Tech Tips

Search in Slack

August 29, 2023

[This post was originally published on June 14, 2022.]

Did you know that Slack has a pretty effective search tool? It really comes in handy when you’re looking for something specific . . . like an E.Flo MD announcement or a certain file! Here are some tips and tricks to making the most out of your Slack search.

Start off with your best foot forward

If you have an idea of what channel a message or file was sent in, navigate to that channel before initiating your search! It’ll narrow down your results to the most likely culprits.

Add search modifiers to narrow down your results even more

My go-tos are adding quotation marks to search for a specific phrase and adding in: [channel name] to search a certain channel or from: [person] to see results from that person. You can see a full list of search modifiers here.
Review your filters!

Especially important if you’re searching for an E.Flo MD Announcement. Make sure that you are not excluding apps, bots, or workflows (we use a bot to post announcements from E.Flo MD).

Do you filters?

Use your desktop app for more high-powered searches (mobile apps don’t offer as many filter options)!

Check the Files tab in your search

Looking for a specific file? Check the Files tab in your search to find what you’re looking for without wading through a bunch of messages.

Use the File Browser

Speaking of files . . . I’m often looking for a file but can’t remember what it was called. You can use the File Browser located in the left sidebar to browse files sent. Filters allow you to narrow down who sent it, when and where it was sent, and even the file type!