Using Slack to stay connected is easy, but using it to stay organized? That’s a whole other challenge. Enter Slack Lists and Thena—two tools designed to make work simpler. Slack Lists organizes your team’s tasks inside Slack, while Thena helps businesses handle customer support with AI.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Let’s begin!
Slack Lists is a built-in feature that helps teams organize and manage their work directly in Slack. It allows you to create lists to track tasks, projects, and priorities without leaving your conversations.
Slack Lists feature is your go-to tool for staying organized and productive—all without leaving Slack. At its heart, it lets you create and manage tasks (called items), complete with details like assignees, due dates, and priorities.
You can tailor it to your workflow by customizing fields with options like dropdown menus or checkboxes. Need to see the bigger picture? Slack Lists offers both table and board views so you can organize tasks in the way that suits your team best.
Each task comes with its own thread for comments and updates, keeping collaboration seamless. Plus, integrations with Workflow Builder let you automate processes—whether it's sending notifications or gathering task submissions. You can even import and export tasks via CSV files and set permissions to control access.
In action, Slack Lists is perfect for project management, tracking team priorities, and handling requests. Slack offers templates that make it easy to streamline recurring processes, while its integration within Slack saves you from constant app-switching, helping your team stay focused and efficient.
Setting up and using Slack Lists is simple, allowing teams to manage tasks and projects directly within Slack. Here’s a quick guide to get started:
On your desktop, hover over the More button in Slack’s sidebar and select Lists. In the top-right corner, click New and choose List. You can start from scratch or use a pre-made template to save time and streamline setup.
Click on the Untitled item to create a task. Enter a description and fill in fields such as due dates, priorities, or assignees by clicking on the respective cells. To add more tasks, click Add item at the bottom of your list.
To add specific details, click the + icon at the top of your list to create new fields. You can set these fields as text boxes, dropdown menus, or checkboxes. Modify existing fields by clicking on the column header and selecting Edit field.
Share your list with teammates by clicking Share in the top-right corner. Assign tasks to team members by using the People field, and keep conversations organized by adding comments in task-specific threads.
Switch between table and board layouts to organize tasks visually. Use Workflow Builder to automate notifications, task updates, or submission forms for added efficiency.
And that’s it! Your Slack List is good to go!
Now that we’ve covered Slack lists, let’s move on to Thena.
Thena is an AI-powered tool designed to help businesses manage customer support more effectively. Unlike Slack Lists, which focuses on internal task organization, Thena excels at handling external-facing workflows like ticket management, customer inquiries, and support escalations. It seamlessly integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, email, and web platforms, creating a unified hub for all customer interactions.
Thena’s standout feature is its use of AI to automate and streamline support processes. AI-generated tickets turn customer messages into actionable tasks, while custom fields, summaries, and insights help teams prioritize and resolve issues faster. With features like SLA tracking, analytics, and customizable workflows, Thena ensures businesses can deliver timely and efficient support.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of Slack Lists and Thena to help you decide which tool fits your needs:
Deciding between Slack Lists and Thena depends on your team’s specific needs and workflows. Here’s a guide to help you make the best choice:
Slack Lists and Thena are both great tools, but they’re built for different needs. If your team is looking for an easy way to stay on top of tasks and projects inside Slack, Slack Lists is a solid choice. It’s simple, straightforward, and keeps everything in one place.
On the flip side, Thena shines when it comes to managing customer support. Its AI-powered features and ability to handle requests across platforms like Slack, email, and Microsoft Teams make it perfect for businesses with a lot of external-facing workflows.
So, which one is right for you? It depends on what your team needs—but you might want to consider using both tools, as they can complement each other beautifully.
Want to check out Thena? Book your free demo today.
1. Are Slack Lists private?‍
Yes, by default, Slack Lists are private and can only be accessed by the creator. However, you can share a list with specific teammates, channels, or make it accessible to your entire workspace, depending on your needs.
2. Can I use Slack Lists on mobile?
Absolutely. Slack Lists work on both Android and iOS devices.
3. Are Slack Lists available on the free plan?
No, Slack Lists are only available on paid Slack plans. To access this feature, your workspace will need a subscription to one of Slack’s paid tiers.
4. Does Thena work only in Slack?
No, Thena integrates with multiple platforms, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, email, and web, making it ideal for teams managing customer interactions across channels.