CCSQ QualityNet Slack has a number of

application integrations which aim to

enhance your user experience

and

ultimately allow you to work more efficiently. If you would like to submit an app integration request please contact the  #help-slack channel or create a ticket in the QNASK Jira project.

Any QualityNet Slack member that has a CMS Zoom account can use it to start or schedule a Zoom meeting. Any Slack member can join meetings even if they do not have a CMS Zoom account.
Why use it? Convenience! You can now instantly start and schedule Zoom meetings from any Slack channel, private group, or direct message using the /zoom slash command.
How? First time users, please remember to authorize Zoom during initial use by providing authorization for Slack to your CMS Zoom. When starting a Zoom call in a channel, use @member_username to notify the members whom you would like to invite.

Add members to your direct messages!  This means that any existing direct message (DM) between you and other QualityNet Slack members gives you the ability to loop in others even after the conversation has already begun. 

Select What’s Visible

Don’t want them to see some of the previous conversation?  No problem!   When you add people to a DM, messages and files will be visible to new members based on the conversation history you choose to include.  You have the option of selecting whether they can see all or part of past conversations. 

Steps:

1.Click the name(s) in the conversation header.

2. Click Add people to this conversation.

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3. Type the name of the person you'd like to add, then select them from the list and click Next.  You can include up to 9 people in a direct message.

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4. Select an option to Include conversation history.

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5. Click Done and select Confirm when you're ready.

A New DM Is Created

The conversation history you choose to include is moved to a new group DM that includes the new members.  Members of the DM will now be notified automatically with a message posted to the relevant conversations.

QualityNet Slack is more efficient and fun to use than ever before with audio and video clips.  A new built-in feature located in your message composition box now lets you record clips up to 3 minutes long!

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Anyone in a channel or direct message (DM) can easily make a recording and share ideas, updates, or just say hello.  Recipients can reply in a thread with a clip of their own.  The feature is available on both desktop and mobile and allows you to share your screen while recording.

**Important Note!

Remember!  Slack is neither a System of Record nor approved for sensitive information.  Enjoy using Clips, but DO NOT share any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Protected Health Information (PHI) in CCSQ QualityNet Slack

Recording a Video Clip

Follow these steps to record a clip:

1. From a channel or (DM), click the camera icon in the message field.

2. You can either record yourself speaking or a screen you’d like to share.  Select with a click.  You can also start sharing once you’re recording, and stop sharing at any time.

3. Click Record. 

4. When you’re finished, click Stop.

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       5. You will now have the option to re-record, by selecting Retry. You will also have the option to download your recording.

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        6. When complete, click Next and add a message if you’d like.

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        7. Click the paper plane icon to send your clip.

Recording an Audio Clip

1.  From a channel or DM, click the microphone icon in the message field. Slack will start recording automatically.

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       2. When you’re finished, click the blue check mark button to stop recording.

       3. Add a message if you’d like, then click the paper plane icon to send your clip.

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Play a Clip

1.  Press the play button on a clip. For any clip, select 1X to adjust the playback speed.Image Added
2. For video clips, click the closed caption icon to turn captions on or off.

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        3. All clips are automatically transcribed. To read a transcript, click the three lines icon on any clip. 

Delete a Clip

1.  Hover over a clip and click the three dots icon.
2. Click Delete clip.
3. Click Yes, delete this clip.

Other commands available with the three dots icon include download, share, copy, open video in new window or thread, and copy video link.

QualityNet Slack allows you to add members to a channel in bulk.  Add up to 1000 people to a channel at once!  Here’s how:

1. Open the channel to which you’d like to add people.
2. Click the cluster of profile pictures in the top right.
3. Click the Add people button .
4. To add a few people, search for the members you'd like to add by name or email address and select them.
5. Or to add a large group, paste a list of names or email addresses (numbering up to 1000) into the field.
6. When you're done, click Add.

Bulk add members from existing channel to new channel or meeting invite

In some cases, you may want to add members from an existing channel to a new channel or a meeting invite.  You can bulk copy and paste up to a 1000 of those channel member names or email addresses.

Here’s how to bulk copy those member names or emails: 

1. From your desktop, open a channel.
2. Click the channel name in the channel header.
3. Select the Settings tab.
4. Click Copy member names or Copy member email addresses.

