How to Schedule Recurring Messages in Slack

Using Slack and wanting to stay on top of tasks without any hassle? Schedule recurring messages in Slack by following the simple methods we share in today’s blog post with no more manual follow-ups. Slack’s built-in tools and handy third-party options allow you to schedule automated reminders in no time. Let’s find out which may work for your company.

What is a Recurring Message?

What is a Recurring Message Look, while working during busy hours, it’s pretty common to forget your “to-do” things. That’s where repetitive reminders save you. They pop up on your computer screen or your mobile phone at regular intervals as a reminder of important tasks. You, any of your team members, or your digital channel can receive these messages from the Slack app.

Now let’s think about what these messages are about? They can be some daily “motivational quote,” or message like, “don’t forget to enter your log hours.” Similarly, they can be about updates or news. Overall, they help you and anyone included in your team to stay motivated, updated and ensure maximum compliance with the daily tasks. You can understand how helpful they’re to let nothing slip through cracks.

2 Effective Methods to Schedule Recurring Messages in Slack

Top 2 Most Effective Methods to Schedule Recurring Messages in Slack You can use several methods to send recurring messages via Slack. But here are the most effective ways along with details of when to use them.

a. Sending Recurring Messages through Slack

One of the most effective ways to send recurring Slack reminders is by using Slack itself. Slack has also shared simple ways to schedule these reminders. Here is how and when you can use each of them:

Slash (/) Command

Better to call the typical Slack way of sending recurring messages; the slash (/) reminder command is the simplest method. You can use this method to schedule your reminders uniformly. For instance, if you send an announcement to you, your team, or your channel on all 5 business days, opt for this method. Or, every Friday, your team is required to attend the meeting, so send them the recurring message via the slash method.

Here is how to use it.

Type /remind in the chat box.
Add the person or channel you want to remind (e.g., @user or #channel).
Specify the message you want to send.
Set the interval (like “every Monday” or “daily”).
Add the time when you want the reminder to appear.

Use Incredibly Simple Slash Method for:

Reminding your team about daily log hours.
Scheduling weekly check-ins, such as sharing the weekly schedule for Monday morning or Friday wrap-ups.
Sending yourself personal reminders to remember something important.

Despite being convenient, this super simple /remind command doesn’t work for advanced scheduling. For example, if you want to send recurring messages on custom intervals (e.g., every third Wednesday), / a reminder won’t help you. So, use some full-fledged scheduling tools.

b. Sending Recurring Messages in Slack Using “Automations”

Didn’t the ( / ) method work for scheduling custom reminders? Slack’s “Automations” are a better alternative to the previously discussed slash method. They let you send recurring messages for custom schedules without needing complex codes or installing plugins.

Here is how to use it.

Click on “Three dots” to go to the more options in the sidebar.
Select “Automations.”
In more, tap on “Create Workflow.”
Choose “Create Workflow.”
Click “On a schedule” to set the schedule for the automation: daily, weekly, or hourly.
After setting the trigger, define what actions to take. Click on “Add Step,” then select “Send” a message.
Craft your message and choose your targeted channel.
After configuring your workflow, review it for accuracy.
Click “Finish Up,” and then Publish your workflow to activate it.

What Customization Options Automations Offer?

Slack lets you choose:

Frequency, like daily, weekly, monthly—you decide how often.
Different channels for different messages
Message content including emojis, format text, or include files

Use Automations Method for:

Sending recurring messages regarding project updates to keep everyone on track.
Sharing motivational quotes or fun facts to help your team start a day on a positive note.
Sending deadline alerts to remind team members of project compliance.

These automations make sure essential messages never get buried, so everyone’s always up to date.

c. Advanced Scheduling with “/Schedule”

You have to send different recurring messages with a down-to-minute and zones’ control over timing? Slack’s premium “/schedule” command, with its advanced scheduling options, goes beyond basics. This specialized tool lets you send reminders or messages repeatedly with more flexibility when working with teams in different time zones. You can even customize your reminders down to the minute.

Here’s how to set it up:

Type /schedule in the Slack channel or direct message.
Customize the timing and frequency, e.g., daily, on specific weekdays, or every few hours.
Add your message and target channel or user.
Confirm and schedule the message.

Use Advanced Scheduling for:

Sending reminders after every few days or on specific weekdays (like Tuesday and Thursday).
Landing your message at the right time when working with cross-timezone teams
Scheduling reminders for post-meeting action items so everything is remembered.

Advanced scheduling has the least limitations as it lets you build more customized Slack reminders without getting too complex.

2. Third-Party Tools

Slack’s built-in options are great but fall short for meeting the needs of big business with their more frequent, detailed recurring messages, which need to be sent on different locations following complex schedules. There, third-party tools step in with extra flexibility and features to let you set up complex reminders, automate team check-ins, and manage workflows without manual input.

Among these tools and services, Geekbot and Recurrr are handy tools. Here is how each of them can help you with your more professional reminders:

Geekbot

A popular Slack add-on, Geekbot makes recurring messages easy and organized. Initially, it could only help streamline team stand-ups, but now it covers everything from daily updates to custom reminders to help teams stay in sync without extra effort. It helps you check in with your team, gather feedback, and get status updates remotely.

Here is how to use GeekBot:

Create an account on the Geekbot website by signing up.
Connect Geekbot to Slack by allowing essential permissions.
Customize your bot by selecting the frequency, time, and recipients for the recurring messages.
Once integrated, Geekbot handles all of your reminders on your Slack like a bot assistant.

Use Geekbot For:

Utilizing robust scheduling options that go beyond Slack’s basic tools.
Setting up daily, weekly, or monthly reminders, or even creating custom intervals that your unique business needs
Following up automatically with team members
Helping team members respond directly within Slack for quick check-ins, polls, or feedback
Aligning teams that need quick morning or end-of-day updates.

#### Limitations

Although Geekbot offers a range of pricing tiers and free plans that also cover the basics, you can’t stay with their limited functionality, especially if you have a large enterprise. So, as soon as you go with paid plans to unlock advanced scheduling, reporting, and customization features, it comes with a cost.

Recurrr

Recurrr.com stands out as a top alternative for scheduling recurring messages when you want to send them directly, even without using Slack. By mentioning Recurrr here, we mean to look at your recurring message sending problem from a whole new perspective. Are you wondering how does recurrr work? Recurrr allows you to send recurring messages through emails with more security.

Since these messages are sent to your contacts via email, they’re completely encrypted. But by being safe it doesn’t mean to be challenging to use. You don’t need an installation. Just go to the platform and start your free trial without a debit card and start using recurrr to send all types of recurring emails—you’ll get complete value from sending sharing updates, schedules and regular meeting reminders. Want to know more about recurrr makes you a better alternative to Slack?

Here is why:

Starting with Recurrr is straightforward; you need a simple signup instead of installing heavy desktop or mobile apps.
You can sign up for a free trial with recurrr’s in just 5 minutes and send or schedule your emails with a few clicks.
Recurrr’s military-grade AES-256 encryption system takes care of your information and contacts.
You can fully customize your recurring message’s schedule from minutes to days, all 24/7.
Recurr respects your privacy. So, your email contents are private—even Recurrr doesn’t read, share or use them.

Limitations

Although recurrrr makes an overall best alternative for Slack’s recurring messages, it doesn’t replace the complex scheduling you can do while staying with Slack. That’s why working with multi-location teams can be a bit challenging for big enterprises.