patterns in security incidents or insider threats.

What Actions Must You Take Before April 30, 2026?

Action 1: Export Existing Audit Logs

Method 1: Using the Audit Logs API (Recommended for automation)

# Install required tools

pip install slackclient pandas

# Python script to export audit logs

import slack

import pandas as pd

from datetime import datetime

client = slack.WebClient(token="YOUR_ADMIN_TOKEN")

# Fetch audit logs

response = client.admin_audit_logs_get(

oldest=0, # Unix timestamp (0 = beginning of time)

limit=9999

)

# Save to CSV

logs = response['entries']

df = pd.DataFrame(logs)

df.to_csv(f'slack_audit_logs_{datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d")}.csv', index=False)

Method 2: Using the Slack UI (For smaller exports)

1. Go to https://[your-workspace].slack.com/admin/audit-logs
2. Set date range to "All time"
3. Click "Export" → "Download CSV"
4. Save file to secure, backed-up location

Action 2: Establish Regular Export Schedule

Create automated export process:

1. Weekly exports during first 3 months (through April 30, 2026)
2. Monthly exports thereafter
3. Store exports in:
1. Cloud storage with 7+ year retention (AWS S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Storage)
2. Compliance-grade archival system (if required by your industry)
3. Encrypted backup location

Action 3: Update Compliance Documentation

Update your data retention policies to reflect:

• Slack audit log retention is now 2 years (via Slack)
• Historical logs archived externally with [X]-year retention
• Export schedule and responsible parties
• Access procedures for archived logs

Action 4: Test Log Retrieval Process

Verify you can:

1. Export logs successfully via API or UI
2. Open and read exported files
3. Search/filter exported data
4. Restore to usable format for audit or investigation

Who Is Responsible for This Action?

Primary Owner: IT Security or Compliance team

Collaborators:

• IT Admins (execute exports and automation)
• Legal (define retention requirements)
• Security (define access controls for archived logs)
• DevOps (implement automated export infrastructure)

Escalation: If your organization has compliance obligations requiring >2 year retention, treat this as a Priority 1 deadline.

What Accessibility Features Are New?

What Are the New Screen Reader Verbosity Settings?

Slack now allows users who rely on screen readers to customize how messages and notifications are announced, improving accessibility without overwhelming users with excessive detail.

Configurable settings:

1. Message Announcement Detail

• Verbose: Full message content, sender name, timestamp, reactions, thread count
• Standard: Message content and sender name
• Minimal: Message content only

2. Notification Verbosity

• Full context: "New message from Sarah Johnson in #marketing at 2:35 PM"
• Standard: "New message from Sarah in #marketing"
• Brief: "New message"

3. Navigation Feedback

• Detailed: "Navigated to #engineering channel, 15 unread messages, last message from David 3 minutes ago"
• Standard: "Navigated to #engineering, 15 unread"
• Minimal: "#engineering"

How Do I Configure Screen Reader Settings?

Step 1: Open Slack preferences

• Desktop: Click your profile photo → Preferences
• Web: Click workspace name → Preferences

Step 2: Navigate to Accessibility

• Select "Accessibility" from left sidebar
• Scroll to "Screen Reader" section

Step 3: Choose verbosity levels

• Message detail: Select Verbose, Standard, or Minimal
• Notification detail: Select Full, Standard, or Brief
• Navigation feedback: Select Detailed, Standard, or Minimal

Step 4: Test settings

• Navigate to a few channels to test navigation feedback
• Check how messages are announced
• Receive a test notification to verify announcement

Step 5: Adjust as needed

• Fine-tune based on personal preference
• Settings saved automatically per device

Pro tip: Start with Standard settings, then adjust up or down based on whether you need more or less detail.

How Do I Share Channel Sections with a Link?

Channel sections help organize your sidebar by grouping related channels together. Now you can share entire sections with teammates so they can join your curated channel groups instantly.

