Databricks Genie app for Slack

The Databricks Genie app for Slack brings Genie into Slack so users get answers to data questions without leaving Slack. Send a DM to the app, or mention @Genie in a channel or group DM. Your question is answered by Genie One or by a specific Genie Agent that a channel owner has pinned for consistent, use-case-specific answers. The app relies on the Genie One API in both cases; when a Genie Agent is pinned, Genie One sends the question to only that agent. The app uses the same model providers and trust and safety guarantees as Genie; see Hosting provider used when partner-powered AI features setting is enabled and disabled and Databricks AI assistive features trust and safety.

This page describes how to download, set up, and use the Databricks Genie app for Slack.

Click the button below to install the Databricks Genie app for Slack.

Prerequisites

Before installing the Databricks Genie app for Slack, do the following:

• An account admin must enable the Databricks Genie for Slack Public Preview in the account console.
• If your workspace uses an IP access list, add the outbound IPs of the Azure Databricks control plane in the us-west-2 region. See Outbound IPs from Azure Databricks control plane.

Install the Databricks Genie app for Slack

A Slack workspace administrator must install the Databricks Genie app for Slack using a direct URL:

1. Download the Databricks App for Slack by clicking the button:

   

2. You are redirected to the Slack authorization page. Review the requested permissions and click Allow to install the Databricks Genie app for Slack to your Slack workspace.

   Note

   If your Slack workspace requires admin approval for third-party apps, submit the install request and ask a Slack admin to approve it.

Set up the Databricks Genie app for Slack

After the Databricks Genie app for Slack is installed by an admin on your Slack workspace, users have two options to set up the Databricks Genie app for Slack:

From a channel

1. Open a channel and send a @Genie message.
2. You are prompted to log in to your Azure Databricks workspace.
3. After you log in, you can start using the Databricks Genie app for Slack.

From the App Home

1. In Slack, find and open the Databricks App under Apps in the left sidebar. Click the Home tab.
2. Click Connect to Databricks.
3. Log in to your Azure Databricks account and select a workspace to connect to.
4. (Optional) Pin a specific Genie Agent to a channel for consistent, use-case-specific answers. Select a specific Genie Agent for all of your 1:1 conversations by selecting it under Genie scope and clicking Update Genie Agent.

Use the Databricks Genie app for Slack

You can use the Databricks Genie app for Slack through direct messages, group DMs, or channel conversations on your Slack workspace. Genie answers each question using the credentials of the Slack user who mentions @Genie, so each user sees only the data they are already permitted to access in Azure Databricks, governed by Unity Catalog. See Use Genie One.

When message visibility is public, a Genie response is visible to everyone in the channel or group DM, including members who do not have access to the underlying data. To keep a response visible only to the person who asked, set message visibility to private.

From the Databricks Genie app for Slack, you can create Genie skills and scheduled tasks.

Direct messages

Users in the Slack workspace can start a 1:1 conversation with the Databricks Genie app for Slack:

1. Find the Databricks Genie app for Slack in the Apps section and click the Chat tab.
2. Send your question. The Databricks Genie app for Slack routes the question to the most appropriate Genie Agent and returns an answer with sources and suggested follow-up prompts.

Group messages

Users can add the Databricks Genie app for Slack to group DMs:

• New group messages: Add the Databricks Genie app for Slack when creating the channel, then send @Genie to start the conversation.
• Existing group messages: Apps cannot be added to existing groups.

Channel conversations

Channel members can use the Databricks Genie app for Slack in a Slack channel by mentioning @Genie. A channel owner can configure the Genie scope and message visibility for the channel.

1. In the channel, type @Genie.

2. If prompted, add the Databricks Genie app for Slack to the channel.

3. Configure the Databricks Genie app for Slack by selecting the following:

   • The connected Azure Databricks workspace.
   • The message visibility (public or private).
   • The Genie scope: Genie One or a specific Genie Agent.

   Note

   If you are the channel owner, you can apply this configuration for yourself or for the entire channel.

To change the configuration later, run /databricks-genie config in the channel to reopen the configuration window.

After configuration, channel members can mention @Genie in the channel to ask questions.

