Internal knowledge and manuals compiled and shared like Wikipedia are called “internal wiki.” Since sharing a wiki using Slack’s “chat function” causes information to flow, it is common to manage knowledge using other “internal wiki tools.
However, many people may wonder, “Since we are exchanging work via Slack, is there any way to manage knowledge in Slack”?
In this issue, we will focus on how to manage knowledge in Slack like an internal wiki for below people.
- “I’m having trouble with messages flowing at every turn in Slack.”
- “I want to know how to manage knowledge in Slack”
- “I want to accumulate knowledge shared in Slack more easily”
If so, this article will help you learn how to use Slack as an internal wiki and create a mechanism to access shared information immediately.
Contents
3 ways to manage knowledge in Slack like an internal wiki
Slack does not have an “internal wiki function,” but you can use other features to manage your knowledge. Below are three typical uses.
Method 1｜Use the new “Slack Canvas” feature
First, we will explain how to share knowledge with members using Slack’s “Slack Canvas,” a new feature implemented in April 2023 for “organizing team information” that cannot be handled by chat.
How to use Slack Canvas
(1) First, open the channel you wish to share information with and click the “note icon” in the upper right corner. (1) First, open the channel you want to share information with and click on the “note icon” in the upper right corner.
(2) Once you have chosen a template, fill in the information you want to share within the channel, including not only images and files, but you can also insert Slack Canvas images from other channels.
In this way, Slack Canvas can be used like a bulletin board to share knowledge about the channel’s content, such as “project overviews” or “simple manuals.
However, in the free version, only one Slack Canvas can be created per channel. Therefore, it is important to note that it is not suitable for sharing detailed information or storing manuals.
Method 2｜Use the post function
By using the post function, you can share announcements and knowledge in a single document with your members through a specific channel.
How to use the post function
(1) First, create a dedicated channel to manage the internal wiki. To create a new channel, click [+Add Channel] on the left menu, then [+Create New Channel], and create a channel with a name like “#Information Sharing”.
(2) After opening the channel you created, click the [plus icon] in the lower left corner and select [Create Post].
(3) When the post screen appears as shown below, enter the in-house wiki directly. When you have completed the entry, press [Share] in the upper right corner.
(4) When a pop-up window appears, select the channel where you want to post the post and press [Share]. On this screen, you can also add a comment that will appear when you post.
(5) After pressing “Share,” the post will be shared to the chat box as shown below. You can edit the content of the post after it has been posted, if necessary.
In this way, you can consolidate your internal wiki into an information sharing channel. You can summarize more information in a post than you can type in the chat, but be aware that as more posts are made, the post itself will flow, making it difficult to find information later.
Method 3｜Use the bookmark function
Using the bookmark function, you can look back on messages later. However, note that you cannot manage bookmarks by category.
How to use the bookmark function
(1) Place the cursor over a message to bookmark it from the menu.
(2) Click “Later” from the sidebar on the left side of the screen to display a list of the corresponding messages.
The above operations can be used to bookmark a message, allowing you to accumulate important messages for personal review.
On the other hand, for a team where “all information is important and bookmarking is meaningless,” there is no point because knowledge will flow away if nothing is done. To deal with such cases, it is effective to work with Stock, where all information can be easily left behind.
4 Disadvantages of Managing Knowledge in Slack
Here are four disadvantages of managing knowledge with Slack: Slack is not a tool for knowledge management, so the following points should be noted when using it.
First, Slack has the disadvantage that shared information can flow.
With chat tools like Slack, messages flow one after another, so it takes time to go back and find the information you need. In addition, although there is a search function for messages, it is troublesome to check the messages when there are many applicable messages.
As mentioned above, due to the nature of Slack as a chat tool, important internal wikis are lost and it is difficult to review them later.
(2) The UI (design) has changed.
The second disadvantage is that the UI (design) has changed. Most recently, there was a major design change in August 2023.
The August 2023 update changed the overall design of the tool, but the most significant change was the creation of “Home” on the left side of the screen. This change consolidates information from multiple workspaces into “Home”.
Although it is now easier to switch between multiple workspaces (e.g., your company and client companies), it may be difficult to use because all notifications are now in one place.
Thus, it is important to note that a change in design can suddenly change the user experience.
(3) It is troublesome to compile information
The third disadvantage of managing knowledge in Slack is that it is troublesome to accumulate information.
For example, if knowledge is disseminated by channel, such as “department” or “project,” the dispersed knowledge must be summarized by individuals.
Therefore, in a situation where channels are disorganized, only the knowledge must be extracted and summarized, which is cumbersome. As a result, the workload of editing the knowledge may become even more burdensome.
(4) Free plans have a short knowledge retention period.
The fourth disadvantage is that Slack’s free plans have a short message retention period.
Specifically, the messages that can be viewed with Slack’s free plans are limited to “the last 90 days. In other words, without a paid plan, you cannot view messages or files that were shared three months ago.
