anthropics/slack-search
partner-built/slack/skills/slack-search/SKILL.md
Guidance for effectively searching Slack to find messages, files, channels, and people
$ install --global
skillsauthnpx skillsauth add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins slack-searchInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
Security Scan Results
3 of 9 scanners reported clean
Some scanners were skipped, did not run, or reported a non-clean status. Review each row below.
3
Scanners Passed
9
Scanners in report
Clean
TrivyContainer and dependency vulnerability scanner
95%
Clean
SemgrepStatic code analysis for vulnerabilities
95%
Clean
mcp-scan (Snyk)Model Context Protocol security validation
95%
Error
VirusTotalMulti-engine malware detection
70%
Skipped
Snyk (dep)Open source security scanning
50%
Skipped
Socket.devSupply chain security analysis
50%
Skipped
CrowdStrikeAdvanced threat intelligence
50%
Skipped
OSV-ScannerOpen Source Vulnerability database check
50%
Skipped
OWASP Dep-Check
50%
Last scanned: Mar 25, 2026, 9:50 PM44.7s1 file scanned
SKILL.md
- name:
- slack-search
- description:
- Guidance for effectively searching Slack to find messages, files, channels, and people
Slack Search
This skill provides guidance for effectively searching Slack to find messages, files, and information.
When to Use
Apply this skill whenever you need to find information in Slack — including when a user asks you to locate messages, conversations, files, or people, or when you need to gather context before answering a question about what's happening in Slack.
Search Tools Overview
| Tool | Use When |
|------|----------|
| slack_search_public | Searching public channels only. Does not require user consent. |
| slack_search_public_and_private | Searching all channels including private, DMs, and group DMs. Requires user consent. |
| slack_search_channels | Finding channels by name or description. |
| slack_search_users | Finding people by name, email, or role. |
Search Strategy
Start Broad, Then Narrow
- Begin with a simple keyword or natural language question.
- If too many results, add filters (
in:,from:, date ranges). - If too few results, remove filters and try synonyms or related terms.
Choose the Right Search Mode
- Natural language questions (e.g., "What is the deadline for project X?") — Best for fuzzy, conceptual searches where you don't know exact keywords.
- Keyword search (e.g.,
project X deadline) — Best for finding specific, exact content.
Use Multiple Searches
Don't rely on a single search. Break complex questions into smaller searches:
- Search for the topic first
- Then search for specific people's contributions
- Then search in specific channels
Search Modifiers Reference
Location Filters
in:channel-name— Search within a specific channelin:<#C123456>— Search in channel by ID-in:channel-name— Exclude a channelin:<@U123456>— Search in DMs with a user
User Filters
from:<@U123456>— Messages from a specific user (by ID)from:username— Messages from a user (by Slack username)to:me— Messages sent directly to you
Content Filters
is:thread— Only threaded messageshas:pin— Pinned messageshas:link— Messages containing linkshas:file— Messages with file attachmentshas::emoji:— Messages with a specific reaction
Date Filters
before:YYYY-MM-DD— Messages before a dateafter:YYYY-MM-DD— Messages after a dateon:YYYY-MM-DD— Messages on a specific dateduring:month— Messages during a specific month (e.g.,during:january)
Text Matching
"exact phrase"— Match an exact phrase-word— Exclude messages containing a wordwild*— Wildcard matching (minimum 3 characters before*)
File Search
To search for files, use the content_types="files" parameter with type filters:
type:images— Image filestype:documents— Document filestype:pdfs— PDF filestype:spreadsheets— Spreadsheet filestype:canvases— Slack Canvases
Example: content_types="files" type:pdfs budget after:2025-01-01
Following Up on Results
After finding relevant messages:
- Use
slack_read_threadto get the full thread context for any threaded message. - Use
slack_read_channelwitholdest/latesttimestamps to read surrounding messages for context. - Use
slack_read_user_profileto identify who a user is when their ID appears in results.
Common Pitfalls
- Boolean operators don't work.
AND,OR,NOTare not supported. Use spaces (implicit AND) and-for exclusion. - Parentheses don't work. Don't try to group search terms with
(). - Search is not real-time. Very recent messages (last few seconds) may not appear in search results. Use
slack_read_channelfor the most recent messages. - Private channel access. Use
slack_search_public_and_privatewhen you need to include private channels, but note this requires user consent.
Related Skills
anthropics/ticket-deflector
testing
VerifiedTrustedOfficial
Reads a forwarded customer email or ticket, pulls order/refund status from PayPal and account history from HubSpot, drafts a tone-matched reply in the owner's writing voice, and can issue a PayPal refund with explicit owner approval. Use when the user says "draft a response," "answer this customer," "where's my order," or "I want a refund."
17,359SKILL.mdUpdated May 28, 2026
anthropics/tax-season-organizer
development
VerifiedTrustedOfficial
Prepares tax-season materials for small business owners — framed as deliverables for their accountant, not tax advice. Two modes: (1) quarterly estimated tax calculation — pulls YTD net income from QuickBooks and calculates the federal income tax + self-employment tax liability and quarterly payment due; (2) year-end 1099 prep — scans QuickBooks, PayPal, and Stripe for contractors paid over $600, builds a 1099-NEC candidate list with missing W-9 flags, and produces a plain-English summary a CPA can work from directly. Trigger this skill whenever the user mentions: quarterly taxes, estimated tax payment, how much to set aside for taxes, 1099s, 1099-NEC, year-end tax prep, contractor payments, W-9s, or any phrase suggesting they are preparing for a tax deadline or handing materials to an accountant. Also trigger proactively when a user asks about net profit or YTD income in a context that suggests they are worried about their tax bill.
17,359SKILL.mdUpdated May 28, 2026
anthropics/tax-prep
tools
VerifiedTrustedOfficial
Prepares tax-season materials — quarterly estimated tax calculation or year-end 1099 prep — and produces an accountant handoff packet. Accepts optional mode and year arguments.
17,359SKILL.mdUpdated May 28, 2026
anthropics/smb-router
tools
VerifiedTrustedOfficial
The front door to the Small Business plugin. Listens to what the owner needs right now — vague or specific — and routes them to the best skill or slash command for the moment. Also serves as a guide: explains what's available, suggests what to try next, and adapts recommendations based on stored business context. Trigger whenever the owner asks "what can you do," "help me with my business," "what should I focus on," "I don't know where to start," or any open-ended business request that doesn't clearly match a single skill.
17,359SKILL.mdUpdated May 28, 2026