Note:

To add someone from a shared connect channel, it must be with their email address; inputting their username will not successfully add them. 

Image AddedEvery channel now has a dedicated canvas all its own.  Think of it as a bulletin or announcement board.  Canvases are designed with real-time collaboration in mind.  Use it for just about anything – from onboarding to newsletters to project tracking.  Not seeing Canvas on your Slack app?  Click ctrl + r.

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Like Having a Sticky Note

In addition to being in every channel, a canvas is available in every Direct Message you compose!  Create a standalone canvas for anything you're working on.  Share it in any channel, conversation, or Huddle to co-edit or get feedback.  It’s like having a sticky note in your conversation.  And if you prefer, you can restrict access to view-only anytime by person, channel or organization.

What Do You Do with a Canvas?

• Share your canvas to involve multiple editors.
• Leave comments on canvases.
• Mention people in the body of a canvas to notify them.
• Add meeting notes
• There’s a Meeting Notes template you can use, or create your own. 
• Add action items. 
• Drag and drop content like files, images and videos.
• Embed data from third-party apps. 

Accessing a Canvas Image Added

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The Canvas icon where you can create or view an existing canvas is on the upper right-hand side of every channel.  You can also create or view a canvas from the ...More icon or the Create new + sign icon on the left bookmarks margin. 

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It shares as a regular message and can either be set to show automatically or be clicked to open.  When open, it displays as a full-page message in the channel.  Or it can be further opened in a new tab as a standalone window.  Rather than jumping back and forth, simply click on a canvas in the conversation to open it in a new window to keep context side by side.

Show by default Setting

The Show by default setting makes it easier to ensure your canvases are seen. It's easy! Just select to show your canvas by default and anyone who visits the channel will automatically see the canvas in the sidebar. Here are the steps to activate the setting:
1. Navigate to the channel canvas.
2. Click the three dots beside the canvas.
3. Click Show by default.
Channel members can still choose to close the canvas if they prefer not to see it. Once closed, it stays closed until they decide to re-open it.

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New Layout Features

You can design the layout of your canvas any way you want.  You now have even more formatting features like:

• File and link previews
  • Files and links can be displayed as URLs or as cards in which they are displayed as a preview.
• In-line objects
  • Add link previews, images, or files directly to your canvas. 
  • Objects no longer sit at the bottom of your message as attachments. 
  • Need to move something? Simply drag and drop it where you need it to go.
• Dividers
• Columns
• Formatting toolbar with option of 4 different heading sizes 
  •   Paragraph
  •   Big heading
  •   Medium heading
  •   Small heading
• Checklists – included in the formatting toolbar

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Templates

There are many canvas templates tailor-made for common use cases.  These templates will quickly get you started with a wide range of use cases including OOO coverage plans, employee onboarding, monthly newsletters, and more!

• To access canvas templates from the canvas icon at the top right of a channel:  Click the Canvas icon, then click ...More to select a template.  
• To access canvas templates from the More bookmark:  Select Canvases.  Now choose a template.  

View Comments

To view comments:

1. Click the 3 ellipses on the top right. 
2. Select View all comments. 

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     3. Click the Filter icon to sort by Most recent, Unread or Archived. 

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Commenting on a Canvas

Comments on a canvas will behave like Threads, and all new replies will appear in your Threads view. Here’s how to comment:

1. Open a canvas.
2. Click on the plus sign in a speech bubble at the top right of the canvas.  It will open up for you to add your comment.

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      3. If comments have already been made, the number of comments will be indicated by a number in a speech bubble next to the message.  In this case, click on the number and it automatically opens for you to add your comment..

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      4. Type your comment, then press Enter to send it.

Notifications

To notify someone directly in a canvas, mention them by using the @ symbol, followed by the member's name.  As long as the canvas has been shared with the person you mention, they will receive a badge notification next to the Canvas view in their sidebar.

Members you mention in a canvas who do not have access permissions to the canvas will not be notified.

For more on Slack Canvas watch our QNet Chat Video Presentations:

• QualityNet Slack Canvas Jeopardy Show
• Canvas & Gif Picker – Listen in on a Huddle with Barbarasauraus and Snapper

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If you are in the QualityNet Slack workspace but would like to meet with someone from any CMS Gov Slack workspace, you now have the opportunity to be connected!  