Use cases:

• Project onboarding: Share "Q1 Product Launch" section with new team members
• Department organization: Sales manager shares "Sales Team Channels" section with new reps
• Cross-functional collaboration: Program manager shares "Initiative X Channels" section with stakeholders

How it works:

Step 1: Create a channel section

1. In your Slack sidebar, hover over "Channels"
2. Click "+" → "Create a section"
3. Name it (e.g., "Q1 Product Launch")
4. Drag channels into the section

Step 2: Get the section link

1. Right-click the section name
2. Select "Copy link to section"
3. Link copied to clipboard

Step 3: Share the link

• Paste in a message, canvas, or DM
• Recipients click link to see section preview
• They can join all channels with one click

Step 4: Recipients join

1. Click the shared section link
2. Preview shows all channels in section
3. Click "Join all channels" or select individual channels
4. Channels added to their sidebar (optionally in matching section)

Enterprise Grid Improvements

What's new for Enterprise Grid migrations?

Organizations moving workspaces to Enterprise Grid now benefit from preserved Salesforce integrations during migration, eliminating the need for manual reconnection and reconfiguration.

What's preserved:

• ✅ Salesforce channel configurations and permissions
• ✅ Agentforce integrations and automations
• ✅ OAuth connections and authentication
• ✅ Custom workflow automations using Salesforce data
• ✅ Salesforce record view settings

What still requires attention:

• ⚠️ Verify connections immediately post-migration
• ⚠️ Test workflows with live data after migration
• ⚠️ Confirm user mappings between Slack and Salesforce
• ⚠️ Review permission settings for new workspace structure

How Do I Prepare for Enterprise Grid Migration?

Pre-Migration Checklist (1 week before):

• List all Salesforce-connected channels
• Screenshot Salesforce integration settings
• Export list of active workflows using Salesforce
• Document permission configurations
• Note any custom Salesforce apps installed

Communication (3-5 days before):

• Notify users of migration date and time
• Explain what will and won't change
• Set expectations for verification period
• Provide support channel for issues

Post-Migration Verification (Within 24 hours):

• Verify Salesforce integration shows "Connected"
• Check that Salesforce channels are visible
• Confirm users can access channels they should
• Test creating a new Salesforce channel
• Test all Salesforce workflows with live data
• Verify Agentforce actions trigger correctly
• Confirm bidirectional updates (Slack ↔ Salesforce)

What Are the New Canvas Analytics?

What's new: Admins can now track canvas shares and reactions alongside existing metrics (views, edits, comments, creates).

Why it matters:

• Engagement visibility: See which canvases resonate with your team
• Content strategy: Identify high-value templates and formats
• Adoption tracking: Measure how canvas usage spreads across org

How to access:

1. Go to workspace analytics: [workspace-name].slack.com/admin/analytics
2. Navigate to "Canvases" tab
3. View metrics dashboard showing:
1. Total canvases created
2. Views per canvas
3. Edits and contributors
4. Comments and reactions
5. Shares (internal and external)
6. Most popular canvases

Actionable insights:

• High views, low edits: Consider if edit permissions too restrictive
• High shares: Identify successful templates for org-wide distribution
• Low engagement: Canvas may need better positioning or context
• Frequent reactions: Content resonating - consider similar formats

Admin Advisor for Pro and Business+ Plans

What is Admin Advisor?

Admin Advisor is a new dashboard section highlighting recommended security settings for workspace owners and admins, with direct links to Help Center content and configuration pages.

Available on: Pro and Business+ plans (not Free or Enterprise Grid)

What it provides:

• Security setting recommendations based on Slack best practices
• Risk assessment for current configuration
• Step-by-step guidance to improve security posture
• Compliance readiness indicators
• Direct links to fix identified issues

What Recommendations Does Admin Advisor Provide?

