Slack is a robust platform for team communication and collaboration that is gaining traction in businesses around the globe. Even though it's more commonly known as a messaging app, Slack can also serve as an intranet solution, making it a desirable choice for businesses that want to create a central hub for the information, resources, and tools their employees require to do their tasks.

In this article, we'll dive into the ins and outs of using Slack as an intranet, covering everything from the tools, plugins, integrations, and best practices that can make your Slack intranet more effective and efficient. 

Moreover, we will provide you with the information you need to make the most of this powerful collaboration tool, whether you're just getting started with Slack or looking for ways to optimize your current Slack intranet. 

Slack Intranet – A Complete Guide 

For businesses in need of an intranet, Slack is an effective tool for team collaboration. Using Slack as an intranet can be a time- and cost-saving method of providing your staff with a central hub for all the tools, resources, and information they need to do their tasks effectively. 

In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about using Slack as an intranet, from the basics to advanced features like plugins, integrations, and best practices.  

Is Slack an intranet?

 So, is Slack an intranet? Slack can be defined as a channel-based messaging platform. You can use it to connect all your tools in a single place.

On the other hand, an intranet is a private network that works as a central hub for your organization. All the data, resources, and tools that employees require to carry out their duties can be found in one convenient location. Information such as business policies, employee directories, company news, company announcements, human resources documents, and more can all be found on an intranet.

Can Slack Be Used As An Intranet? 

We have defined what Slack is. Now the question is, can Slack be used as an intranet? Yes, keep on reading to learn how!

For many organizations, Slack has become the network of choice. In the first place, it doesn't call for any complex IT architecture or specialized knowledge to get up and running.

Second, teams can easily remain in sync and work together efficiently regardless of their physical locations thanks to Slack's real-time communication features.

Thirdly, Slack can serve as a central hub for all the information and resources employees need to do their tasks, including business policies, HR forms, news, and announcements.

Finally, Slack is a flexible and versatile tool because it can be tailored to the requirements of individual teams through a wide variety of integrations and apps. 

So can slack be used as a work intranet? Yes, Slack can be used as a work intranet. Slack offers a wide range of features that can help teams collaborate and communicate efficiently. You can create different channels for different teams or projects, share files and documents, and integrate with other tools and services. 

Additionally, Slack allows for private messaging, group messaging, and video conferencing, making it a versatile platform for remote work and distributed teams. 

With Slack, you can create a centralized hub for all your team's communication needs, making it an effective alternative to a traditional intranet.

How much does slack cost uk?  The cost of Slack in the UK varies depending on the plan you choose. Here are the current prices as of my knowledge cutoff of September 2021:

1. Free plan - This plan is free and includes basic features such as 10,000 message search history, 10 integrations with other apps, and one-to-one voice and video calls.
2. Standard plan - This plan costs £5.25 per user per month (billed annually) or £6.30 per user per month (billed monthly) and includes more features such as unlimited message search history, group video calls, and app integrations.
3. Plus plan - This plan costs £9.75 per user per month (billed annually) or £11.70 per user per month (billed monthly) and includes advanced security features, compliance exports, and 24/7 customer support.

Please note that pricing and plans may have changed since my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, and you should check Slack's website for the most up-to-date information.

Setting up a Slack intranet 

You can use Slack as an intranet. It can be set up quickly and easily. You should start by making a new file folder for your company's internal network. In order to do this, go to Slack's website and follow the on-screen instructions to set up a new workplace. Next, establish distinct lines of communication among various groups working on the same or related tasks. Most of the conversations that take place in your Slack network will happen in channels.

Installing the integrations and apps that will prove most helpful to your team is the next step after establishing channels. What makes Slack so adaptable is the variety of applications and integrations it supports. Integrations and applications for a wide variety of project management, document sharing, human resources, and other tools are available.

Start adding material to your Slack intranet once you've established channels and integrations. This could include things like HR paperwork, business policies, recent announcements, and more. You should arrange your content in a way that makes it simple to locate and use.

Last but not least, provide your staff with training on how to maximize their use of the Slack network. In order to make sure everyone is on the same page, you may want to host a training event or provide documentation. 

Best practices for using Slack as an intranet 

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when using Slack as an intranet:  

Keep it organized

Without well-structured channels of communication, Slack can be ineffective. To prevent this from happening, channels and threads should be used to maintain conversations well-structured and easy to follow. Make sure your employees use the various platforms you make available for their various roles and responsibilities. Keep conversations organized and simple by using threads.  

Set up permissions

You can limit employee access to sensitive data and resources by using the permissions options in Slack. This is especially crucial if your company uses Slack to keep confidential information like human resources files or financial records. Limit who can see what on specific channels or in specific files, and make sure permissions are checked frequently.  

