Box as the Content Layer for Slack

Box as the Custom Files Store in Slack enables you to use Box to securely store all files uploaded in your Slack conversations. Box as the Custom Files Store in Slack is also available on mobile devices, so you can share content even on-the-go.

By enabling the Custom Files Store feature:

• Uploaded local files go directly to Box through the Slack interface without passing through Slack servers.
• Uploaded content resides in a Box folder associated with a given Slack private channel, public channel, or direct message conversations (chats).

See also the API documentation.

Custom Files Store is best suited for customers who use Box within a specific Slack workspace or organization. Users without Box accounts will not be able to upload content, including screenshots or images, into Slack.

Mapping of Slack channels to Box folders

As soon as a user uploads a file into a Slack channel, Box for Slack creates a folder associated with this channel, and adds a Slack bookmark called Channel files. The folder is named the same as its associated channel. The parent folder is associated with the channel’s Slack Workspace, and the root folder is named Slack Channel files. Additionally, Workspace and channel sharing folders define the mapping structure, each following the first character of the name. For example:

• All Files
  • Slack Channel Files
    • Workspace X
      • XYZ
        • Channel B
          • business-analytics
          • business-dev
        • Channel C
          • cc-team

The Box admin can also map a Slack channel to an existing Box folder outside this default structure. To designate an existing Box folder as an upload destination for a specific Slack channel, see these articles. Prior to mapping a Box folder to a Slack channel, the Box admin must set the Box for Slack service account as the folder’s co-owner or owner. The folder mapping can be changed anytime, and before or after an upload happens in the channel.

Mapping a custom Box folder is available only for regular Slack channels, and is not available for Conversations or Slack Connect channels.

Mapping between Slack channels and Box folders also applies to users: channel members who have authorized the Box for Slack app become editing collaborators of the associated Box folder.
This mapping is maintained up-to-date by the Box for Slack app. Changes in Slack reflected in Box include:

• Added and removed channel members.
• Channels moved to a different Workspace, renamed or deleted.
• Uploaded files deleted in Slack.

For large channels (1000 or more members), the most common purpose of file sharing is to broadcast information rather than to invite to collaborate on editing its contents. Therefore, the folder for channels of 1000 or more members have a generated Shared Link in People in your company can view scope instead of channel members set as editing collaborators.

For a manually mapped folder, Box does not automatically sync the folder’s name with the Slack channel’s name, and the Box admin chooses one of two modes for managing access:

• Automatic adjustments to access.  Box applies these automatic adjustments as either collaboration invitations or as shared links with People in your company can view scope, as described above.
• Non-automatic access adjustments, where the Box admin must ensure proper user permissions for the Box upload folders.

For direct message conversations (chats), the upload folders will be created in the Slack Conversation Files root folder, inside the personal folder of the user who was the first uploader in the given conversation.

For example:

• All Files
  • Slack Channel Files,
  • Slack Conversation Files,
    • User ...001
      • John Smith - Slack Files,
        • XYZ
          • Kevin Marek, John Smith

where

• User ...001 is an example subfolder for all enterprise users whose Box user ID ends with ‘001’ digits,
• XYZ is an example Slack Workspace name.

Previewing Box files in Slack

When you enable Box for Slack Custom Files Store and Box file thumbnails, your Box account holders can preview Box scrollable documents and high-resolution image files without leaving Slack.

With Box for Slack Custom Files Store and Box file thumbnails enabled, when your Box account holders click a Slack message's unfurled content card that contains an uploaded or linked Box file, the Slack client app loads the file directly from Box and displays a preview of the file in a modal window. 

Box account holders still retain the ability to open, view, and edit the file in the Box webapp.

To see these previews, Box account holders must have sufficient access permissions in Box.

Previewing Box files in Slack is available for document types for which Box generates a PDF representation, and image types for which Box generates a png or jpg representation.

Eligibility

• Your organization must have a Slack-assigned CSM.
• Your organization must be a paid Box business account with access to the Box admin console.

Recommended settings when using Custom File Store with Box

• Shared Links should be enabled for folders.
• People in your company should be allowed to access Shared Links. (People in your company can view/edit should be an available option, when creating shared links)
• Shared Links auto-expiration should not be enforced. 
• An organization-wide installation of Box for Slack is recommended if your organization has channels belonging to multiple workspaces at the same time.
• Users belonging to different segments should not be allowed to join the same channels in Slack.

Deploying Box as the content layer in Slack

Deploying Box as the content layer in Slack is a three-part process in the Admin Console, followed by a manual enablement required by Slack:

1. Entering the Slack Organization or Workspace ID or IDs in the Box for Slack app configuration.
2. Authorizing the Box for Slack app to use Box as Slack file storage.
3. Ensuring the latest version of Box for Slack is installed in your Slack Organizations or Workspaces.

To enter the Slack Organization ID in the Box for Slack integration

1. Log into the Box Admin Console as a Box Admin. 
2. Go to Apps > Box Apps & Integrations.
3. Scroll down to the Individual Application Control section.
4. Search for Box for Slack.
5. On the right-hand side, click Configure. 
6. Scroll down to the Box content layer settings, then enter the relevant Slack Organization IDs or Workspaces in the Restrict to specific Slack Enterprise Grid Org ID allowlist / Slack Workspaces allowlist text fields.

To authorize the Box for Slack app to use Box as Slack file storage

1. Go to Apps > Custom Apps Manager.
2. Click Add App.
3. In the Client ID field, enter: 0x3vedms8thsqqkphx49cgc5c03n6wj5.
4. Click Next.
5. Review the information, then click Authorize. 
6. You should now see Box as File Storage for Slack in the Apps list

To ensure the latest version of Box for Slack is installed in your Slack Organizations or Workspaces:

Install the latest version by following this link.

Removing Box as the content layer in Slack

1. Contact your Slack-assigned CSM to request Custom File Store deactivation for your specific Slack organization IDs or Workspaces.
2. Optionally, remove the Slack Organization IDs or Workspaces in the Restrict to specific Slack Enterprise Grid Org ID allowlist / Slack Workspaces allowlist text fields.
3. Optionally, disable the Box as File Storage for Slack app in the Custom Apps Manager list.