Category 1: Authentication & Access

• ✅ Require two-factor authentication for all users
• ✅ Set password requirements (length, complexity, rotation)
• ✅ Configure session timeout duration
• ✅ Review app permissions and restrict high-risk apps
• ✅ Enable approved domains for workspace joining

Category 2: Data Protection

• ✅ Set default message retention policy
• ✅ Configure file upload restrictions
• ✅ Enable data export controls
• ✅ Review external sharing settings
• ✅ Set up legal hold if applicable

Category 3: Visibility & Monitoring

• ✅ Enable audit logging (if available on your plan)
• ✅ Configure admin activity notifications
• ✅ Review workspace analytics regularly
• ✅ Set up security incident response process

Category 4: User Management

• ✅ Define user provisioning workflow
• ✅ Configure guest access policies
• ✅ Set channel creation permissions
• ✅ Review workspace app installation policies
• ✅ Establish offboarding procedures

How Do I Use Admin Advisor?

Step 1: Access Admin Advisor

1. Go to workspace settings: Click workspace name → Settings & administration → Workspace settings
2. Navigate to "Security" tab
3. Look for "Admin Advisor" section (new in January 2026)

Step 2: Review Recommendations

• Red items: Critical security gaps requiring immediate attention
• Yellow items: Moderate risk settings recommended for improvement
• Green items: Well-configured settings meeting best practices

Step 3: Prioritize Actions

• Start with red (critical) items
• Click "Learn more" for detailed guidance
• Click "Fix now" to go directly to configuration page
• Check off items as you complete them

Pro tip: Set a recurring monthly calendar reminder to review Admin Advisor. Slack's recommendations evolve as new threats emerge and features launch.

What Features Are Coming Soon?

AI and Automation Features (Q2 2026)

1. AI-Suggested Channel Sections (Business+ and Enterprise+)

Slack will recommend sidebar sections when you join new channels based on:

• Channel topic and description analysis
• Your existing sidebar organization patterns
• Team collaboration patterns

Example: Join #product-roadmap-q2 → Slack suggests adding it to your existing "Product Strategy" section with #product-vision and #product-feedback.

2. Message Triggers in Private Channels (All plans with Workflow Builder)

Create no-code workflows triggered by specific keywords in private channels.

Use cases:

• Auto-create Jira tickets when someone posts "bug:" in #engineering-team
• Send escalation notifications when "urgent" appears in #customer-support-private
• Generate reports when "closed deal:" posted in #sales-team-private

Important: Admins must explicitly enable this. Private channels default to OFF for privacy protection.

Collaboration Features (Q1-Q2 2026)

1. Split View on Desktop (Q2 2026)

Pin a thread, channel, canvas, or other content in a static side-by-side view while continuing to navigate in the main area.

Benefits:

• Reference information while working elsewhere
• Compare two channels side-by-side
• Keep important thread visible while browsing
• Drag and drop content between views

2. Updated Activity Hub (Q1 2026)

Consolidate all notification types into single feed with:

• Flexible layout: Side-by-side views for multi-tasking
• Customizable density: Compact or expanded view
• Triage tools: Bulk actions (mark all read, archive, snooze)
• Smart filters: Priority, unread, mentions, threads
• Unified inbox: DMs, mentions, reactions, and thread replies in one place

3. Additional Features

• Org-wide user groups for Enterprise Grid: Create user groups spanning multiple workspaces
• Sidebar UI updates: Simplified section management and drag-and-drop improvements
• Salesforce record view enhancements: Richer record previews directly in Slack

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does Slackbot AI protect my privacy and data?

Slackbot AI respects all existing Slack permission boundaries. It can only see channels you're a member of, files you have access to, and DMs you participate in. Each conversation is independent (no learning between sessions), AI doesn't train on your workspace data, and responses are generated in real-time without long-term storage. Available only on Business+ and Enterprise+ plans.

Should I change my Salesforce channel permission settings?

Change settings if you handle confidential deals with NDAs, have reported concerns about deal visibility, or need compliance-required restricted access. Keep default settings if transparency and collaboration are more important than privacy. Best practice: Use edit permissions as your default, then apply record ownership to highly sensitive deals case-by-case.

What happens if I miss the April 30, 2026 audit log deadline?

