Automated changelogMulti-product solution
Tables, Zaps
Capture and triage engineering requests from Slack in Jira
Create structured Jira requests from Slack conversations with just an emoji reaction. Capture conversation context, use ChatGPT to identify and write requirements, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
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Overview
Created by: Lukas Toma, Director, Data & ML @ Zapier
Every day, important engineering work requests come through Slack conversations. Without a structured system, these valuable requests get buried in busy channels, forgotten in threads, or lost in the constant stream of communication. Engineers waste countless hours manually copying information into tickets, risking missed details, and creating unnecessary work.
Use this template to transform any Slack message into a fully documented Jira issue with just a simple emoji reaction—complete with an AI generated title, description, and acceptance criteria. It captures the entire conversation context, uses AI to identify the work requirements, routes it through a triage process, and handles follow-ups, all without your team lifting a finger. Instead of letting important work slip through the cracks, you'll have a reliable system that ensures every request is captured, assigned, and tracked to completion.
Why build an automated work intake system?
- Eliminate manual ticket creation and save your team hours of admin work each week.
- Make sure no important requests get lost in Slack channels.
- Create consistency by having AI standardize and document acceptance criteria to ensure easy prioritization and work tracking.
What key features come with the internal work intake form template?
- Slack-based triggers: Capture work requests effortlessly with a simple emoji reaction on any Slack message, making it easy for team members to log work to Jira without leaving their conversations.
- AI-powered context extraction: When a message is flagged, AI analyzes the entire Slack thread to identify work requirements, automatically creating a comprehensive Jira issue with appropriate title, description, and auto-generated acceptance criteria.
- Organized triage workflow: New requests are automatically added to a central triage table in Zapier Tables where team leads can easily review, prioritize, and assign work according to capacity and priority.
- Stakeholder communication: The system automatically notifies the original requestor when their issue has been logged, providing them with the Jira ticket details and keeping them updated when the work is completed.
- Closed-loop tracking: When issues are closed in Jira, the system updates the original Slack thread, notifying stakeholders and maintaining a record of all processed requests for future reference.
Who should use this template
A work intake automation system is perfect for:
- Engineering teams: Create a standardized process for tracking feature requests and bug reports that come through Slack, ensuring nothing gets missed and all technical requirements are properly documented.
- Data teams: Transform help requests sent via Slack into trackable tickets with full conversation context–improving response times and maintaining accurate records of issues and resolutions.
- Product managers: Capture feedback and ideas from stakeholders across the organization without manual overhead, making it easier to organize input for roadmap planning.
- Operations teams: Establish a consistent workflow for managing internal requests from different departments, creating accountability and visibility without adding administrative burden.
- Cross-functional project teams: Consolidate work requests from multiple stakeholders into a single system, providing transparency on workload and progress while maintaining communication with requestors.
How does this template work?
This template builds you a complete work intake system that transforms Slack conversations into structured work items in Jira. Here's how:
- A team member reacts to any Slack message with a designated emoji (like :ticket:) to flag it for processing.
- The automation captures the original message and all replies in the thread to gain full context.
- AI analyzes the conversation and extracts the key information, including the nature of the request and requirements.
- The system automatically creates a Jira issue with an appropriate title, detailed description, and suggested acceptance criteria based on the conversation.
- A notification is posted back to the original Slack thread with a link to the newly created Jira issue, confirming the request has been logged.
- The new request is also added to a centralized triage table in Zapier Tables where it waits for review during regular triage meetings.
- Team leads can use the triage table to prioritize, assign, or schedule the work, with all relevant conversation context and Slack references available.
- When the issue is closed in Jira, the automation updates the original Slack thread to notify the requestor that their work has been completed.
- All requests remain documented in the triage table for future reference, creating a searchable history of completed work and facilitating workflow analysis.
This system bridges the gap between informal communication channels and formal work-tracking tools. By automating the capture, documentation, and follow-up processes, teams can focus on doing the work rather than managing it.
And not only will you make your team more efficient, but it’ll be easier for stakeholders too, because they can submit requests right from the tools that they work out of every day. And let’s be honest, how often do your colleagues actually go to Jira instead of Slack to ask for help ;). Plus they’ll appreciate the transparent communication and reliable follow-through on their requests.
Frequently asked questions
Can I customize which emoji triggers the work intake process?
Yes, you can choose any emoji that makes sense for your team. Some teams use 🍔 for general requests, 🐛 for bugs, or 🚀 for feature ideas. You can even set up multiple workflows with different emojis for different types of work.
Will this work with my existing Jira project structure?
The template can be configured to work with your specific Jira projects, issue types, and custom fields. During setup, you'll be able to specify exactly how you want issues created and where they should be assigned.
Do I need to be a Jira expert to use this template?
Not at all. The template handles all the technical aspects of creating and updating Jira issues. Your team members simply need to know how to add an emoji reaction in Slack, and the system takes care of the rest.
How does the triage process work?
New requests are automatically added to a Zapier Tables database that serves as your triage queue. Team leads can review this queue regularly, update priorities, assign work to team members, and move items through your workflow stages—all without having to switch between multiple tools.
