Slack’s new “canvas” feature promises to be a game-changer for teams looking to collaborate more effectively. After months of development, the feature is now rolling out across all Slack apps, providing a centralized location for all the resources that would typically be scattered across a chat channel.
With “canvas,” users can store apps, files, links, people, raw text, and in-app functions like service requests, making it a convenient and easy-to-use solution for team collaboration. The feature can help track must-do items, share handy tools, or even serve as an FAQ for newcomers.
Users can also bring canvases into huddle audio and video chats, much like a cloud document app, to discuss them with colleagues. Comments can be added, the change history can be seen, and sharing can be limited to specific people. While not a full-fledged creative tool like Google Docs, canvases can help coordinate teams more quickly than separate apps.
Introducing Slack canvas: The fully customizable space for capturing and curating knowledge in Slack. ??
Brush through the blog for all the details, then go paint your masterpiece. ??? https://t.co/KvxhEuv3cp pic.twitter.com/iX6B7AGede
— Slack (@SlackHQ) April 25, 2023
The new feature is an improvement on the bookmarks and pins that Slack currently offers to help find vital documents and notes. While these features will remain for now, canvases might become the dominant way to share resources in a given channel.
Moreover, canvases could give Slack a competitive edge over other team collaboration apps like Microsoft Teams. The more users stay in Slack while sharing documents and performing tasks, the less likely they are to use competing apps.
Overall, Slack’s new canvas feature has the potential to improve team productivity and streamline collaboration, making it a valuable addition to the platform.
