# How to Connect Slack to Lookout


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Connecting **Slack** to Lookout lets your team talk to the same agent via messages or a bound channel, without opening the web app. They can ask questions, pull metrics, and get answers right in the conversation.

{{< image src="images/lookout/slack-chat.png" alt="Asking the Lookout agent a question in Slack and getting a chart back" width="55%" class="mx-auto d-block" >}}

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Slack is an **access surface**, not a data source. It changes where you talk to the agent. The answers still come from the systems that Lookout is connected to, like your [warehouse]({{< ref "lookout/integrations/warehouses.md" >}}).
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## Install Slack

Workspace admins can install Slack from **Settings** > **Integrations** via Slack OAuth. Once installed, the settings page shows your installation, linked users, channel bindings, and available commands.

{{< image src="images/lookout/slack-connection-settings.webp" alt="Slack connection settings in Lookout" >}}

## Slack commands

From Slack, your team can use a few simple commands:

| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| `/lookout connect` | Link your Slack account to a workspace |
| `/lookout setup` | Bind a channel to a workspace |
| `/lookout status` | Show your current connection — the linked workspace, or the channel's binding |
| `/lookout help` | Show available commands |

## Linked users and guest access

- **Linked users** act as their full workspace identity, with thread-to-session continuity so a conversation can pick up where it left off. A Slack user can link their account with `/lookout connect`.
- **Guest access** lets Slack users who haven't yet linked an account ask **read-only** questions in bound channels and DMs. It is **on by default** — an admin can disable it with the **Allow guest access in Slack** toggle on the Slack settings. See [Roles and Permissions]({{< ref "lookout/workspaces/roles.md" >}}) for details on how guest access fits into the workspace model.

## Channel bindings

Binding a channel to a workspace routes messages in that channel to Lookout's agent for that workspace. Note that users may still need to run `/lookout connect` unless guest access is enabled. 

Binding is done in Slack with `/lookout setup` by any workspace member. Admins can view and unbind channels from the **Channel Bindings** section on **Settings** > **Integrations**.

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