Canvases have become essential in my Slack experience, and I think it’s one of the best ways to organize information effectively. This guide shows how to set up a Slack canvas and how and why I use canvases.
Content
- What Is a Slack Canvas?
- How to Add Slack Canvases
- How I Use Slack Canvases
- Why I Love Using Slack Canvases
What Is a Slack Canvas?
Canvases let you keep essential information in the same place; they’re one of many ways to be more productive on Slack. After creating one, others in your chat or channel can get quick project overviews.
You can add multiple elements to your Slack canvas, such as a list of important links and item checklists. It’s also possible to outline employee benefits, product briefs, project outlines, and any other bits of information you deem essential.
You can tag channels and users within a Slack canvas to provide simpler access. If you need to add links to articles, Wikis, or project management software, you can.
How to Add Slack Canvases
Go to the Slack channel or discussion in which you’d like to create a canvas. Select Add canvas in the channel/chat toolbar at the top.
Select Use Template. Alternatively, hit the X button to start from scratch. If you have a paid plan, tap Explore Templates, and look at your options; free users are limited in this respect.
Customize your canvas. Besides adding bullet points, checklists, etc., you can change the text in your titles.
How I Use Slack Canvases
1. Keeping Essential Files and Folders Related to Different Projects
I work with multiple freelance clients and run other businesses, but as I can be quite forgetful, grouping essential information has been revolutionary. Slack canvases have made it easy to keep essential related information within a single interface.
I add essential Google Drive folders and documents in the Slack app, and if you have the Google Drive integration, you can make it appear as a card or URL. I chose URL, as it’s easier for me to navigate. Without the Google Drive app, it’s visible as a URL.
Besides document and folder links, I also added links to handy online reference pages.
2. Creating Events
Slack canvases are a powerful tool for creating events, and I like to keep everything in one place. For teams, I can imagine that this would be even more powerful; you can use Slack productivity integrations, like Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar, to directly add invitations.
When adding events in Slack, it’s worth outlining the details in plain text, allowing you to add a link to the calendar invitation. Go into your calendar app, and copy the link. In Google Calendar, I selected Share via link -> copy link.
Add the event hyperlink or create a card/URL by pasting it onto the page.
3. Adding Workflow Automations
You need a paid Slack plan to use workflow automations in canvases. If you’re using one of these, you can simplify some of your most repetitive tasks. Start by going to the three vertical dots, and select Add a workflow.
Select Create a Workflow.
Choose your “if -> then” conditions, and select Finish Up when you’re ready.
Why I Love Using Slack Canvases
1. It’s User Friendly
I learned how to use Slack canvases within a few hours; the lack of a learning curve is one of many reasons I didn’t opt for a Slack alternative. Templates are easily customizable in the same way that a Google Doc or Notion template would be.
Because Slack canvases are user friendly, you should have no problems teaching your team how to use them. Moreover, it’s very easy to tag people and other channels.
While I’ve struggled to create workflows elsewhere in the past, doing so with Slack canvases was not too challenging.
2. Access to Certain Features Without a Premium Subscription
I strongly suggest subscribing to a paid Slack plan for workflows and unlimited features, but you can still enjoy this tool with a free membership. You can create one canvas in each channel and conversation.
When setting up a canvas on a free plan, choose from one of the many templates, or start from scratch. I had no issues doing so using Slack canvases with a free account.
The free features in Slack canvases are perfect if you’re an individual or part of a small team.
3. Canvases Are Ideal for Quick Overviews
Whether you want to clarify processes for existing team members or onboard new ones more easily, canvases are great for quick overviews. I’ve added all of my most important focus areas in a single channel, and it’s easy to update them in real time.
You can insert one canvas into another with a paid subscription. If you don’t have a Wiki on Slack or elsewhere, you can always create one within Slack.
Besides adding canvases within canvases, you can improve your overviews via tables, bullet points, and numerous other tools.
4. Customize via Templates
You’ll have access to more templates with a paid subscription. But even without one, you can customize your Slack canvases and avoid starting from scratch.
Slack offers full control over customizing your templates, from the cover image to your texts and files. I’ve found keeping all of my documents in one place very straightforward, and I think you will too.
To really maximize your experience and become more productive, you can use canvas template customization alongside various Slack commands.
5. Don’t Require a Paid Add-On
Slack AI requires an additional subscription on top of the plan you already use, which is quite annoying. However, this is not the case with canvases.
While you’re limited in how many canvases you can create with a free plan, you can add unlimited canvases in all paid subscriptions.
You can still see canvases you’ve created if you downgrade to a free plan, but additional ones will be read-only.
Slack canvases are a user-friendly and effective way to organize information, and using these has significantly improved my in-app quality of life. It’s easier to see everything I need to do and quickly access essential links. Learn how to create and manage a Slack workspace to complement canvases perfectly.
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Danny Maiorca.
Danny Maiorca –
Contributor
Danny has written for online audiences for 10+ years. He specializes in Apple products and loves writing on his MacBook, keeping in touch on his iPhone, and measuring his workouts on his Apple Watch. Danny’s work has featured in multiple places online, including MUO, Lifewire, and Guiding Tech. Away from the keyboard, he’s passionate about photography and leading an active lifestyle outdoors.
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