Slack
Taylor Halliday
Co-Founder
10 minutes
A Slack ticketing system (AKA conversational ticketing) turns messages in channels or DMs into trackable tickets with fields, owners, and approvals so teams resolve requests faster without switching tools. You can launch a basic setup in one day using shared help channels, short request forms, DM to ticket rules, and a simple CSAT survey.
If you want the concept and evaluation first, read our overview page “Slack Helpdesk: What It Is, When It Works, and How to Evaluate”. If you are ready to go live now, follow the guide below. It is designed for IT Ops leaders who need a clear path, low risk, and proof in the numbers.
TL;DR:
Start small. Two Slack channels, four request types, and short forms are enough to go live.
Use shortcuts, slash commands, emoji, and a bot to convert any Slack message into a new ticket.
Keep approvals, notifications, and status updates in the same thread so work stays visible.
Track SLA, response times, resolution times, CSAT, and DM to ticket capture in a simple dashboard.
Baseline: Channels, Fields, and Request Types for a Slack Helpdesk
A one-day rollout works when you start small and make the rules obvious. Think of this baseline as your minimum viable ticketing system. You can add depth later without breaking habits.
Create These Channels
#it-help as the front door for internal tech support.
#hr-help if HR will join in the first week.
#helpdesk-triage as a private channel where agents coordinate handoffs and escalations.
Pin a short set of rules so everyone knows how to ask for help and how work gets tracked. Keep it plain and easy to skim.
Channel Rules
Ask here instead of DMs.
Use short forms for Access, Password or MFA, Hardware, New hire, and Offboarding.
If a DM slips through, react with a specific emoji (🎫) and it becomes a ticket.
Updates and approvals stay in the thread for a complete history.
Start With Five Request Types and Only the Fields You Truly Need
These are the initial five request types that we suggest you start a Slack ticketing system with.
Access: Access is your most common request. These fields remove bottlenecks and make approvals simple.
Fields: App, role, reason, manager, needed by, risk flag.
Password or MFA: These tickets move faster when you collect device details up front.
Fields: App, device or OS, last successful login, urgency.
Hardware: These fields inform both IT and Finance and prevent extra approvals later.
Fields: Item, business reason, cost center, needed by
New Hire: Onboarding is a checklist. A few fields help you auto-create the sub-tasks.
Fields: Start date, department, manager, role, device needs, app bundle
Offboarding: You need accuracy and proof. These inputs get you both.
Fields: Last day, manager, apps to revoke, laptop return method
Build each type as a short Slack form or workflow shortcut. The goal is simple: gather the right details once so agents can help quickly without chasing context.
Close this step with a 10-minute dry run. Submit one of each request type yourself, confirm the fields are clear, and tune the wording that may cause confusion. Getting the baseline right keeps everything else smooth.
DM to Ticket Rules using Shortcuts, Slash Commands, and Emojis in a Slack Ticketing System
Most internal IT support starts in private messages on Slack. If you do nothing about it, real work stays invisible, and your productivity reports will never match reality. A short rule and one easy action can turn all Slack DMs into trackable tickets.
How to Create a New Ticket in Slack
Use a short form, a Workflow shortcut, or a /ticket slash command to convert any Slack message into a support ticket.
A light bot copies the DM context, tags the right Slack channel, and sets the request type and priority.
Keep the requester in the loop. The thread becomes the place for updates, attachments, and the final CSAT survey.
Here is how Slack-native agentic integrations like Ravenna help you create and manage tickets.
Policy Text You Can Paste Into #it-help
DM to ticket: If a request needs tracking, react with a specific emoji (🎫) in the DM. A ticket opens with DM context, the requester is added to the new thread, and all updates stay in that thread.
How to Measure the Impact of Your New Ticketing System
DM to Ticket Capture Rate: Tickets created from DMs divided by total DMs that contain a request. Aim for 60 to 80 percent by week four.
Backlog Visibility: Track how many tickets move from hidden DMs into your queue. This often explains why teams feel busy but charts look flat.
A clear DM to ticket rule is the fastest way to earn trust with leadership. You will finally be able to show where time goes and why the team needs automation or staffing.
Approvals, Notifications, and Escalations with an Audit Trail in a Slack Ticketing System
Approvals create delays when they happen in email or in side chats. Bring approvals into the Slack thread so decisions happen faster and you have a history for audits and security reviews.
