Connect Slack to Asana with Asana's own Slack app. Have both accounts ready, authenticate through Slack, then type /asana in Slack to list, create, complete or comment on tasks. You can link channels to Asana projects for updates, or use Zapier or Slack Workflows + Asana for custom automation.
Most teams lose tasks in Slack. Someone asks for something in a thread, everyone reacts with a thumbs up, and a week later nobody did it. The point of joining Slack and Asana is that the request becomes a task with an owner before the thread scrolls away.
Native app or a connector: which one you need
Asana's own Slack integration turns Slack messages into tasks and comments in Asana, and for most small teams that's all you'll want. A connector earns its place when you need a trigger the native app doesn't offer.
| You want to | Best route |
|---|---|
| Turn a message into a task, assign it and add it to a project | Asana's Slack app |
| List, create, complete or comment on tasks without leaving Slack | The /asana command |
| See task creation and completion in a channel | Link the channel to an Asana project |
| Post a Slack message when something happens in Asana | An Asana Rule |
| Custom flows, such as saved messages becoming tasks | Zapier, or Slack Workflows + Asana |
Setting up the Asana app in Slack
- Make sure you have a Slack account and an Asana account. Asana lists both as the prerequisites.
- Follow Slack's instructions to authenticate the Asana app in your workspace.
- In Slack, type /asana to list, create, complete or comment on tasks.
- Link a Slack channel to an Asana project, so the channel gets updates when tasks are created or completed.
- If you want alerts driven from Asana, set up an Asana Rule that sends a message to a Slack channel or a teammate when a trigger fires.
- For anything custom, add Zapier or Slack Workflows + Asana on top.
Once it's running, any Slack message can become a task, assigned to someone and added to an existing project. If you're planning to link a channel, it's worth tidying who's in it first, and my guide on adding someone to a Slack channel covers the membership side.
Check who's in the channel before you link a private project
Asana's own Slack app page carries a warning that's easy to scroll past. Updates from private projects, portfolios and goals may be sent to a Slack channel that includes people who aren't members of those private items. Link a confidential client project or an HR goal to a busy general channel and you've shared it with everyone in there.
The fix is simple: before you link anything private, look at the channel's member list. If it holds anyone who shouldn't see the project, make a smaller private channel just for those updates.
Small features worth using
Paste an Asana task link into Slack and you'll see a Summarize task button that generates an AI summary of the task. Whether it shows up depends on your domain settings, so don't worry if your admin has it switched off. It's handy when someone drops a link into a thread and you want the gist without opening Asana.
Asana Rules are the quiet workhorse here. Rather than someone remembering to tell the team a task moved, a rule posts to the channel or the teammate for you. If you're building more of these, my guide to setting up Asana workflows goes further.
When Zapier makes more sense
Zapier's Slack and Asana page lists templates such as creating Asana tasks from new saved Slack messages and sending new Asana tasks to Slack channels. That saved-message route suits people who'd rather bookmark a message in Slack than type a command. Asana also points to a partner-built option, Slack Workflows + Asana, if your team already runs its processes through Slack's workflows.
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My advice for a team setting this up
Start with the native app and one habit: every request in Slack that needs doing becomes a task through /asana before the conversation ends. Link only the channels that need updates, check their members first, and add Zapier later if a gap shows up. If Asana itself isn't clicking for your team, my list of Asana alternatives is the place to compare.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the /asana command do?
It lets you list, create, complete or comment on tasks from Slack.
Can I turn a Slack message into an Asana task?
Yes. Asana says a Slack message can become a task, assigned and added to an existing project.
Can I get Asana updates in a Slack channel?
Yes. Link a channel to an Asana project to see updates when tasks are created or completed.
Is there a privacy risk?
Updates from private projects, portfolios and goals may be posted to a channel with people who aren't members of them.
Can I use Zapier instead?
Zapier lists templates for saved Slack messages becoming Asana tasks and new Asana tasks posting to Slack.
