Sending Slack Messages with Block Kit in Bot Framework V4

I'm currently using Bot Framework V4 and have successfully connected to a Slack workspace. I can interact with my bot synchronously. However, I'm trying to send an asynchronous message using continueConversationAsync, which works correctly when sending just a string, allowing the message to appear on Slack.

I've referred to this guide: Create a full-fidelity Slack message, but it utilizes the old method with attachments. Slack recommends using Block Kit.

Here’s how the activity being sent to Slack currently looks, but I'm not receiving the message:

const activity = {
          type: 'message',
          channelData: {
            blocks: [
              {
                type: 'header',
                text: {
                  type: 'plain_text',
                  text: slackAttachment.headline,
                  emoji: true,
                },
              },
              {
                type: 'image',
                image_url: slackAttachment.imageUrl,
                alt_text: slackAttachment.headline,
              },
              {
                type: 'section',
                text: {
                  type: 'plain_text',
                  text: slackAttachment.message,
                  emoji: true,
                },
              },
            ],
          },
        } as Partial<Activity>;

await context.sendActivity(activity);

santoshkc 11,450 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-11-28T12:34:54.6533333+00:00

Hi @Jose Antonio Gonzalez Rodriguez,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum!

To send Slack messages with Block Kit using Bot Framework V4, ensure the channelData structure adheres to Slack’s Block Kit specifications. The provided JSON seems correctly formatted, but it’s essential to validate it using Slack's Block Kit Builder to ensure compatibility. Verify that your Slack app has "Interactive Messages" enabled, and the bot has the required permissions. Additionally, ensure the continueConversationAsync method is correctly configured with a valid serviceUrl and conversationReference to target the Slack channel. Checking Slack API logs in the app dashboard can help identify if the message is being processed or rejected. If issues persist, confirm that the bot’s activity type is set to 'message' and test with a simple Block Kit message to isolate potential problems.

I hope you understand. Thank you.
santoshkc 11,450 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-11-29T12:40:18.13+00:00

Hi @Jose Antonio Gonzalez Rodriguez,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Thank you.
santoshkc 11,450 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-12-02T08:05:30.7333333+00:00

Hi @Jose Antonio Gonzalez Rodriguez,

Following up to see if the given response was helpful. Thank you.
Jose Antonio Gonzalez Rodriguez 0 Reputation points

2024-12-04T10:31:22.6333333+00:00

Hi @santoshkc sorry for the late reply, I didn't get any notifications from your messages. Let me have a look at your comments and I'll revert back to you soon :)

Jose Antonio Gonzalez Rodriguez 0

Hi @santoshkc I have done as suggested trying simple blocks.

At first I tried with

{
  "type":"message",
  "serviceUrl":"https://slack.botframework.com/",
  "channelId":"slack",
  "from":{
    "id":"user_id",
    "name":"bot_name",
    "role":"bot"
  },
  "conversation": {
    "isGroup":false,
    "conversationType":"personal",
    "id":"conversation_id"
  },
  "recipient": {
    "id":"user_id",
    "name":"user_name",
    "role":"user"
  },
  "channelData": {
    "blocks": [
      {
        "type":"header",
        "text": {
          "type":"plain_text",
          "text":"This is a header block",
          "emoji":true
        }
      },
      {
        "type":"section",
        "text": {
          "type":"plain_text",
          "text":"This is a plain text section block.",
          "emoji":true
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "replyToId":"reply_id",
}

And got the error of invalid blocks.

Then I tried to remove the header block

{
  "type":"message",
  "serviceUrl":"https://slack.botframework.com/",
  "channelId":"slack",
  "from":{
    "id":"user_id",
    "name":"bot_name",
    "role":"bot"
  },
  "conversation": {
    "isGroup":false,
    "conversationType":"personal",
    "id":"conversation_id"
  },
  "recipient": {
    "id":"user_id",
    "name":"user_name",
    "role":"user"
  },
  "channelData": {
    "blocks": [
      {
        "type":"section",
        "text": {
          "type":"plain_text",
          "text":"This is a plain text section block.",
          "emoji":true
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "replyToId":"reply_id",
}

and that worked and could get the Slack message.

Is there any way to support the header block (and any other blocks not supported) from your side or is it a Slack thing?

santoshkc 11,450 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-12-05T15:06:00.24+00:00

Hi @Jose Antonio Gonzalez Rodriguez,

Thank you for your follow-up query.

The issue with the header block not rendering properly seems to be related to Bot Framework's limited support for certain Slack Block Kit components. While Slack supports header blocks, they may not be processed correctly by the Bot Framework V4. You can try using alternative blocks like section or context, or check if updates are available for the Bot Framework Slack connector. Still if you face any errors, I request to raise a support request through the Azure portal. Thank you.

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Sending Slack Messages with Block Kit in Bot Framework V4

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