What is a Slack checklist?
A Slack checklist is a to-do list that lives inside Slack instead of a separate project tool. The best version isn’t a static list at all — it’s a single self-updating message in a channel, where each item has an owner and a status, and people complete tasks with a tap or an emoji reaction.
That matters because the work and the conversation stay in one place. There’s no second app to open, no copy-pasting status into Slack, and no “where are we on this?” meeting — the channel is always current because the checklist is the message.
How to make a checklist in Slack
With Tovo installed, there are three ways to start — pick whatever’s closest to how you already work:
- 1
Mention the bot with a list
In any channel, type @tovo followed by your steps in plain English — “@tovo deploy staging, run tests @sam, then ship”. Add the word “relay” for a sequential hand-off. Tovo drafts a structured checklist for you to confirm.
- 2
Start from a saved template
Run the slash command /tovo start to pick a saved template and a channel. Steps, owners and due offsets are pre-filled, so a recurring process launches in two keystrokes.
- 3
DM the bot privately, post to a channel
Message @tovo directly with your list and name a #channel. Tovo drafts the run privately; you confirm, and it posts to the team as one live message.
How to drive a task to done
Once a run is posted, anyone in the channel moves work with a button or an emoji reaction — no forms, no leaving the conversation:
- ✅ done — completes the task, or the active step of a relay.
- 👀 mine — claims an unassigned task and starts it in one tap.
- ⛔ blocked — flags the task as blocked so the team can see it.
In relay mode, finishing a step automatically hands the baton to the next owner — and if anything goes past its due date, Tovo nudges the owner by DM, email or channel.
What to run as a Slack checklist
Any repeatable process that already lives in a channel is a good fit. The most common:
Release checklist
Turn every deploy into one self-updating checklist your whole channel can see.
Onboarding checklist
Give every new hire the same complete first week — tracked, owner-assigned, in Slack.
Incident runbook
When something breaks, run the runbook where the incident is already being handled — in Slack.
Slack checklist tools compared
Weighing the options? See how Tovo compares to the usual alternatives: