ActionSlackUpdated May 2026

How do I open a Slack DM channel with a user?

Short answer: Drop the "Slack → Open Direct Message" action anywhere in your workflow, map the inputs from upstream nodes, and publish.

Use this action All 45 Slack actions

Inputs

The fields this action accepts.

Every field can be mapped from an upstream trigger, AI step, table row, or hard-coded literal.

Field	Type	Required	Description
User IDs users	string	Required	Comma-separated user IDs for the DM

Sample request

{
  "users": "e.g. U012AB3CD"
}

Returns

{
  "ok": true,
  "channel": {
    "id": "D01234567"
  }
}

Use these fields in downstream nodes for routing, logging, or error handling.

Triggered by

Apps that pair well as the trigger for Open Direct Message.

Any of these apps can fire this action as part of a workflow.

Gmail → Slack

1 Gmail triggers

Google Sheets → Slack

2 Google Sheets triggers

FAQ

Questions about Open Direct Message.

What does the Open Direct Message action do in Slack?

Opens or returns an existing direct-message channel with a user. Returns the DM channel ID you'll use in subsequent post-message calls.

What inputs does Open Direct Message require?

Required: User IDs. Every input accepts a static value or a variable from any upstream node in your workflow.

Can I use dynamic inputs from earlier workflow nodes?

Yes. Any field on this action can pull values from upstream nodes, whether that's a form response, a trigger payload, an AI output, or a lookup result.

What happens if Slack returns an error?

The workflow pauses on the failed node, the error message is captured in the run log, and you can retry the run with one click. Auto-retry policies are configurable per workflow with exponential backoff up to 5 attempts.

Does Open Direct Message support batch operations?

Yes. Run Open Direct Message inside a Loop node to process arrays. Tiny Command handles Slack's rate limits automatically so you don't have to throttle manually.

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