Slack will automatically delete audit logs older than 2 years after April 30, 2026. You will lose historical audit trail for events before April 30, 2024, which may create compliance gaps (SEC, HIPAA, SOX, DFARS). You cannot recover deleted audit logs after removal. Export immediately using the Audit Logs API or UI, set up automated monthly exports, and store in secure long-term archival location.

How do I know if Slackbot AI is giving me accurate information?

Always check source links provided by Slackbot, verify with original message authors for critical information, and treat summaries as starting points. Trust Slackbot for factual search and straightforward summaries, but verify carefully for technical specifications, financial figures, legal information, and anything shared externally. Red flags: "I think" language, no source links, conflicts with your knowledge, or logical inconsistencies.

Can I use Slackbot AI for customer support or external communication?

No, Slackbot AI is designed for internal workplace use only. It might reference internal discussions not meant for customers, could leak confidential information, and AI mistakes in customer communication damage relationships. Approved uses: Internal research before customer response, drafting internal summaries, and knowledge base preparation. Always have a human write and review customer-facing communication.

What should I prioritize from this month's Slack updates?

IT Admins: Export audit logs before April 30, 2026 (critical), review Admin Advisor (30 min), configure Salesforce permissions (1 hour). Sales Managers: Evaluate Salesforce channel permissions (1 hour), configure restricted access (30 min), train team on new model. All users: Try Slackbot AI (15 min), set up channel sections (15 min), share sections with teammates (5 min).

Implementation Checklist

This Week (Priority Actions)

• Try Slackbot AI with a search question in your workspace
• Review Admin Advisor if you're on Pro or Business+ plan
• Check if your organization needs to export audit logs
• Enable huddle notifications in settings

This Month (Strategic Actions)

• Evaluate Salesforce channel permissions for sensitive deals
• Set up channel sections for key projects
• Share section links with your team
• Configure screen reader settings if applicable
• Test Slackbot AI with your team for potential use cases

Before April 30, 2026 (Critical Deadline)

• Export all existing audit logs using API or UI
• Set up automated monthly export process
• Store exports in secure, long-term archival location
• Update compliance documentation for 2-year retention policy
• Test audit log retrieval and search process

Ongoing (Best Practices)

• Review Admin Advisor monthly for new recommendations
• Monitor Salesforce channel access for security issues
• Track canvas analytics for engagement insights
• Gather team feedback on new features
• Stay current with Slack's "Coming Soon" feature roadmap

Conclusion

Slack's January 2026 updates represent a significant evolution in workplace collaboration, bringing AI-powered assistance, enhanced security controls, and improved accessibility to millions of users worldwide.

Key actions to take:

1. Start using Slackbot AI today - Even simple searches will demonstrate its value for finding buried information and accelerating knowledge work.
2. Mark your calendar for April 30, 2026 - The audit log retention deadline is non-negotiable if your organization has compliance requirements.
3. Evaluate Salesforce permissions - If you handle confidential deals, the new granular controls provide essential security without sacrificing collaboration.
4. Review Admin Advisor - Pro and Business+ customers should spend 30 minutes reviewing security recommendations and implementing quick wins.
5. Prepare for Enterprise Grid migrations - If you're planning a migration, you can now proceed with confidence that Salesforce integrations will be preserved.

Expected benefits:

• 30-50% reduction in time spent searching for information (via Slackbot AI)
• Improved security posture for sensitive sales opportunities (via Salesforce permissions)
• Better compliance readiness (via Admin Advisor and audit log exports)
• Enhanced accessibility for all users (via screen reader customization)
• Faster project onboarding (via channel section sharing)

The future of workplace collaboration is more intelligent, secure, and inclusive than ever. Start exploring these features today to maximize your team's productivity and collaboration effectiveness.

About the Author

David Cockrum is the founder of Vantage Point and a former COO in financial services. With expertise in CRM transformations, he brings actionable insights for financial services technology migrations.

Email: david@vantagepoint.io | Phone: (469) 499-3400 | Website: vantagepoint.io