Go to #help-slack and make a request for creation of a special channel that allows you to invite CMS Gov Slack users to join you there.  If approved, the channel will be available on QualityNet Slack for users from each of the workspaces to meet in real time.  When you make your request include with whom you want to connect, their email, and the reason for your connection.  You can request more than one new channel.

The new connected channels give you the ability to:
•    Connect with users from CMS Gov Slack workspaces through specially created QualityNet channels
•    Collaborate with CMS Gov Slack workspace users 
•    Send messages to CMS Gov Slack workspace users 
•    Make announcements and use any other Slack channel functionality to communicate with CMS Gov Slack workspace users

Note:  
Just like an old-fashioned switchboard, you can only be connected through individual channels on QualityNet Slack and not to the entire CMS Gov Slack workspace of channels.  In other words, it is not possible to jump onto CMS Gov Slack and join any channel.  You must have specific connected channels created on QualityNet Slack by our QualityNet Slack team in order to communicate.

So go ahead. You are now connected!

Share Private Messages Option 1:

1.Hover over the message and click the Forward message icon on the toolbar that pops up.

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2. A new pop-up window opens.

3. In the first field, search for the channel or person you are wanting to forward the message and add them.

4. Add an optional message if you'd like.

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5. Click Forward.

6. If sending to a public channel, a warning message will ask you to confirm.

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7. Click Send.

Share Private Messages Option 2:

1.Hover over the message and click the Forward message icon on the toolbar that pops up on the left. 

2. Click Copy link.

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3. Paste the link in the Direct Message or Channel you’d like to share the message.

4. A preview of what is being shared will appear underneath the link.

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5. A warning will pop up that you are about to share a private conversation.

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6. Click Send.

Using either option you’ll have just shared your private message!

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Huddles is a Slack feature that works both inside a Slack channel or direct message. It's a quick and easy way to meet live with anyone in QualityNet Slack!  If talking something out is faster than typing it out, you’ll want to start a huddle.

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When a huddle is open, any member of the channel or direct message can come and go as they please.  Attendees can share their screen, and others can draw on it. There is also an option for live captioning.

Starting a Huddle

To start a huddle: 

1.Click the Create new button to start a Huddle.

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2.Select Huddle in the pop-up.

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3.Fill in the person(s) or channel you’d like to huddle with.

4.Click Start a Huddle.

When you start a huddle in channel, channel members will see the active huddle in the sidebar, and you can invite any member to join you.

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Once the huddle has started, you can click the microphone icon to mute yourself, the screen icon to share your screen, or the the 3 ellipses More options button, click Invite people icon to invite individuals to the huddle. Image Added

To turn on live captioning, click the name of the person actively talking in the bottom left corner of your screen. Click the three dots icon, then select Turn on captions.

To leave a huddle, click the Leave button at the bottom left corner of your sidebar. 

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Huddle Links

All huddles have links people can use to join from anywhere, e.g.  a message in Slack or a calendar invitation.  To create a link:

1.From a channel or DM on desktop, click the conversation name in the bottom left corner of your sidebar.

2.Alternatively, right click on the conversation in the sidebar to find the link under 'copy'.

3.Click Copy huddle link.

4.Paste link wherever you’d like, including calendar invites.

5.Huddle will start when someone clicks the link to join.

Ways to use Huddles

 Some great ways to use Huddles include:

• Open office hours – One or more persons can drop in anytime during those hours.
• Brainstorm sessions – These are great after you’ve left a meeting with a list of action items for your team. A quick huddle is a casual way to get everyone up to speed while the takeaways and goals are still fresh.  Slack Huddles support screen sharing, so you can pull up a spreadsheet or document to log ideas or a calendar to discuss timelines.
• War room – After a new launch, a Huddle is a great way to have an open “room” to address feedback that rolls in.
• Social get-togethers – Huddles are a great way to gather for hangouts like lunch and happy hours without the stress of video.  