Since many of the knowledge used in companies is 6 months or several years old, the “loss of past history” is a major disadvantage for the accumulation of knowledge.
On the other hand, if you use Stock, which can be linked to Slack, you can keep important knowledge older than 90 days even with the free plan, so you can continue to use Slack.
A List of internal wiki management tools that can be integrated with Slack
The following is a list of internal wiki and knowledge management tools that can be integrated with Slack.
Since Slack is a chat tool, messages flow one after another, making it difficult to review them later. Therefore, in order to accumulate documents and business manuals, they should be managed in conjunction with another tool.
On the other hand, there are many in-house wiki tools, but “simple-to-use” ones are limited. Most in-house wiki tools are multifunctional and difficult to operate, and they do not spread throughout the company because not all members can master their use.
Therefore, the best tool that should be linked to Slack is Stock, which does not have too many or not enough functions required for an in-house wiki and can be easily used by anyone who is not familiar with IT.
Stock allows you to create “Folders” for each customer or project and leave knowledge in “Notes” within the folders, so there is no need to worry about information flow. In addition, “Messages” associated with the notes allow for smooth communication regarding internal wikis.
Stock | The easiest tool to keep your team informed
The simplest tool to stock information "Stock"
https://www.stock-app.info/en/
Stock is the simplest tool to stock information. Stock solves the problem, "there is no easy way to stock information within the company".
With Stock, anyone can easily store all kinds of information, including text information such as requirements, images, and files, using the Note feature.
In addition, by using the "Task" and "Message" functions, you can communicate with each topic described in the Note, so that information is not dispersed here and there and work can always be carried out in an organized manner.
＜Why do we recommend Stock?＞
- A tool for companies that are not familiar with ITYou don't need to have any IT expertise to get started.
- Simple and usable by anyoneStock is so simple that anyone can use it without any unnecessary features.
- Amazingly easy information storing and task managementIt is amazingly easy to store information such as shared information within a company, and intuitive task management is also possible.
＜Stock's pricing＞
- Free plan ：Free
- Business plan ：$5 / User / Month
- Enterprise plan ：$10 / User / Month
Confluence ｜ A multifunctional tool for engineers
Features of Confluence
- Integration with project management tools
- A wide variety of templates are available
By integrating with the project management tool “Jira Software”, development-related documents can be shared smoothly.
Various types of templates are available for project management, strategic planning, human resources, etc., so you don’t have to think about the structure of your knowledge from the beginning.
Notes of Confluence
- Tools for engineers
It is difficult for non-engineers to use because it is designed for engineers, such as integration with Jira Software and Markdown.
Pricing of Confluence
- Free： Free of charge
- Standard： $6.05/user/month (monthly payment)
- Premium： $11.55/user/month (monthly payment)
- Enterprise: You need inquiry
How to work with Confluence
(1) Access the Confluence Cloud page in the Slack App directory.
(2) Next, click “Add to Slack”.
(3) Select “Allow” on the following screen.
(4) Once the integration is complete, it will appear in the left sidebar of the Slack screen.
What you can do with Slack integration
By linking Slack and Confluence, you can receive notifications in Slack when documents in Confluence are updated.
Guru | An internal wiki tool for storing internal information
Features of Guru
- Mobile support
- Connects with a variety of apps
Guru allows users to browse knowledge while on the go or on the move, regardless of location.
Guru can be integrated not only with Slack, but also with Microsoft Teams and Gmail.
Note of Guru
- Free plan does not allow permission management
Free plans do not allow users to limit permissions, such as who can create or view knowledge.
Pricing of Guru
- Free trial: Free of charge
- Builder: $12/user/month (paid monthly)
- Enterprise: You need inquiry
How to integrate with Guru
(1) Access the Guru service page in the Slack App directory.
(2) Click “Add to Slack.
(3) Sign up for Guru.
(4) Select “Workspace Setting” from the account logo in the upper right corner.
(5) Select “Apps and Integrations” from the left menu and click “Add Slack workspace” for Slack.
(6) Select “Allow” at the bottom of the screen.
(7) Finally, when the “Linkage Completed” screen appears, you are done.
What you can do with Slack integration
When Slack and Guru are linked, you can edit and view knowledge in Guru from Slack.
Summary of how to manage knowledge like an internal wiki in Slack
We have focused on how to manage knowledge in Slack and recommended collaborative tools that can be used as an internal wiki.
Slack is useful for real-time communication, but the more messages you send, the more information flows. Therefore, it is not suitable as an in-house wiki to manage “stock information” such as manuals and minutes.
Therefore, it is necessary to collaborate with “a tool that can easily leave all kinds of information as well as create an in-house wiki”. However, there is a fear that employees may not be able to properly use a multifunctional tool, so the criterion must be “can people who are not good at IT use it.
In conclusion, the tool that your company should choose is “Stock”, which has no excess or deficiency of functions required for an internal wiki and can be easily integrated with Slack.
It only takes one minute to register for free, so using Stock and integrate it with Slack as well to improve the efficiency of internal information sharing.
