Slack connector

Set up the Slack connector in Kaivo: authentication, configuration, the 5 BigQuery tables it syncs, and answers to common questions.

Written By Lauri Raivio

Last updated 16 days ago

Kaivo is a fully managed data platform that syncs your Slack data into a Google BigQuery warehouse and keeps it up to date automatically. There is no pipeline to build and no infrastructure to run, so you can spend your time analysing your project management data instead of moving it.

What is the Slack connector

Sync your Slack channels, messages, threads, and users into BigQuery with Kaivo to analyse workspace activity and engagement alongside your other data.

Category	Tech, Project Management
Authentication	API key
Setup	Self-service

Getting started with the Slack connector

Sign up for Kaivo and create a workspace.
Connect your Slack account.
Choose which tables to sync.
Wait for the initial sync to finish.
Query your data in BigQuery or your favourite AI or BI tool.

Authenticating Slack

Authenticate with your API Token.

Field	Description
API Token	A Slack bot token. See the Slack docs for instructions on how to generate it.

Configuring the Slack connector

When you set up the connector, you provide:

Field	Description
Start Date	Any data before this date will not be fetched.
Join all channels	Whether to join all channels or to sync data only from channels the bot is already in. If false, you'll need to manually add the bot to all the channels from which you'd like to sync messages.
Include private channels	Whether to read information from private channels that the bot is already in. If false, only public channels will be read. If true, the bot must be manually added to private channels.
Channel name filter	A channel name list (without leading '#' char) which limits the channels from which you'd like to sync. Empty list means no filter.

Tables and columns synced from Slack

Kaivo syncs 5 tables from Slack into a dedicated dataset in your BigQuery warehouse. Click any table to see its columns and types.

channel_members (4 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`channel_id`	`STRING`	The unique identifier for the channel where the member is associated.
`member_id`	`STRING`	The unique identifier for the member within the channel.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

channel_messages (43 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`channel_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier of the channel where the message was posted
`bot_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier of the bot that sent the message
`bot_profile__app_id`	`STRING`	ID of the Slack app associated with the bot
`bot_profile__deleted`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the bot profile has been deleted
`bot_profile__id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier of the bot profile
`bot_profile__name`	`STRING`	Name of the bot
`bot_profile__team_id`	`STRING`	ID of the team to which the bot belongs
`bot_profile__updated`	`INT64`	Timestamp of the last profile update
`client_msg_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier for the client who sent the message
`display_as_bot`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the message is displayed as coming from a bot
`file_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier of the file attached to the message
`icons__emoji`	`STRING`	Emoji icon used in the message
`inviter`	`STRING`	User ID of the member who invited a user to the channel
`is_delayed_message`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the message was delayed
`is_intro`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the message is an introduction message
`is_starred`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the message is starred
`last_read`	`STRING`	Timestamp when the message was last read
`latest_reply`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the latest reply to the message
`name`	`STRING`	Name of the channel
`old_name`	`STRING`	Previous name of the channel if renamed
`parent_user_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier of the parent user
`permalink`	`STRING`	Permanent link to the message
`purpose`	`STRING`	Purpose set for the channel
`reply_count`	`INT64`	Number of replies to the message
`reply_users_count`	`INT64`	Number of users who replied to the message
`source_team`	`STRING`	Team ID of the source team
`subscribed`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the user is subscribed to the channel
`subtype`	`STRING`	Type of message subtype
`team`	`STRING`	Team ID where the message was posted
`text`	`STRING`	Text content of the message
`thread_ts`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the thread the message is part of
`topic`	`STRING`	Topic set for the channel
`ts`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the message
`float_ts`	`FLOAT64`	Timestamp of the message in float format
`is_locked`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the message is locked
`type`	`STRING`	Type of message (e.g., message, reply, etc.)
`unread_count`	`INT64`	Number of unread messages in the channel
`upload`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the message contains uploaded content
`user`	`STRING`	Unique identifier of the user who sent the message
`user_team`	`STRING`	Team ID of the user who sent the message
`username`	`STRING`	Username of the user who sent the message
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messages__blocks

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`type`	`STRING`	Type of block (e.g., section, actions, context, etc.)
`block_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier for the block
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messagesblockselements

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`type`	`STRING`	Type of elements container (e.g., context, actions, etc.)
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messagesblockselements__elements

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`text`	`STRING`	Text content of the element
`type`	`STRING`	Type of element (e.g., text, image, etc.)
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messages__attachments

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`title`	`STRING`	Title of the attachment
`id`	`INT64`	Unique identifier for the attachment
`color`	`STRING`	Color code to be used for the attachment
`fallback`	`STRING`	Plain text summary of the attachment
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messages__file_ids

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messages__pinned_to

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messages__reactions

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`count`	`INT64`	Number of users who reacted
`name`	`STRING`	Emoji name of the reaction
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messagesreactionsusers

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channel_messages__reply_users