Huddle Features

📹 Video with one click so you can be seen by others

📺 Multi-person screen sharing, drawing and cursors

🥳 Fun, relaxed atmosphere filled with your favorite emoji, reactions and “stickers”

💬 Message thread that automatically saves to channel

Pick three different views:

1. Slack sidebar: where the huddle starts
2. Mini window: pop out for a small view
3. Large window: for screen shares and seeing bigger sized video

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Popping out the Mini window

You can stay right in the Slack sidebar or you can pop the huddle out into a new window.  The “pop-out” button will open a mini-window where you can see the participants and the message thread.

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Opening the large window

When you click on a participants’ avatars, on their video, or on a screen share, a large window opens so you can get a better look at your team and their screens.

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Dedicated message thread

Now you’ll have a dedicated message thread created in the conversation where you started the huddle.  You can send messages, links and files just like you do in Slack channels and direct messages.  All messages sent in the thread are automatically saved in the channel where the huddle started so you can always research a past conversation topic. 

When the huddle is active, channel members can see a huddle block in the conversation. People who are not in the huddle can see the topic and the thread in this block.  After the huddle is over, the huddle block stays in the channel where the huddle started.

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Turn on video

Now you can turn on video in huddles.  Simply click the camera icon.  You can choose to hide our self-view.  This will hide your view of yourself, but everyone else in the huddle can still see your video.

Reactions

Participants can send Reactions for their whole team to see.  These reactions display briefly, then disappear.

• Effects are a special type of reaction that sends an animation.
• Stickers, like “raise hand”, are reactions that persist on your avatar until you remove them.

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Huddles themes

You can add a theme to the background of your huddle to set the mood.  All huddle participants see the same theme.  So, changing the theme changes it for everyone in the huddle.

Live transcript

When enabled, live streaming captions accompany an ongoing huddle.  Captions are not saved or shared after they huddle. However, you can copy and paste the transcription before leaving the huddle to have a recorded document.

Watch the Huddles QualityNet Chat Presentation from December 2022, Barbarasaurus Presents: Discovering the New Slack Huddles Features and the December 2023 Chat presentation on the New Slack Interface. 

You are also strongly encouraged to register for the QualityNet Slack Huddles interactive training.

If you would like a task reminder for yourself, someone else, or your entire team, QualityNet Slack can help you do that.  You can even set a reminder for a conversation you’d like to come back to later.  Here are the steps for each scenario.  

To send a reminder to someone else or an entire channel:

1. Click the Image Added plus icon in the message field.
2. Type in the word remind and select /remind.
3. /remind will automatically fill in your composition box
4. Next fill in the name of the individual using the @sign or the channel using the #sign.
5. Compose the details of your message reminder.
6. Last, add in the time.
7. You’re all set!  Click send and Slackbot will deliver your reminder to either the individual or channel at the desired time.

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Examples of Reminder Formats

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To send a reminder to yourself:

1. Click the  Image Addedplus icon in the message field.
2. Type in the word remind and select Set yourself a reminder.

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*Note:

You can set recurring reminders for yourself or a channel, but not for someone else.  You can also set reminders to repeat by the day (ex. every Monday) but not in time increments (ex. every hour).

To set a reminder for a conversation:

1. Hover over conversation and click the 3 dots.
2. Click Remind me about this.
3. Select time.
4. Custom lets you create an additional note.

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Use Threads to Keep Organized

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What is a thread?

Threads help you create organized discussions around specific messages. They let you discuss a topic in more detail, keeping conversations intact and uninterrupted without adding clutter to a channel or direct message (DM) conversation.  Threads appear in the as “mini sidebar” conversations in a channel on the right-hand side.

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How?

Start a thread from any message whether in a channel or DM. 

1.     Hover over the message to which you'd like to reply.

2.     Click the Reply in thread conversation bubble icon.

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3.     Type your reply and send your message.

You’ll be notified of new replies to a thread if you started a thread, replied to a thread, or were mentioned in the original message or any thread replies.

For a thread you haven’t engaged with, you can choose to follow it to stay in the loop.

1.     Hover over the thread.

2.     Click the three dots icon.

3.     Select Get notified about new replies to receive notifications for all new thread replies, or Turn off notifications for replies to stop receiving notifications.

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See all conversations you’re following:

Select Threads at the top of your left sidebar.  Threads with unread replies will appear at the top of the list.

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Bonus Tip!

When others would benefit from seeing your thread reply, you can send your reply back to the channel or DM’s main view. Simply check the also send to #channelname box below your message before sending it.

