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Overview

If your team begins investigating an issue in Slack before formally declaring an incident, you can convert that existing conversation into a Rootly incident channel.
This ensures:
  • No message history is lost
  • All responders stay in the same channel
  • Automated timelines, workflows, and notifications still run
  • The incident is created with full context from the existing discussion
The /incident convert command transforms any standard Slack channel into a full Rootly incident channel.

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Convert an Existing Slack Channel

1

Run the Convert Command

In the Slack channel you want to convert, type:
/incident convert
Then press Enter.This opens the Convert to Incident modal.
Convert Incidents Slack 1 Web
You must run the command inside the channel you want to convert — it cannot be used from other channels or DMs.
2

Fill Out the Incident Details

The modal includes the same configurable fields you see when creating a new incident:
  • Title
  • Summary
  • Severity
  • Incident Type
  • Private Incident (optional)
  • Any custom fields your workspace has configured
Convert Incidents Slack 2 Web

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What Happens After Conversion

Once submitted, Rootly will:
  • Create a new incident in the Rootly platform
  • Link the Slack channel to the incident
  • Preserve all prior messages in the channel
  • Generate initial timeline entries
  • Trigger any incident-creation workflows
  • Assign default roles or responders (if configured)
  • Enable Slack commands such as /rootly status, /rootly resolve, etc.
From here, the channel behaves like any other incident channel created through Slack or the Web UI.
Conversion never deletes or archives the channel — all previous activity remains intact.

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When to Use Conversion

Use /incident convert when:
  • Responders start troubleshooting informally in Slack
  • An issue escalates from a conversation into a true incident
  • You want to preserve all investigative context without creating a new channel
  • You want workflows, timelines, and notifications to begin after discussion has already started

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Troubleshooting

Ensure:
  • You ran /incident convert inside the Slack channel to be converted
  • The Rootly Slack app has permission to access that channel
  • You are a user with permission to create incidents
Your workspace may enforce creation requirements.
Open Configuration → Forms to confirm what fields must be included.
Confirm Slack channel conversions are enabled in your Rootly Slack Integration settings.

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Best Practices

  • Convert as soon as a conversation becomes operational or time-sensitive
  • Provide a clear incident title and summary to help responders ramp quickly
  • Use severity to trigger correct workflows and escalation
  • Avoid converting channels that contain unrelated historical content
  • Use private incidents when the discussion involves sensitive data