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

channels (33 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`id`	`STRING`	The unique identifier of the channel.
`name`	`STRING`	The name of the channel.
`is_channel`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the entity is a channel.
`is_group`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is a group (private channel) rather than a regular channel.
`is_im`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the entity is a direct message (IM) channel.
`context_team_id`	`STRING`	The unique identifier of the team context in which the channel exists.
`created`	`INT64`	The timestamp when the channel was created.
`creator`	`STRING`	The ID of the user who created the channel.
`is_archived`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is archived.
`is_general`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is a general channel in the workspace.
`unlinked`	`INT64`	Indicates if the channel is unlinked.
`updated`	`INT64`	The timestamp when the channel was last updated.
`name_normalized`	`STRING`	The normalized name of the channel.
`is_read_only`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is read-only.
`is_shared`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is shared.
`is_ext_shared`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is externally shared.
`is_org_shared`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is organization-wide shared.
`is_pending_ext_shared`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is pending external shared.
`is_member`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the calling user is a member of the channel.
`is_private`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the channel is a private channel.
`is_mpim`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the entity is a multiple person direct message (MPIM) channel.
`last_read`	`STRING`	The timestamp of the user's last read message in the channel.
`topic__value`	`STRING`	The value of the channel topic.
`topic__creator`	`STRING`	The ID of the user who last set the topic.
`topic__last_set`	`INT64`	The timestamp when the topic was last set.
`purpose__value`	`STRING`	The value of the channel purpose.
`purpose__creator`	`STRING`	The ID of the user who last set the purpose.
`purpose__last_set`	`INT64`	The timestamp when the purpose was last set.
`num_members`	`INT64`	The number of members in the channel.
`parent_conversation`	`STRING`	The parent conversation of the channel.
`locale`	`STRING`	The locale of the channel.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channels__pending_shared

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`JSON`	List of pending shared items.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channels__shared_team_ids

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`	List of shared team IDs.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channels__previous_names

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`	List of previous names.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: channels__pending_connected_team_ids

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`	List of pending connected team IDs.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

threads (20 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`channel_id`	`STRING`	ID of the channel where the thread is posted
`bot_id`	`STRING`	ID of the bot user that posted the thread
`client_msg_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier for the thread
`type`	`STRING`	Type of the thread
`text`	`STRING`	Text content of the thread
`user`	`STRING`	ID of the user who posted the thread
`ts`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the thread creation
`float_ts`	`FLOAT64`	Timestamp in floating format
`subtype`	`STRING`	Type of the thread subtype
`is_locked`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the thread is locked
`last_read`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the last read
`parent_user_id`	`STRING`	User ID of the parent thread's creator
`team`	`STRING`	ID of the team where the thread is posted
`thread_ts`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the thread
`reply_count`	`INT64`	Number of replies in the thread
`reply_users_count`	`FLOAT64`	Number of users who replied in the thread
`latest_reply`	`STRING`	Timestamp of the latest reply
`subscribed`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the user is subscribed to the thread
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: threads__blocks

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`type`	`STRING`	Type of the block
`block_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier for the block
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: threadsblockselements

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`type`	`STRING`	Type of elements in the block
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: threadsblockselements__elements

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`text`	`STRING`	The text content
`type`	`STRING`	Type of element
`user_id`	`STRING`	User ID associated with the element
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: threads__reply_users

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

users (50 columns)

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier for the user.
`profile__always_active`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the user is always active.
`profile__avatar_hash`	`STRING`	Hash value representing the user's avatar.
`profile__status_text`	`STRING`	Text representing the user's status.
`profile__status_emoji`	`STRING`	Emoji representing the user's status.
`profile__real_name`	`STRING`	Full real name of the user.
`profile__display_name`	`STRING`	The display name of the user.
`profile__real_name_normalized`	`STRING`	Normalized full real name of the user.
`profile__display_name_normalized`	`STRING`	Normalized display name of the user.
`profile__email`	`STRING`	Email address of the user.
`profile__huddle_state`	`STRING`	State of the user's huddle.
`profile__image_24`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 24px image.
`profile__image_32`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 32px image.
`profile__image_48`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 48px image.
`profile__image_72`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 72px image.
`profile__image_192`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 192px image.
`profile__image_512`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 512px image.
`profile__team`	`STRING`	Team associated with the user.
`profile__image_1024`	`STRING`	URL of the user's 1024px image.
`profile__image_original`	`STRING`	URL of the user's original image.
`profile__first_name`	`STRING`	First name of the user.
`profile__last_name`	`STRING`	Last name of the user.
`profile__title`	`STRING`	Job title of the user.
`profile__phone`	`STRING`	Phone number of the user.
`profile__skype`	`STRING`	Skype ID of the user.
`profile__status_expiration`	`INT64`	Expiration date for the user's status.
`profile__status_text_canonical`	`STRING`	Canonical text representing the user's status.
`team_id`	`STRING`	Unique identifier for the team the user belongs to.
`name`	`STRING`	The username of the user.
`deleted`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the user is deleted or not.
`color`	`STRING`	The color assigned to the user for visual purposes.
`real_name`	`STRING`	The real name of the user.
`tz`	`STRING`	Timezone of the user.
`tz_label`	`STRING`	Label representing the timezone of the user.
`tz_offset`	`INT64`	Offset of the user's timezone.
`is_admin`	`BOOL`	Flag specifying if the user is an admin or not.
`is_owner`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the user is an owner.
`is_primary_owner`	`BOOL`	Specifies if the user is the primary owner.
`is_restricted`	`BOOL`	Flag specifying if the user is restricted.
`is_ultra_restricted`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the user has ultra-restricted access.
`is_bot`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the user is a bot account.
`is_forgotten`	`BOOL`	Specifies if the user is marked as forgotten.
`is_invited_user`	`BOOL`	Indicates if the user is invited or not.
`is_email_confirmed`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the user's email is confirmed.
`updated`	`INT64`	Timestamp of when the user's information was last updated.
`who_can_share_contact_card`	`STRING`	Specifies who can share the user's contact card.
`is_app_user`	`BOOL`	Specifies if the user is an app user.
`has_2fa`	`BOOL`	Flag indicating if the user has two-factor authentication enabled.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

