Slack Agent Conversations

Connect DevTune to Slack to ask Dex about a project from a direct message or a channel thread. Dex can answer follow-up questions in the same thread and can propose a full run by one of your built-in or custom agents.

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Before you connect

• The person connecting Slack needs permission to manage the DevTune account’s settings.
• Each Slack workspace can connect to only one DevTune account.
• One DevTune account can connect to multiple Slack workspaces.
• Every person using the app must link their own Slack identity to a member of the connected DevTune account.
• Members still need permission to manage agents and access to the project they ask Dex to use.

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Connect a Slack workspace

1. Open your DevTune account.
2. Go to Settings → Channels.
3. Select Connect a Slack workspace.
4. Choose the workspace in Slack and approve the requested access.
5. Return to DevTune. The workspace appears under Slack workspaces when the connection succeeds.

If Slack says the workspace is already connected to another account, disconnect it from that account before trying again.

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Link your Slack identity

The workspace connection does not give every Slack user access automatically. DevTune checks each message against a linked DevTune member and applies that member’s existing account and project permissions. To link yourself:

1. Send the DevTune app a direct message, or mention @DevTune in a channel.
2. Open the single-use link that DevTune sends you in a direct message.
3. Sign in to DevTune if prompted. Use a member account that belongs to the DevTune account connected to this Slack workspace.
4. After DevTune confirms the link, return to Slack and send your question again.

Linked members appear under Settings → Channels. A member can select Revoke beside their own link; an account administrator with settings permission can revoke any member’s link. A link also stops working when the member leaves the DevTune account. The member can ask the app for a new link the next time they need access.

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Start a conversation

• In a direct message, ask DevTune your question.
• In a channel, mention @DevTune and include your question.

Dex starts the conversation in a Slack thread. If you can access only one project, DevTune uses it automatically. You can also name one accessible project in your first message. When the project is ambiguous, Dex asks you to choose it in the thread before answering; your original question is preserved. After the conversation starts, reply in the same thread. You do not need to mention the app again. A reply in an unrelated thread does not start a new conversation: send a direct message or a new @DevTune mention instead. Regular Dex conversation turns begin immediately and consume credits according to their measured model usage. They do not show an estimate or require a start confirmation.

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Run a specialist agent

Dex can propose a full run by an available built-in or custom agent when the request calls for deeper work.

1. Ask Dex for the work you need, or ask it which agents are available.
2. When Dex proposes a specialist run, review the agent, project, and credit estimate status in the thread.
3. Select Start run to confirm. Nothing is queued before the requesting member confirms.
4. Follow the status messages in Slack, then use the DevTune link to review the complete result.

Only the member who requested the run can use its confirmation controls. DevTune checks that member’s current permissions and the account’s credit balance again when Start run is selected. A proposal can expire or be replaced by a newer one; start again from Dex when Slack marks it as no longer available. When that agent and model have positive measured run history, the confirmation shows an Estimated per run credit amount. Without that history, it shows No measured runs for this agent yet. The first completed run will provide an estimate. No credit amount appears in that case. The specialist run does not replace Dex in the conversation thread. Dex remains available for chat while the specialist works. Draft approval and any action that changes your workflow stay in DevTune during the beta.

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How thread replies work

A Slack thread is connected to one Dex task at a time:

• When Dex is waiting for your reply, your next message goes directly to the waiting conversation. This includes answers to a question Dex asked.
• When Dex is still working, your reply is queued in order and delivered the next time the conversation is ready for input.
• An eyes reaction means your message has reached the agent. A queued message receives the reaction when it is actually delivered. This acknowledgment is best effort, so a missing reaction does not by itself mean the message failed.
• Started, progress, input-needed, ready, and failure updates appear in the thread. If Slack cannot receive an update, DevTune keeps the corresponding update available in the app.

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Inactive conversations

A conversation expires after 30 minutes without a member message while Dex is waiting. DevTune stops and settles that task and posts an expiry note. Reply in the same thread to continue. DevTune starts a fresh task with a short summary of the earlier conversation and posts Picking this back up. Because this is a new task, its usage is recorded separately in the account’s credit transactions.

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Disconnect Slack

To disconnect from DevTune:

1. Go to Settings → Channels.
2. Find the workspace under Slack workspaces.
3. Select Disconnect.

Disconnecting removes DevTune’s workspace connection and stored credentials, so the app can no longer receive messages or post updates for that workspace. DevTune also stops and settles tasks behind active Slack conversations before closing those conversations. A Slack workspace administrator should then remove the DevTune app in Slack; disconnecting in DevTune does not uninstall the app from Slack. Any result that can no longer be delivered to Slack remains available in DevTune. If an administrator removes the app in Slack first, DevTune revokes the workspace connection and ends active conversations automatically. Since Slack has already revoked the app’s access, those threads may not receive a final notice. Run history and settled credit activity remain available in DevTune.

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Troubleshooting

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The Channels page is missing

Slack agent conversations are a beta feature. Ask your DevTune contact to confirm that the beta is available for your account.

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The link does not work

Identity links are single use. Send the app another direct message or mention to receive a fresh link, then sign in with a member of the connected account.

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Dex asks for a project

Choose one of the projects shown in the thread. DevTune asks only when your first message does not identify exactly one project you can access.

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A message did not start a conversation

Start from a direct message or a new @DevTune mention. Plain messages outside an active DevTune thread are ignored.

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A run did not start after Dex proposed it

The specialist run begins only after the requesting member selects Start run. If the proposal expired, was replaced, permissions changed, or the account lacks enough credits, ask Dex to prepare a new proposal after correcting the issue.

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Next steps

• Use DevTune agents
• Choose models and understand credits
• Review credit transactions