Standard Approval Chain for Access
Manager confirms business need.
App owner approves the role or scope.
Agent or automation completes the change.
Copy Blocks You Can Use
Approval Request
“Please review this access request for {App}. Approve or reject with a reason. Decision will be recorded in this thread.”Approval Reminder
“This request needs a decision. If we do not hear back in 60 minutes, it auto-escalates to the app owner.”Decision Logging
“All approvals and rejections must be posted in this thread. Decisions in other channels or DMs will not be honored.”
Time Controls
First reminder at 30 to 60 minutes.
Escalation to the next approver if the decision times out.
SLA breach notice if response time slips, visible to the triage channel.
Tips for Consistency
Timebox approvals with clear reminders.
Require a short note on rejections so the requester knows the next step.
Use a private channel for sensitive steps, but link the final decision back to the public thread.
A clean approval history lowers risk and makes audits straightforward. It also shortens the long tail of tickets that go quiet because someone missed a message.
If you serve external users through Slack Connect, keep the same approval pattern. It keeps the history clean for security and customer satisfaction checks.
Triage Views in Slack that Update in Real Time
Your team needs a single place to see what matters right now. Build the following lists so the team does not bounce between tools to figure out what to do next.
Core Views to Set Up
Today: All tickets opened in the last 24 hours.
Overdue: Tickets that missed first response or resolution targets.
Unassigned: Tickets waiting for an owner.
Waiting on Requester: Tickets paused until the requester replies.
My Tickets: Each agent’s personal queue.
Working Habits to Maintain Your Slack Ticketing System
Assign every new ticket within minutes so ownership is clear.
Post one-line handoff notes when tickets move between agents.
Use a simple status set such as open, in progress, waiting on requester, or resolved.
Share a daily summary in #helpdesk-triage so the team sees progress.
Daily rhythm:
Start of day: Assign Unassigned, check response times, and confirm owners.
Midday: Review Overdue, post quick comments to unblock, and rebalance queues with routing by type or priority.
End of day: Close resolved issues, add final notes, and request CSAT.
When agents can see what is due today, what is stuck, and what is waiting on someone else, response times drop without adding headcount. These triage habits improve team collaboration and reduce context switching.
Reporting and Metrics for a Slack Ticketing System: SLA, Response Times, Resolution Times, & CSAT
A Slack ticketing system should show real improvement in your numbers. Track a small set of metrics every week using definitions your team trusts. Keep the math simple so trends are easy to see.
Metrics to Track Weekly
Metric | How to Calculate | Its Impact |
MTTR | Median time from open to close, by request type | Shows where delays live and which flows to fix first |
First response time | Median time from open to first agent reply | Sets expectations and lowers escalations |
SLA hit rate | Tickets meeting response and resolution targets divided by total | Predictability for the business and staffing clarity |
CSAT | One-question rating at closure | Direct signal on experience and clarity |
AI or self-service containment | Tickets resolved by knowledge or automations divided by the total eligible | Fewer repetitive tickets reach agents |
DM to ticket capture | Tickets created from DMs divided by total DM requests | Turns invisible work into measurable work |
How to Set Up CSAT in 30 Seconds
Ask a one-question rating when a ticket closes: “How was the help you received?” with a 1 to 5 scale and an optional comment. Post the result in the thread so agents see feedback and can reply with thanks or next steps.
Weekly Review Checklist
Look at MTTR by request type, not just the average.
Scan overdue tickets and ask why they stalled.
Compare CSAT on automated flows against manual flows.
Share one improvement you will ship before next week.
Knowledge Answers and Self-Service
Connect Notion, Confluence, or Google Drive so routine questions get answered in the thread. Track the self-service rate next to CSAT. A rising answer rate usually pairs with better customer experience and faster queues.
Close this section by scheduling a 15-minute weekly Slack ticketing system review. Look at the dashboard, pick one improvement, and ship it.
If you want formulas and example dashboards, see ITSM analytics with AI.
Slack Ticketing System Go-Live Checklist
You can go live in one day if you stick to a tight script. Use this schedule and you will have a working Slack ticketing system by the end of the day.
Morning: Build the Foundation
Create #it-help and #helpdesk-triage and set channel topics.
