Slack integration

Merge Freeze offers a Slack app so that your team can easily implement a merge freeze right from Slack and get notified when someone implements a merge freeze.

The Slack app can be added to a project under the “Integrations” panel. Many projects can be linked to one Slack app installation.

How to link your project with Slack

To install the Slack app you will need to have the correct permissions to install apps to your Slack workspace.

Simply click the “Add to Slack” button in the “Integrations” panel of your project. This will take you to Slack to grant the permissions required for the Merge Freeze Slack app to be installed in your workspace.

Once the Merge Freeze Slack app has been installed to your workspace you will be taken back to Merge Freeze and prompted to choose a public or private channel where Merge Freeze notifications will be sent.

Notifications are sent every time someone freezes/unfreezes a branch, unfreezes/re-freezes a single pull request, or unfreezes / refreezes deployments.

You can change the channel that these notifications go to at any time by clicking “Change” in the Slack integration panel of your protected branch. You can also completely disconnect the Slack app from your project by clicking “Unlink”.

Using the Slack /mergefreeze command to implement a merge freeze/unfreeze

Once the Slack app is connected to a protected branch you can type the /mergefreeze command from anywhere in your Slack workspace and you will be shown all the projects associated with this Slack workspace with the option to freeze or unfreeze each one.

Slack users are not associated with Github users so the first time a Slack user types the /mergefreeze command they will be asked to accept the Merge Freeze privacy policy and terms and conditions.

Restricting Slack commands usage

By default, the Slack integration will allow anyone in your Slack organization (who has access to your connected channel) to trigger a freeze/unfreeze of one of your Github repositories.

If you'd like to limit Merge Freeze commands to only developers with access to a Merge Freeze.com account, simply check "Restrict access" on the Project > Integrations > Slack settings panel.

Slack command attempts by non-developers will be shown instructions to get whitelisted:

Users may sync their MergeFreeze.com and Slack accounts together from inside Merge Freeze > Project > Integrations > Slack, in just a few seconds.

Click "Add User Id" and enter your Slack member id in the modal.

Finding your Slack member ID

When "Restrict Access" is enabled for a project's Slack integration, you're required to whitelist your personal Slack account with your MergeFreeze.com account. We use your Slack Member ID to accomplish this sync.

Inside Slack, click your profile photo in the bottom left corner and select Profile

In the following view, click "the vertical dots and choose "Copy member ID".

Go back to MergeFreeze.com and paste this value to link your account. Going forward you'll be able to use /mergefreeze commands inside Slack.

Receiving merge freeze notifications in Slack

When you install the Slack app on a project you will receive a Slack notification every time a team member manually freezes or unfreezes the branch. A notification will not be sent when a scheduled freeze/unfreeze occurs. If you would like to enable the scheduler notifications, check "Scheduler notifications" on the Slack settings panel. As explained above, you can decide which Slack channel receives these notifications for your protected branch.