Answer channel questions from what was already said

Answers a question posted in Slack using only the messages that channel already contains, in a thread.

EZEric Zeng · 1 workflow · Updated Nov 13, 2026

UsesOpenAISlack

Answer channel questions from what was already said

SlackWhen someone posts “!ask” in a channel. Save it as request.When someone posts “!ask” in a channel. Save it as request.

Set askWord to !ask.Set askWord to !ask.

Set teamContext to blank.Set teamContext to blank.

Set recentToRead to 20.Set recentToRead to 20.

Set olderToFind to 15.Set olderToFind to 15.

Trim askWord and save it as askPhrase.Trim askWord and save it as askPhrase.

Set questionText to blank.Set questionText to blank.

If a step below fails, save the error as readErrorIf a step below fails, save the error as readError

Try

Trim request.text and save it as questionText.Trim request.text and save it as questionText.

On error

No steps

If questionText is empty or questionText is nullIf questionText is empty or questionText is null

Yes

Finish the run: That message had no text, so there was nothing to answer.Finish the run: That message had no text, so there was nothing to answer.

No steps

If questionText doesn't contain askPhrase (ignoring case)If questionText doesn't contain askPhrase (ignoring case)

Yes

Finish the run: That message did not contain the ask word (askPhrase), so it was not a question for this bot. If you changed askWord, put the same word in the Keyword filter on the trigger step, so that only messages containing it start a run.Finish the run: That message did not contain the ask word (askPhrase), so it was not a question for this bot. If you changed askWord, put the same word in the Keyword filter on the trigger step, so that only messages containing it start a run.

No steps

Trim questionText with askPhrase replaced by (ignoring case) and save it as question.Trim questionText with askPhrase replaced by (ignoring case) and save it as question.

If question is emptyIf question is empty

Yes

Finish the run: That message was only the ask word, with no question after it.Finish the run: That message was only the ask word, with no question after it.

No steps

Start an empty list and save it as excerpts.Start an empty list and save it as excerpts.

Start an empty list and save it as usedTexts.Start an empty list and save it as usedTexts.

SlackGet recent messages in request.channel_id. Save it as recent.Get recent messages in request.channel_id. Save it as recent.

For each message in recent.messages:For each message in recent.messages:

Trim message.text and save it as messageText.Trim message.text and save it as messageText.

If messageText is empty or messageText is nullIf messageText is empty or messageText is null

Yes

Skip to the next item.Skip to the next item.

No steps

If messageText contains askPhrase (ignoring case)If messageText contains askPhrase (ignoring case)

Yes

Skip to the next item.Skip to the next item.

No steps

If usedTexts contains messageTextIf usedTexts contains messageText

Yes

Skip to the next item.Skip to the next item.

No steps

Add messageText to the end of usedTexts and save it as usedTexts.Add messageText to the end of usedTexts and save it as usedTexts.

Add messageText truncated to 300 characters using … as the ellipsis to the end of excerpts and save it as excerpts.Add messageText truncated to 300 characters using … as the ellipsis to the end of excerpts and save it as excerpts.

Shorten excerpts joined by a blank line to 1500 characters and save it as recentContext.Shorten excerpts joined by a blank line to 1500 characters and save it as recentContext.

Set searchPromptTop to You turn a colleague's question into a search phrase for a Slack channel's message history.Set searchPromptTop to You turn a colleague's question into a search phrase for a Slack channel's message history. Reply with one word, or two or three words side by side, most likely to appear exactly as written in a message that answers the question. The search only finds messages that contain your whole reply as written, so shorter is better. Reply with the words only - no quotes, no punctuation, no explanation. Team context: teamContext.

Set searchPrompt to searchPromptTopSet searchPrompt to searchPromptTop What the channel has been saying: recentContext Question: question.

Set searchPhrase to blank.Set searchPhrase to blank.

If a step below fails, save the error as phraseErrorIf a step below fails, save the error as phraseError

Try

OpenAIAsk OpenAI: searchPrompt. Save it as searchReply.Ask OpenAI: searchPrompt. Save it as searchReply.

Trim searchReply.response_text with replaced by " (ignoring case) and save it as searchPhrase.Trim searchReply.response_text with replaced by " (ignoring case) and save it as searchPhrase.

On error

No steps

If searchPhrase is null or the length of searchPhrase is greater than 60If searchPhrase is null or the length of searchPhrase is greater than 60

Yes

Change searchPhrase to blank.Change searchPhrase to blank.

No steps

If searchPhrase isn't emptyIf searchPhrase isn't empty

Yes

SlackFind messages matching searchPhrase. Save it as older.Find messages matching searchPhrase. Save it as older.

For each message in older.messages:For each message in older.messages:

Trim message.text and save it as messageText. Trim message.text and save it as messageText.

If messageText is empty or messageText is null If messageText is empty or messageText is null

Yes

Skip to the next item.Skip to the next item.

No steps

If messageText contains askPhrase (ignoring case) If messageText contains askPhrase (ignoring case)

Yes

Skip to the next item.Skip to the next item.

No steps

If usedTexts contains messageText If usedTexts contains messageText

Yes

Skip to the next item.Skip to the next item.