Pin the rules and the five request-type forms.
Turn on DM to ticket conversion with an emoji or shortcut.
Set first response and resolution targets for each request type.
Do a dry run for Access and Password tickets.
Afternoon: Add Control and Feedback
Configure approvals for Access and set reminders at 60 minutes.
Add CSAT on closure and test it end-to-end.
Create triage views for ‘Today’, ‘Overdue’, ‘Unassigned’, ‘Waiting on Requester’, and ‘My Tickets’.
Publish a simple weekly dashboard for MTTR, first response, SLA hit rate, CSAT, and DM to ticket capture.
Announce go-live with a short message in #it-help and host a 15-minute office hours slot.
Launch Message
We now have a Slack ticketing system for support requests. Use the short forms for Access, Password or MFA, Hardware, New hire, and Offboarding.
If a DM comes in, react with 🎫 to turn it into a ticket.
Approvals and updates will appear in the same thread.
Questions this week are welcome in the channel or at the office hours today at 2 pm.
Close the day by confirming your dashboard is updating. Once you see the first CSATs and a clear view of unassigned and overdue tickets, you are officially live.
Day Two Plan
Stand up a simple dashboard. First response, resolution time, SLA %, CSAT, DM to ticket capture, and self-service rate.
Hold a 20-minute retro with the team. Remove one step that caused back and forth. Pick the next flow to automate, usually onboarding or offboarding.
This approach gets you value even if you don’t have a big project plan. It also creates a foundation that is easy to extend.
Templates for Adaptation
Here are some blocks to use in your channel topics, policy pages, or workflow descriptions.
Channel Topic for #it-help: Ask questions here. Use forms for Access, Password or MFA, Hardware, New hire, and Offboarding. If a DM turns into real work, react with 🎫, and it becomes a ticket.
Access Request Fields: App, role, reason, manager, needed by, and risk flag.
Approval Reminder Text: This request needs a decision. If there is no response within 60 minutes, it auto-escalates to the app owner.
Status Definitions:
Open: ticket created.
In progress: an agent is working on it.
Waiting on requester: we need more info.
Resolved: the request is done.
Short, consistent language keeps everyone on track and reduces confusion or back-and-forth.
Congrats on creating your new Slack ticketing system!
Where Ravenna Helps
You can launch the basics with Slack forms and a few rules. When you want answers and actions in one flow, Ravenna’s AI-powered Service Management platform helps you go further without adding a new portal.
Slack-First: Requests, approvals, updates, and CSAT stay in Slack so people are not forced into a separate app.
Agents That Act: Collect the right details, route intelligently, trigger manager and app-owner approvals, and complete common actions like access provisioning or password resets.
Use Existing Knowledge: Connect Notion, Confluence, and Google Drive so trusted content answers “How do I” questions in the thread, and capture outcomes to find content gaps.
Built‑in Analytics: MTTR, first response, SLA hit rate, containment, time saved, and DM to ticket capture are ready for your weekly review without spreadsheet work.
With a steady foundation, initial basic request types, DM to ticket rules, approvals in the thread, simple triage views, and a small dashboard, you can go live with a Slack ticketing system in a single day. The real gains show up in the numbers and in how calm your team feels by week two.
If you want help mapping this to your workspace, schedule a demo and we will show you the exact steps that fit your workflows.
FAQs
Is Slack a ticketing system?
Slack becomes a ticketing system when messages and forms turn into trackable support tickets with fields, owners, and approvals. A bot and a light Slack integration handle ticket creation, status, and CSAT without leaving your Slack workspace.
How do I create tickets in Slack?
Use a short form, a slash command like /ticket, or a Workflow shortcut to convert any Slack message into a new ticket. A bot sets the request type and priority, then posts updates in the thread.
Do we still need a portal?
Some teams keep a portal for external users, long forms, or legacy processes. Most mid-market companies handle daily internal work in Slack and sync out to Jira, Zendesk, or Salesforce only when needed.
How do we get approvals in Slack?
Post the approval request to the ticket thread, ping the approver, set a reminder, and record the decision in that thread. For access, use the manager first, then the app owner.
How do we measure success?
Track MTTR, first response time, SLA hit rate, CSAT, containment, and DM to ticket capture. Review them weekly and share one improvement you will ship before next week.
