Set up direct messages
Direct messages require one configuration: an Agent connected to your workspace’s Slack , the system channel that handles direct message conversations.1
Open the Agent
Go to Agents and open the Agent you want answering direct messages.
2
Connect the Slack channel
Open the Connections tab, then connect the workspace’s Slack channel from the Channels card.
How many Agents a channel holds
Slack and Portal are system channels, and both hold as many Agents as you connect. Every other channel holds a single Agent.
Connect several Agents to the Slack channel when different Agents should answer different kinds of request. Routing then chooses between them per conversation, as described in How it works.
Learn more about Agent configuration to customize behavior, rules, and knowledge sources
Start a conversation
Chat with Ravenna the same way you message a coworker.1
Open Ravenna in Slack
Slack groups AI apps under Agents in the sidebar. Click Ravenna there to open a conversation.You can also add Ravenna to the agent picker in the top right of Slack, which puts it within reach from anywhere in the app.
2
Send a message
Send a message in the Messages tab to start a conversation.
3
Continue in threads
The agent replies in-thread, so each request keeps its own context. Reply in a thread to continue that conversation, or send a new message to start another one.
Agents in the Slack sidebar is Slack’s own label for AI apps. It is not the same thing as a Ravenna Agent, which is the assistant you configure in Ravenna and connect to a channel.
How it works
Direct messages are answered by an Agent connected to a Slack channel. The Agent follows all its configured settings when responding, just as it would in a public channel.Agent behavior
Agent behavior
The Agent responds according to its configuration, including:
- Rules and escalation instructions
- Knowledge sources and tools
- Personality, tone, and response length
- Auto-submit and response delay settings
Which Agent answers
Which Agent answers
Every Agent connected to a Slack channel anywhere in your organization is a candidate, across all workspaces. How one is chosen depends on your organization’s Slack Direct Message Routing setting in organization settings:
- Routing on: your first message is classified and the best-fit Agent answers. Because a Slack channel can hold several Agents, this picks between Agents, not just between workspaces.
- Routing off: you are asked to select a workspace before the conversation starts.
- Which knowledge sources are available
- Which channel receives tickets if created
- Which workspace settings apply to the conversation
Automatic ticket creation
Automatic ticket creation
When the Agent cannot answer a question, conversations automatically convert to tickets for human support. The ticket is created in the workspace’s Slack channel and includes the full conversation history.
Conversation history
Conversation history
All conversations live in the standard Messages tab of the Ravenna app, each in its own thread. Scroll back to review past conversations and reply in a thread to continue where you left off.
File attachments
File attachments
Share files directly in a direct message. The Agent reads PDFs, images, and other supported documents, then uses their contents to answer questions or prefill ticket forms. The Agent briefly waits for the upload to finish before responding so the file contents are available when it replies.Learn more about file handling in agents.