Subtable: usersprofilestatus_emoji_display_info

Column	Type	Description
`_kaivo_parent_id`	`STRING`	Foreign key referencing _kaivo_id in the parent table. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`_kaivo_id`	`STRING`	Primary key that uniquely identifies the row. Auto-generated by Kaivo.
`value`	`STRING`	Individual items for status emoji display info.
`_kaivo_extracted_at`	`TIMESTAMP`	Timestamp that shows when the row was extracted. Auto-generated by Kaivo.

How the Slack sync works

After the first load, Kaivo keeps your BigQuery warehouse up to date for you. Where Slack supports it, each sync pulls only new and changed records so it stays fast; otherwise it refreshes the whole table. Every record keeps its original ID, so you won't get duplicate rows.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the initial sync take for Slack?

It depends on how much history is in your Slack account. Most initial syncs finish within minutes, while large accounts can take a few hours. After that, syncs only fetch new and changed records, so they're much faster.

Can I sync only some tables or columns?

Yes. You pick which tables to sync when you set up the connection and can change the selection later. Tables you don't select are never copied to your warehouse.

What happens when Slack's schema changes?

New fields are never added automatically. You choose which fields to sync, so data you haven't selected (sensitive personal data, for example) never lands in your warehouse. When a new field appears, it becomes available for you to add. What happens to removed or renamed fields depends on a table's sync mode: full-refresh tables always match what's currently in Slack, so dropped fields disappear, while incremental tables keep their existing columns and history, so an old field stays and newly added fields fill in over time.

Your data lives in your own Kaivo-managed BigQuery warehouse, so the most direct option is to delete or anonymise specific records right in BigQuery. If you delete data in Slack instead, full-refresh tables drop it on the next sync, while incremental tables keep it, so you would remove the row in BigQuery or ask us to run a full refresh. To remove everything, delete the Slack connector in Kaivo and all of its synced data is deleted with it.

Common use cases for Slack data

Channel activity trends

Aggregate channel_messages by channel and date to track message volume, the most active channels, and how usage shifts over time.

Engagement and participation

Combine channel_members with channel_messages to see who is active, who is lurking, and who drives conversation in each channel.

Thread response times

Use threads and their timestamps to measure how quickly questions get answered and where conversations go unresolved.

Workspace directory reporting

Analyse the users table to report on membership, time zones, and deactivated accounts across teams.

Use Slack data in your AI and BI tools

Once Slack data lands in your Kaivo-managed BigQuery warehouse, you can explore it with AI tools or any BI tool that connects to BigQuery. Here's how the most common destinations work with Slack data.

Claude

Use Kaivo's MCP server to give Claude secure, workspace-scoped access to your data. Setup guide →

Power BI

Microsoft's BI tool with a native BigQuery connector. Supports direct query and scheduled refresh. Setup guide →

Data Studio

Free Google BI tool with native BigQuery support. One-click connection to your Kaivo warehouse; great for SMB teams on Google Workspace. Setup guide →

Tableau

The premium analytics standard, with native BigQuery integration. Setup guide →

Google Sheets

Use Connected Sheets to query BigQuery directly from a spreadsheet, with no SQL. Setup guide →

Excel

Connect via Power Query's BigQuery connector. Setup guide →

Metabase

Open-source BI tool with strong BigQuery support. Setup guide →

See our pricing page for Slack connector pricing and plan details.

Adform: Sync Adform to BigQuery.
Amplitude: Sync Amplitude to BigQuery.
Auth0: Sync Auth0 to BigQuery.
ClickUp: Sync ClickUp to BigQuery.
Convex: Sync Convex to BigQuery.
GitHub: Sync GitHub to BigQuery.

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