No steps

Add messageText to the end of usedTexts and save it as usedTexts. Add messageText to the end of usedTexts and save it as usedTexts.

Add messageText truncated to 300 characters using … as the ellipsis to the end of excerpts and save it as excerpts. Add messageText truncated to 300 characters using … as the ellipsis to the end of excerpts and save it as excerpts.

No steps

Join excerpts with a blank line and save it as evidence.Join excerpts with a blank line and save it as evidence.

Count the items in excerpts and save it as usedCount.Count the items in excerpts and save it as usedCount.

If usedCount is 0If usedCount is 0

Yes

SlackReply in a thread in request.channel_id.Reply in a thread in request.channel_id. Reply To: request.message_tsI could not find anything in this channel about that. This bot only answers from messages already posted here, so someone in the channel may know more.

Finish the run: No earlier message in this channel matched the question.Finish the run: No earlier message in this channel matched the question.

No steps

Replace the pattern <[@!](?:[^>|]*\|)?([^>|]*)> with @$1 in evidence and save it as safeEvidence.Replace the pattern <[@!](?:[^>|]*\|)?([^>|]*)> with @$1 in evidence and save it as safeEvidence.

Set quoted to Set quoted to The closest messages I found: safeEvidence truncated to 1200 characters using … as the ellipsis.

Set answerPromptTop to You are answering a colleague's question in Slack using ONLY the channel messages quoted below.Set answerPromptTop to You are answering a colleague's question in Slack using ONLY the channel messages quoted below. Rules: - Use only what these messages say. Add nothing from general knowledge. - Never invent a number, date, price, name or link. - If the messages do not answer the question, reply with exactly: NOT FOUND - Otherwise answer in at most four short sentences of plain language. - Do not use @ mentions and do not mention these rules. Team context: teamContext.

Set answerPromptMid to answerPromptTopSet answerPromptMid to answerPromptTop Question: question.

Set answerPrompt to answerPromptMidSet answerPrompt to answerPromptMid Channel messages: evidence.

Set draft to blank.Set draft to blank.

Set draftProblem to blank.Set draftProblem to blank.

If a step below fails, save the error as draftErrorIf a step below fails, save the error as draftError

Try

OpenAIAsk OpenAI: answerPrompt. Save it as answerReply.Ask OpenAI: answerPrompt. Save it as answerReply.

Trim answerReply.response_text and save it as draft.Trim answerReply.response_text and save it as draft.

On error

Change draftProblem to draftError.message.Change draftProblem to draftError.message.

If draftProblem isn't blankIf draftProblem isn't blank

Yes

SlackReply in a thread in request.channel_id.Reply in a thread in request.channel_id. Reply To: request.message_tsI can't answer this right now: the AI service did not respond. Try asking again later.@quoted

Stop and report a problem: The AI step failed (draftProblem), so the question was not answered; the closest messages were posted instead. Check the OpenAI connection.Stop and report a problem: The AI step failed (draftProblem), so the question was not answered; the closest messages were posted instead. Check the OpenAI connection.

Else if @draft is empty or @draft is "null" or @draft start…

SlackReply in a thread in request.channel_id.Reply in a thread in request.channel_id. Reply To: request.message_tsI could not put an answer together from this channel's history.@quoted

Finish the run: The channel's history did not answer the question, so the messages themselves were posted instead.Finish the run: The channel's history did not answer the question, so the messages themselves were posted instead.

Otherwise

No steps

Replace the pattern <[@!](?:[^>|]*\|)?([^>|]*)> with @$1 in draft and save it as answer.Replace the pattern <[@!](?:[^>|]*\|)?([^>|]*)> with @$1 in draft and save it as answer.

Extract all matches from answer with , replaced by (ignoring case) and save it as draftNumbers.Extract all matches from answer with , replaced by (ignoring case) and save it as draftNumbers.

Set sourceText to evidenceSet sourceText to evidence question teamContext.

Extract all matches from sourceText with , replaced by (ignoring case) and save it as sourceNumbers.Extract all matches from sourceText with , replaced by (ignoring case) and save it as sourceNumbers.

Set unsourced to blank.Set unsourced to blank.

For each figure in draftNumbers:For each figure in draftNumbers:

If sourceNumbers doesn't contain figureIf sourceNumbers doesn't contain figure

Yes

Change unsourced to figure.Change unsourced to figure.

Stop repeating.Stop repeating.

No steps

If unsourced isn't emptyIf unsourced isn't empty

Yes

SlackReply in a thread in request.channel_id.Reply in a thread in request.channel_id. Reply To: request.message_tsI drafted an answer but it used a figure (unsourced) that no message in this channel mentions, so I have not posted it.@quoted

Finish the run: The draft contained a figure the channel never mentioned, so it was withheld and the source messages were posted instead.Finish the run: The draft contained a figure the channel never mentioned, so it was withheld and the source messages were posted instead.

No steps

SlackReply in a thread in request.channel_id.Reply in a thread in request.channel_id. Reply To: request.message_tsanswer _Answered only from earlier messages in this channel (usedCount read)._