How To Create a Slack To-do List

Build a personal and team to do system inside Slack using Later, reminders, Canvas checklists, and task apps. Keep work in one place and cut context switching.

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Slack To Do List Quick Setup

Use built in features first. Add apps when you need advanced tracking or cross tool workflows.

Step

What To Do

Example

Save to Later

Hover any message and click Save. Manage from the Later view as your personal inbox.

Save a request then add a reminder for tomorrow 10 am

/remind

Create personal, teammate, or channel reminders with natural language.

/remind me send invoice Friday 4 pm

Thread tasks

Reply in thread with next steps. React with ✅ when complete to close the loop without new messages.

"Next step assign owner by EOD" then teammates react ✅

Channel Canvas

Open Canvas in a project channel and add a simple checklist and owners. Keep the plan visible and persistent.

Checklist: Brief, Design, Review, Publish

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Learn message hygiene and threads in our beginner tips and Slack basics.

Slack To Do List Checklist

Save actionable messages to Later. Create personal and recurring reminders with /remind.

Use emoji to claim and complete tasks. Keep follow ups in threads.

Add a project checklist in channel Canvas. Pin a short intake workflow for requests.

Connect Asana or Trello to convert messages to tasks. Post app updates back to the source thread.

Build a Personal To Do System in Slack

Combine Later, reminders, and search so nothing slips.

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Later as Inbox

Save any message that requires action. Review In progress daily. Mark complete to clear the queue.

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Structured Reminders

Create recurring nudges. Example: /remind me review priorities every weekday 9 15 am.

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Search For Tasks

Use has:📝 or your team’s task emoji to find items. Combine with in:#proj-* to filter by project.

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Tip: Keep a personal Canvas in your App Home or a DM with yourself for weekly goals. Link threads for context.

Turn Channels Into Lightweight Task Boards

You can run simple task flows without leaving Slack.

Pattern

How It Works

Example

Emoji claim

First responder reacts with 👀 or ✋ to claim a task. Prevents double work.

Customer request posted → ✋ means I got it

Status by emoji

Use 🕐 for in progress and ✅ for done. Keep chatter in the thread.

Original message shows latest status at a glance

Recurring prompts

Automate check ins with channel reminders.

/remind #proj-site Updates due every Friday 3 pm

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For structured workflows, explore our comparisons of project ticketing systems and customer support tools.

Create Tasks From Messages With Apps

Connect task tools so messages become trackable work with owners and due dates.

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Asana or Trello

Turn any message into a task or card with one click. Follow updates in the thread. See our guides on Asana and Trello.

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GitHub Issues

Create and link issues from Slack. Keep engineering updates in the project channel.

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Slack Native Ticketing

Capture requests inside Slack and assign owners. Reduce context switching. Learn more in our support workflow primer.

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Permissions: Ask admins to approve apps. Keep scopes minimal and post updates back to the original thread for transparency.

Automate To Do Capture With Workflow Builder

No code forms and buttons that post to a task channel or Canvas.

Trigger

Action

Result

Button in Canvas

Open a form for request details and owner

Posts a formatted task message with fields

Emoji 📝

React to a message to kick off a workflow

Creates a task and links back to the source thread

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Design tip: Keep one intake workflow per channel. Pin a short How to in the channel topic and Canvas.

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Common Slack To Do List Mistakes

Leaving messages unread as reminders instead of using Later. Starting tasks in DMs where nobody has visibility. Mixing status chatter into the main channel instead of threads. Forgetting owners and due dates. Installing apps without posting updates back to the original message.

Overcomplicating with too many tools before mastering the built in options.

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Turn Slack Messages Into Action

Create, assign, and resolve tasks without leaving Slack. Keep context, files, and decisions in one place for faster outcomes.

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