OpenAssistant can receive requests through the dashboard, email, Slack, SMS, and WhatsApp. You can use whichever channel makes the most sense for the task, and work assigned through these channels can be tracked from your OpenAssistant dashboard.
Choose the right channel
Channel | Best used for | How to get started |
Dashboard | One-time tasks, recurring work, detailed instructions, files, and tracking progress | Create a new task and describe what you want your assistant to accomplish |
External coordination and tasks where the context is already in an email conversation | Email your assistant directly or add it to an existing thread and give it a request | |
Slack DM | Quick requests, and everyday tasks from Slack | Open a direct message with OpenAssistant and send your request |
Slack channel | Requests involving your team or context from a Slack conversation, internal scheduling | Add OpenAssistant to the channel, mention it, and give it a request |
SMS or WhatsApp | Quick, direct requests from your phone | Connect your phone number and message your assistant directly |
You don't need to use the same channel for every task. Choose whichever is most convenient for the work you're doing.
Dashboard
The OpenAssistant dashboard gives you the most complete view of your assistant's work.
Create a task from the dashboard when you want to:
Give detailed instructions
Create one-time or recurring tasks
Attach or reference files
Review your assistant's progress and actions
Keep work separate from an email or messaging conversation
When creating a task, describe the result you want and include any relevant context, files, constraints, or timing. Example:
Research Acme Corp. Cover its business model, recent funding, leadership, and competitors. Produce a concise report and a spreadsheet of key facts.
You can work with your assistant by emailing it directly or adding it to an existing conversation.
Adding your assistant to a thread is especially useful for scheduling and other work involving people outside your organization. Example:
Jordan, I'd like to continue this conversation next week. Alex, please find us 30 minutes Tuesday through Thursday and coordinate a time that works.
Your assistant can use the context in the conversation to complete the request and communicate with other participants.
You can also email your assistant directly with a new request.
For more information about email access, permissions, and connected inboxes, see How OpenAssistant Works with Email.
Slack
OpenAssistant can work through direct messages and eligible Slack channels after the OpenAssistant Slack app has been installed in your workspace.
Direct messages
Send your assistant a DM just as you would message a teammate. DMs are useful for scheduling, availability checks, research, reminders, and other everyday tasks.
Slack channels
You can also add OpenAssistant to a Slack channel.
When you want your assistant to take action, mention @OpenAssistant and tell it what you'd like it to do. OpenAssistant responds when explicitly asked and does not passively monitor every conversation simply because it has been added to a channel.
Slack Connect channels with external organizations are not currently supported. For coordination with external participants, use email instead.
SMS and WhatsApp
You can also message your assistant directly from your phone using SMS or WhatsApp.
After connecting and verifying your phone number, save your assistant's phone number to your contacts and send it a message. Example:
What does my afternoon look like, and do I have 45 minutes free after 3:00?
SMS and WhatsApp are designed for direct, one-to-one communication with your assistant. OpenAssistant does not participate in group text or group WhatsApp conversations.
Custom assistants can also have their own phone numbers. If a phone number has not yet been provisioned, you can request one from the custom assistant's profile.
Track your work from the dashboard
No matter where you start a request, your OpenAssistant dashboard is the central place to see the work your assistant is doing. Open a task to:
Check its current status
Review actions and messages
Provide additional information
Respond to questions
Approve actions when required
Review completed work
For email activity, you can also use your assistant's Inbox to view email conversations it can access and participate in.
Connections and permissions
Using a channel does not automatically give your assistant access to your other services.
For example, asking for a meeting over Slack does not by itself grant access to your calendar. Your assistant needs the appropriate calendar connection and permissions to check availability or create events.
The same applies to email, files, contacts, and other connected services. You control which services are connected and which permissions OpenAssistant has.
Which channel should I use?
There's no single right way to work with OpenAssistant.
Use the dashboard when you want to create or closely track a task.
Use email when other people are involved in a conversation or when the relevant context already exists in an email thread.
Use Slack when you're already working with your team there and want to assign something without switching tools.
Use SMS or WhatsApp when you want to quickly message your assistant from your phone.
Whichever channel you choose, you can give your assistant requests naturally, just as you would when delegating work to another person.