What is Slack?
Slack is a cloud-based collaboration tool which teams or groups can use to communicate with each other.

Why should I use Slack?
Using Slack can improve work efficiency.

Slack can replace the constant use of back and forth email, because it operates similar to a group messaging client – like IRC or Facebook messaging, but with awesome additional features, like sending files, screenshots, video, etc.

Team or group members within Slack can be assigned private channels to restrict conversations to pre-approved team members, as well as public channels are available for all members to join as desired.

Individual Slack users can also privately communicate with each other using the Direct Messages feature. Slack has optional add-on features such as sharing Google Drive, Google docs, Box, Dropbox, Twitter, Foursquare; developer tools such as GitHub, Bitbucket, and IFTTT, and project management tools such as Jira and Zendesk.

Who can use Slack?
Anyone can run Slack in any modern browser. Slack desktop clients are available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Mobile Slack clients are available for Android and iOS on their App stores.

How do I use Slack?
The BEST way to learn how to use Slack is like learning how to use any tool, you just have to use it.

Figuring out how to use Slack is fairly easy and does not have a steep learning curve, although some of the add-on additional services and features that you may want to use may take longer to figure out.

I downloaded and installed Slack. What do I do now?
A Slack workspace is a company’s shared area, where team members communicate and work together in channels (groups).

You can join an existing Slack workspace in three ways:
The easiest way is wait until you receive an email invitation, then accept the invitation.

When you join a workspace, Slack will guide you through the process of setting up your account. Slack will ask you to enter your full name, a display name, and a password so you can sign in and out with ease.

If you are familiar with Slack, and you know your workspace Slack URL, sign up with your SSL or Berkeley email address.

For more how-tos on getting started with Slack, check out the web links below.