How to Set Up Daily Reports in Slack: Forms & Tracking

This guide walks you through creating a daily report system in Slack using forms and tracking, so your team can submit consistent updates and you can monitor them without digging through chat. You’ll set up a simple form (using Slack’s built-in features or a connected tool), automate reminders, and track submissions in a spreadsheet or channel. By the end, you’ll have a repeatable process that takes minutes to set up and saves hours each week.

What You’ll Need

• A Slack workspace with permission to add apps (admin or owner rights, or at least the ability to install apps).
• A form tool: Slack’s native Forms (available in paid plans) or a free tool like Google Forms, Typeform, or JotForm. For this guide, we’ll use Slack’s built-in Forms and Google Sheets as an example.
• A spreadsheet app (Google Sheets, Excel) if you want to track responses in a table.
• A channel where reports will be posted (e.g., #daily-reports).
• Basic familiarity with Slack workflows (if you’re using paid features).

Step-by-Step

1. Create a dedicated channel for reports. In Slack, click the + next to Channels, name it something clear like #daily-reports, and invite the relevant team members. This keeps reports separate from general chat.
2. Set up your form. If you have a paid Slack plan, go to Workflow Builder (click your workspace name → Tools → Workflow Builder). Create a new workflow titled “Daily Report”. Add a Form step. Design the form with the fields you need, e.g., “What did you accomplish today?” (short text), “What are you working on tomorrow?” (short text), “Any blockers?” (short text), and a status dropdown (e.g., “On track”, “At risk”, “Blocked”). If you’re using Google Forms, create a new form with the same fields and set it to collect email addresses.
3. Connect the form to a channel. In Workflow Builder, after the form step, add a Send a message step. Choose the #daily-reports channel and compose a message that includes the form responses using variables (e.g., “New report from @user: Accomplished: {accomplished}”). If using Google Forms, go to the Responses tab, click the Sheets icon, and create a new spreadsheet to collect responses.
4. Schedule a daily reminder. In Workflow Builder, add a Schedule trigger (or use Slack’s “Remind” feature). Set it to run every weekday at a time that works for your team (e.g., 5:00 PM). The workflow will post a message in #daily-reports with a link to the form, or send a direct message to each team member. If you’re using Google Forms, you can use Slack’s “/remind” command in the channel: /remind #daily-reports “Submit your daily report here: [form link]” every weekday at 5:00 PM.
5. Test the workflow. Run the workflow once manually (in Workflow Builder, click “Test” or “Run”). Submit a test response and confirm it posts correctly in the channel. Check that the message includes the right variables and that the spreadsheet (if used) captures the data.
6. Track submissions. If you’re using Slack’s Forms, you can view responses in the workflow’s “Responses” tab. For Google Forms, open the linked spreadsheet; each submission appears as a new row. To track who hasn’t submitted, you can create a simple formula in the spreadsheet that compares the list of team members against the list of respondents (e.g., using VLOOKUP or a pivot table). Alternatively, use a Slack app like “Reportinator” (but that’s paid) or just manually check the channel.
7. Set up a weekly summary (optional). In the spreadsheet, create a new tab that summarizes the week’s reports using formulas (e.g., COUNTIF for status). You can then post a summary message to the channel every Friday using a Slack workflow or a scheduled message.

Common Mistakes

• Not testing the workflow before going live. Always test with a dummy submission to ensure the form fields map correctly to the message and spreadsheet.
• Forgetting to set the schedule to “weekdays only”. If you set a daily reminder including weekends, you’ll get empty reports or annoyed team members. Make sure to select “Weekdays” in the schedule.
• Using too many form fields. Keep the form short (3-5 questions). If you ask for too much, people will skip it or submit minimal info.
• Not setting a deadline. Without a clear cutoff (e.g., “submit by 5 PM”), reports will trickle in late. Use the schedule to send a reminder and, if possible, set a workflow that posts a “late” message after the deadline.
• Storing responses in a channel that’s too noisy. If you post reports in a busy channel, they’ll get lost. Use a dedicated channel or a private channel for reports only.

Tips

• Use Slack’s native Forms if you have a paid plan. It integrates directly with Workflow Builder, so you don’t need external tools. It also automatically captures who submitted.
• Make the form mobile-friendly. Many team members will submit from their phones. Keep questions short and avoid dropdowns with many options.
• Set a “blocker” field as optional. Not every day has a blocker, so making it required will discourage submission. Mark it as optional in the form settings.
• Use a spreadsheet formula to track completion. In Google Sheets, you can use a formula like =IF(COUNTIF(A:A, "*"&B2&"*")>0, "Done", "Missing") where column A contains responses and B2 is a team member’s name.
• Regularly review the workflow. As your team changes, update the member list in the schedule or the form’s distribution list.

Troubleshooting

• The workflow doesn’t trigger at the scheduled time. Check that the workflow is “On” (in Workflow Builder, toggle the switch). Also ensure the timezone in Slack matches your team’s timezone (Settings → Timezone).
• Form responses aren’t appearing in the spreadsheet. For Google Forms, go to the Responses tab and click the “Link to Sheets” icon. If it’s already linked, check that the form isn’t in “Draft” mode. For Slack Forms, check the workflow’s “Responses” tab to see if submissions are being recorded.
• Team members don’t see the form link. If you’re using a scheduled message, make sure the link is clickable and that you’ve tested it. If you’re using a workflow that sends a direct message, ensure the member list is correct.
• Duplicate submissions. If a member submits twice, it’s usually because they didn’t see the confirmation. Add a “Thank you” message in the workflow that appears after submission, and consider setting the form to allow only one response per person (in Google Forms, go to Settings → Response → Limit to 1 response).
• Reports are not posting to the channel. Check that the “Send a message” step in the workflow is configured with the correct channel and that the workflow has the necessary permissions. If you’re using a custom integration, verify the webhook URL.
• Can’t edit the workflow after creation. You need to be a workspace admin or owner to edit workflows. If you’re not, ask an admin to make changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need a paid Slack plan to use Forms?
A: Yes, Slack’s built-in Forms and Workflow Builder are available on paid plans (Pro, Business+, Enterprise). If you’re on the free plan, you can use Google Forms or another external tool.

Q: Can I have multiple forms for different teams?
A: Absolutely. You can create separate workflows for each team, each with its own form and channel. Just duplicate the workflow and change the channel and form fields.

Q: How do I see who hasn’t submitted their report?
A: If you’re using Slack Forms, you can view responses in the workflow’s “Responses” tab and compare with your team list. With Google Sheets, use a formula to flag missing names, or use a pivot table to count submissions per person.

Q: Can I set up a reminder that goes to each person individually?
A: Yes, in Workflow Builder you can set the schedule to send a direct message to each member of a group, but you’ll need to specify the members manually or use a user group. Alternatively, use Slack’s “/remind” command in a DM to yourself and forward it.

Q: What if someone forgets to submit?
A: You can set up a second workflow that runs at a later time (e.g., 6 PM) and posts a list of people who haven’t submitted. This requires a bit of scripting, but you can manually check the spreadsheet and post a message.

Q: Can I export the reports to a PDF or other format?
A: Yes, if you’re using Google Forms, you can export the spreadsheet to PDF or Excel. For Slack Forms, you can copy the responses manually or use a third-party integration to export.

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