Configuration levels and overrides

Run /databricks-genie config in a channel to open the configuration window. The following settings are configurable:

• Workspace Selection: The Azure Databricks workspace the Databricks Genie app for Slack connects to for answering questions.
• Message visibility: Whether @Genie responses in channels are visible to all channel members or only to the user who asked. By default, responses are public.
• Genie scope: Genie One or a specific Genie Agent. Both use the Genie One API; pinning a specific Genie Agent directs Genie One to send the question to only that agent, for consistent, use-case-specific answers.

Message visibility settings can be set at three levels. Higher levels override lower levels:

Monitor usage with audit logs

Account and workspace admins can use the audit log system table (system.access.audit) to monitor Genie usage that comes from Slack. When a user sends a message through the Databricks Genie app for Slack, Genie One logs a createGenieChatResponse event under the genieChat service, and the request_params.source field records slack as the origin. This lets you distinguish Slack requests from requests made in the Azure Databricks web UI (webapp) or through other integrations, such as Microsoft Teams (teams).

The following sample query returns the Slack-originated Genie requests from the last 5 days, including the user who asked and the conversation ID:

SELECT
  event_time,
  user_identity.email AS user_email,
  request_params.conversation_id AS conversation_id
FROM system.access.audit
WHERE service_name = 'genieChat'
  AND action_name = 'createGenieChatResponse'
  AND request_params.source = 'slack'
  AND event_date >= date_add(current_date(), -5)
ORDER BY event_time DESC

For the audit log table schema and more sample queries, see Audit log system table reference. For the full list of Genie One chat events, see Chat events in Genie One.

Limitations

• You cannot specify which compute (SQL warehouse) the Databricks Genie app for Slack uses. Azure Databricks automatically selects a SQL warehouse that the user is authorized to access.
• When a specific Genie Agent is pinned as the Genie scope, Genie One might rewrite the question before it reaches the pinned agent.
• Feedback (thumbs up or thumbs down) is always sent to Genie One, even when a specific Genie Agent is pinned.
• PrivateLink is not supported.
• The following features are not supported:
  • Visualizing charts
  • Sending Azure Databricks notifications to Slack
  • Triggering actions in Azure Databricks from Slack
  • Creating Genie agents or Genie Agents.

Troubleshooting

"Need admin approval" message on log in

If you use Microsoft Entra ID to authenticate to your Azure Databricks workspace, the following "Need admin approval" message can appear when you log in. This happens because the Microsoft Entra tenant is blocking user consent for the Azure Databricks application. If administrator consent is not granted, Microsoft Entra ID continues to block the login flow even if you have direct workspace access.

To resolve this, a Microsoft Entra user with appropriate administrator roles must grant tenant-wide administrator consent to the Azure Databricks enterprise application.

Ask the Microsoft Entra admin to visit the following link. Replace {TENANT_ID} with your Microsoft Entra tenant ID:

https://login.microsoftonline.com/{TENANT_ID}/adminconsent?client_id=aaec40b0-c0ae-4211-a98b-6fc160abb71b

If the link fails, the admin can grant consent manually:

1. In the Microsoft Entra admin center, go to Entra ID > Enterprise apps > All applications and find the Azure Databricks enterprise application used for single sign-on. To identify the application, search for the Application ID aaec40b0-c0ae-4211-a98b-6fc160abb71b.
2. Grant admin consent for the permissions requested by the Azure Databricks enterprise app:
   1. Under Security, click Permissions.
   2. Click Grant admin consent.

For detailed instructions, see the Microsoft documentation.

Frequently asked questions

My private (ephemeral) messages in a channel disappeared. What happened?

A Slack ephemeral message disappears from the user's view in any of the following situations:

• The user reloads or refreshes the Slack client.
• The user switches platforms, for example, from desktop to mobile.
• The user logs out, logs back in, or the session expires.
• The Slack app process closes and reopens.

Additional resources

• Use Genie One
• Chat in Genie One
• Connect Genie Code to MCP servers: Manually connect Genie Code to MCP servers. This is separate from the Databricks Genie app for Slack.
• Databricks help center