Use integrations and apps

You can simplify processes, automate routines, and increase productivity through collaboration with the aid of Slack's integrations and apps. For example, tools like AgilityPortal for project management, Dropbox and Google Drive for file storage, and BambooHR and Zenefits for human resources streamline workflows. 

Additionally, if your team frequently works with spreadsheets, you can Convert MS Excel to PDF for easy sharing and secure storage in your intranet portal, ensuring that data formatting and readability remain intact. See what works best for your group by trying out various integrations and applications.

Encourage participation  

Motivate your staff to use channels and topics to have open dialogue and share their thoughts and opinions. Doing so will facilitate the development of a cooperative and communicative atmosphere within your employees. You could conduct polls or surveys to get employee feedback, or you could set up dedicated channels for that purpose.

Train employees  

Make sure all the employees are familiar with the ins and outs of Slack, from channels to searches to integrations to applications. Facilitate training meetings or produce written materials to guarantee that everyone is on the same page. If an employee has any questions or needs assistance with Slack, they should feel free to inquire.

You can follow these best practices to make sure your company's Slack intranet is well-managed, safe, productive, and effective. In order to make sure that your Slack intranet continues to serve the needs of your employees, it is essential to review and make adjustments on a regular basis.

Best Intranet Integrations For Slack In 2023

Slack is a robust communication platform that can serve as an intranet, bringing people together and streamlining processes. An organization's Slack intranet can be made even more useful by integrating it with other applications. The top Slack intranet integrations for the year 2023 are as follows:

AgilityPortal 

AgilityPortal is cloud-based project management software that facilitates teamwork and project management through the use of standardized processes and streamlined communication. Teams can improve their collaboration and project management by integrating AgilityPortal with Slack.

The AgilityPortal interface allows team members to be notified in Slack whenever there are changes to a project or when new tasks are assigned. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and that no deadlines or duties are forgotten. As an added bonus, team members can streamline their workflow by creating tasks without leaving Slack or switching apps.  You can use Zapier to create webhooks which means you can create all sorts of integrations with slack.

LumApps

With LumApps' assistance, teams can foster positive environments and more easily disseminate information throughout the workplace. LumApps improves businesses' interactions with their clients, partners, and, most importantly, their own employees.

With the help of LumApps' Slack integration, your company's internal interactions can be elevated with convenient, real-time chatting features for all employees. LumApps and Slack together provide for every type of communication and collaboration imaginable, from top-down communication and team cooperation to private messaging between individuals. 

The LumApps-Slack integration streamlines and simplifies team communication and cooperation within LumApps communities.

Unily 

Unily assists businesses in developing engaging digital experiences for employees, which strengthen bonds between colleagues and result in higher quality output. Unily isn't so much a collaboration tool as it is a venue for the employee experience, one that encourages a sense of community and camaraderie in the workplace by facilitating easier, more productive interactions online.

Unily's Slack integration makes it easy to design robust digital experiences for distant teams.

Unily's Slack integration lets your team build a centralized communication center with handy tools like real-time notifications and information-packed widgets. 

SharePoint 

When it comes to intranet software, Microsoft SharePoint is among the most dependable and steady options. In order to boost teamwork, facilitate easy information discovery, and foster seamless collaboration across teams and the entire company, SharePoint allows users to share and control common content, resources, knowledge, and applications.

It allows companies to instantly communicate with Slack users or channels. They have the ability to utilize Microsoft SharePoint to create and handle content. Create, share, and access shared files and content without ever leaving your Slack channel by installing the OneDrive and SharePoint app. 

Jostle  

Rather than attempting to create an intranet from the ground up, Jostle provides businesses with a straightforward architecture for connecting their staff in one central location. If you use Jostle, your staff will feel like they are part of the team and will be kept informed of all company happenings.

With the Jostle-Slack integration, your team members can have Jostle notifications delivered straight to their Slack channels. Even if your company's day-to-day communications take place in Slack, you can still keep your staff informed of major business developments by sending out simple notifications.

 ThoughtFarmer

The intranet software from ThoughtFarmer is a great choice for encouraging and facilitating employee productivity, information sharing, and participation. Additionally, ThoughtFarmer provides a safe environment by letting you host your program locally. The user-friendly design of ThoughtFarmer's UI facilitates effortless video- and text-based communication.

With the ThoughtFarmer Slack integration, you can see a preview of any intranet page URL in a Slack chat, complete with the page's title, thumbnail picture, and a snippet of the content. Likewise, if you paste a person's intranet profile URL into a Slack channel, you'll see all of their biography information appear there. 

Using the integration, you can also conduct an internal search within Slack and share the results with the appropriate group. 

Wrapping up 

Slack can be an effective intranet tool for improving internal communication and collaboration. In this guide, we've covered everything from the fundamentals of setting up a Slack intranet to the more complex features, such as plugins and integrations, that can greatly enhance its usefulness. 

It is evident that Slack can serve as an intranet, and with the proper integrations, it can become even more useful for your organization.