How can I send a Slack DM to the user in a custom field with a JSM automation?

[Benjamin White]

I am trying to write a JSM automation to send a user a Slack DM, but I'm not sure how to best target the user.

This is for our Change Management process, and we have a single user picker custom field named "Peer Assignee" that any JSM agent could be assigned to. My goal is to send the person assigned as the "Peer Assignee" a Slack DM when the CM ticket moves into the status "Peer Review".

If I was having the automation send a Slack DM to a static single individual, I know I can point it at their Slack @userID. But I can't work out if it's possible to set the Slack message "person" target dynamically based on the user in the custom field.

[Bill Sheboy · Accepted solution]

Hi @Benjamin White 

From what I recall about some community questions last year...

After the changes to the Slack REST API requiring the use of apps for direct-messaging, I do not believe it is possible from Jira automation rule's Send Slack Message action.  A user can be mentioned by Slack ID, but the feature to direct-message them no longer works.  (The rule editor UX and documentation have not been updated yet.)  I believe the only workaround is to set the user up as a separate channel in Slack and send the messages to each needed channel. 

To confirm this limitation, please work with your Jira Site Admin to ping the Atlassian Support team here: https://support.atlassian.com/contact/#/ 

You appear to be on a paid license and so your admin can submit the ticket.

Kind regards,
Bill