4 ways to find lost links on Slack

As Slack strives to become the operating system for work, the company (like other team messaging apps) has a pretty simple, unavoidable pain point: You lose links.

That’s unfortunate, because sharing links with colleagues is one of the best parts of group chat at work.

You tell yourself you will remember to go back and read the best links, or you’ll remember which channel the link came from, but things rarely work out that way. You can search Slack, but a search isn’t much use when you don’t even remember the headline of the lost link. The more likely result is that the link gets stowed away and forgotten.

To solve this ever-present problem for Slack, a series of bots have been made to help you track down links you lost on Slack.

Above: Screenshot of Paperbot website

Image Credit: Paperbot

Paperbot

Paperbot itemizes links from Slack with thumbnails and summary text, similar to the Pocket reading app.

Unlike other bots or services featured here, links shared on Slack can be viewed through Paperbot iOS and Android apps, as well as on the Paperbot website. Links can also be sent to team members in email digests.

Paperbot can be found in the Slack App Directory.

Above: Screenshot of Metacert’s Security bot in action.

Image Credit: Metacert

Metacert

Metacert began years ago with a Chrome extension and web browser that screens hundreds of millions of links to detect phishing, malware, and pornography.

Security bot by Metacert brings that same service to chat applications like Slack. In addition to protection, Security bot compiles every link and file shared by team members in a single web-based dashboard. Here you can see who shared a link, when the link was shared, and find the link in one of 60 different categories.

Last Monday, Metacert announced that it has raised $1.2 million to bring more security bots to messaging platforms.

Security bot is listed as a “brilliant bot” in the Slack App Directory.

https://www.producthunt.com/tech/lurchr

Lurchr

Lurchr will list all links shared in Slack channels, and links shared can be read by channel.

The bot will tell you who shared the story, when it was shared, and approximately how much time it will take to read an article or watch a video.

With Lurchr, you can include multiple teams and select particular channels you want to follow.

If you need visuals to operate, Lurchr may not be for you, as the dashboard it provides is all text-based.

Goodbits

Goodbits grabs links from Slack channels to send as an email newsletter to a subscription list or members of your Slack team.

Integrations can also draw in links from RSS, Pocket, Twitter, Buffer, or 20 other apps or sources to make newsletters.