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User groups are a great way to communicate with multiple members in a channel at once.  Rather than having to continually search and type each individual’s name, give your group a name and the next time you want to get the attention of these same individuals, all you need to do is fill in the name of the user group!  

1. From your desktop, click More, then select People.
2. Click User Groups on the left side of the window.
3. Click Create User Group in the top right.  Choose a name and handle for your user group.
4. Click Next.
5. Under Add members, search for and select the members you’d like to add.
6. When you’re done, click Create Group.

Watch the reboot of the QNet Chat 2024 on User Groups.  

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QualityNet Slack has a View Message Activity feature, available by request.  It's a great feature that allows you to track the impact of your communications.  Here’s what you can expect when using View Message Activity:

• View message activity for messages sent in the last 12 months in public channels with at least 50 members
• Owners, admins, and members with permission can see how many people have interacted with a given message.

-Measure impact of announcements and internal communications.

• View message data from the channel where the message was posted.

-See message views, reactions, clicks, and shares on a message.

Gaining Access

To gain access to the View Message Activity feature, anyone on your team can make a request to #help-slack.  Once your request is made, you’ll be set to go.

Steps

1. Hover over a message and click the three dots icon.

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       2. Select View message activity.

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         3. If you'd like, click the date ranges under Activity over time to adjust the graph.

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Message Activity Data

Data that you can collect with the Message Activity feature includes:

• Activity stats - number of members who have viewed, reacted to, or clicked a message, and the number of times a message was shared
• Graph - visual representation of message views over time
• Device summary - percentage breakdown of where members first viewed the message: in a browser, in the Slack desktop app, or in the Slack mobile apps
• Top Replies - preview of message’s threaded replies with the most reactions
• only visible when the message has at least one reply

*Note

Only activity for messages that have been sent in the last 12 months in public channels with at least 50 members can be viewed.  Message activity is not available for messages in Slack Connect channels or private channels.

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Quickly and easily find recent conversations in QualityNet Slack in the new Drafts & sent section.  Once in the section, you can view all your drafts, scheduled messages, and sent messages.  

Here’s how:

1, Login to the Drafts & sent section located near the top of the left-hand navigation panel.

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2, Click on the corresponding tabs for Drafts, Scheduled, and Sent to view the contents.  Drafts and Scheduled tabs will display a number indicating how many messages are contained in their folders.  The Sent folder will contain all messages you’ve sent in your history.

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Tip! You can send messages in real time, or schedule them to send later.  If you start writing a message and don’t send it, it’ll automatically save as a draft. 

Press Enter to send your message.  Or click the down arrow icon (next to the paper plane icon) to schedule it for later.

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Conversations in Slack can be popped outside of the main Slack window for easier multi-tasking.  In other words, channels, Direct Messages (DMs), Threads, Mentions & reactions, Unreads, and stand-alone Canvases open in a new window allowing you to have multiple windows open for viewing.

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More than 2 Views

Windowing provides the ability to move seamlessly between many different views, whereas Split View was limited to only two views.  Plus, by opening a surface in a new window, you now can control the size of the window, can minimize the window, and can leave windows open for as long as you want.

Steps to Pop Out Windows

To open channels or DM conversations in new windows:

1. Right-click on the item.
2. Select Open in new window.

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       3. Move and size the window by placing your cursor over the top border and customize to your liking.

To open a Thread in a new window:

1. Click on the Thread and it opens in the right sidebar.
2. Click on the window icon on the top right.

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        3. The window pops out, and you can now close the right sidebar.

To open a Canvas in a new window: 

1. Click the Canvas icon in the upper right corner of the channel or DM.

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        2. Click the 3 ellipses.

        3. Select Open in New Window to pop out the Canvas.

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The Workflow Builder has been updated.  Watch our presentation to learn all about the new design changes.  

Learn more!  - Head to our Resources tab and download our Workflows training slides and training recordings.  Or register for an upcoming Workflows 201 interactive training.

You can customize the look of your QualityNet Slack workspace.  

1. Click your profile on the right side of the upper border.
2. Click on Preferences.
3. Click on Themes. 

Switch from Light to Dark background and choose different Slack themes colors.  Or create a Custom Theme. where you can even pick "Surprise me".