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Getting Slack API Keys

This guide walks you through creating a Slack App and collecting the necessary API credentials to connect Slack with your chatbot.

Setup Steps

Step 1: Create Your Slack App

Visit https://api.slack.com/apps and sign in to your Slack account.

Click Create New App. You’ll see two options:

  • From scratch — Choose this, enter an app name (e.g., “AI Chatbot”), and select your workspace
  • From an app manifest — Use a template configuration

Click Create App. You’ll be redirected to the Basic Information page.

Step 2: Collect Signing Secret

On the Basic Information page, find the App Credentials section.

Find the Signing Secret, click Show, then copy it. You’ll paste this into Limb later.

Step 3: Configure Bot Token Scopes

Navigate to OAuth & Permissions in the left sidebar.

Scroll down to the Scopes section and find Bot Token Scopes.

Click Add an OAuth Scope and add each of the following scopes one by one. Use the copy button to copy each scope:

chat:write
chat:write.public
channels:read
channels:history
groups:read
groups:history
im:read
im:write
mpim:read
mpim:write
users:read
users:read.email
app_mentions:read
channels:manage
groups:write

After Adding Scopes: A green Install to {your-workspace-name} button will become active within seconds. All 15 scopes are required — Limb will not allow saving the API key unless all scopes are configured.

Important: If you modify scopes after installation, you must reinstall the app to your workspace for the changes to take effect.

Step 4: Install App to Workspace

After adding all the scopes, scroll back up to the OAuth Tokens for Your Workspace section.

The green Install to {your-workspace-name} button should now be active.

  1. Click the green Install to {your-workspace-name} button
  2. You’ll be redirected to {your-workspace}.slack.com
  3. Review the app permissions that will be granted
  4. Click Allow to authorize the app

After authorization, you’ll be redirected back to the OAuth & Permissions page.

Step 5: Copy Bot User OAuth Token

Now that the app is installed, the Bot User OAuth Token input will appear in the OAuth Tokens section of the OAuth & Permissions page.

Copy this token — it starts with xoxb-.

Step 6: Generate App-Level Token

Navigate back to Basic Information in the left sidebar.

Scroll down to the App-Level Tokens section and click Generate Token and Scopes.

A popup will appear:

  1. Token Name: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Chatbot Connection”)
  2. Add Scope: Click and add 
    connections:write
    scope
  3. Click Generate
  4. Copy the generated token (starts with xapp-)

Step 7: Using Your Credentials

You now have all three required credentials:

  • ✅ Signing Secret
  • ✅ Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-)
  • ✅ App-Level Token (starts with xapp-)

When configuring Slack features in your chatbot (notifications, live agent, etc.), you’ll be prompted to select or add Slack API keys. A popup will appear where you can enter all three credentials and save your configuration.

You’re All Set! Your Slack integration is configured. You should now be able to list channels and use all Slack features.

Troubleshooting

Can’t List Channels

If you can’t see channels in Limb after configuration:

  • Check all 15 Bot Token Scopes are added (especially channels:read and groups:read)
  • Make sure the app is installed (OAuth & Permissions should show the Bot Token)
  • Verify all three credentials are entered correctly (Signing Secret, Bot Token, App-Level Token)
  • Try removing and re-adding the API key in Limb

Install Button Still Disabled

The install button only activates after you add at least one Bot Token Scope. Add the scopes first, then the button will become clickable.

Token Not Appearing

If the Bot User OAuth Token doesn’t appear after installation:

  • Make sure you clicked Allow in the authorization screen
  • Refresh the OAuth & Permissions page
  • Try clicking Reinstall to Workspace if available