Use the virtual service agent in Slack

To use the virtual service agent in Slack, you need to have several channels set up:

• an agent channel, which is only accessible by agents and admins, and allows agents to assign, triage, comment, and work on issues

• one or more request channels, where your customers can engage with the virtual service agent to get assistance and create issues

You need to be a project admin to set up or change your virtual service agent Slack channels.

Today, you can only use Slack or Microsoft Teams with your project – not both.

Create an agent channel

To create a new Slack channel to use as your agent channel:

1. From your service project, select Project settings, then Channels & self service, then Chat .

   1. If you still need to install Atlassian Assist or log in to Slack, select Connect Slack and follow the prompts.

2. Select Create agent channel.

To use an existing Slack channel as your agent channel:

1. Go to the Slack channel you want to use.

   1. If it's a public Slack channel, convert it to private.

2. Add Assist to the channel:

   1. Send /add as a message in the channel.

   2. Select Add apps to this channel.

   3. Search for Assist.

   4. Select Add.

   5. When prompted, choose Agent channel.

   6. Select the Jira Service Management project you want to use with the virtual service agent.

3. Invite agents and admins to the channel (type /invite).

Create or add a request channel

To add a customer-facing Slack request channel:

1. In Slack, create a new channel, or go to the channel you want to use as a request channel.

2. Add Assist to the channel:

   1. Send /add as a message in the channel.

   2. Select Add apps to this channel.

   3. Search for Assist.

   4. Select Add.

   5. When prompted, choose Request channel.

   6. Select the Jira Service Management project you want to use with the virtual service agent.

3. Go to your Jira Service Management project.

4. From your service project, select Project settings, then Channels & self service, then Virtual service agent.

5. Select Settings.

6. Select Channels.

7. Your request channel should appear in the list.

Turn the virtual service agent on or off in Slack request channels

To turn off the virtual service agent in Slack:

1. From your service project, select Project settings, then Channels & self service, then Chat .

2. Select Slack.

3. Select Edit () next to the Slack request channel you want to turn the virtual service agent on or off in.

   1. Select Virtual service agent to turn on the virtual service agent.

   2. Select Automatic issue creation or Manual issue creation to turn off the virtual service agent. Read more about automatic issue creation, or read about manual issue creation.

4. Select Save changes.