Can Non-Gumloop Users @Mention and Talk to My Agent in Slack?

No. Every person who @mentions a Gumloop agent in Slack must have a Gumloop account, and their Slack email must match their Gumloop account email. If non-Gumloop users need to interact with an agent, use a Slack trigger-based agent instead — only the trigger creator needs a Gumloop account.

Why the @Mention Flow Requires an Account

When someone @mentions a Gumloop agent in Slack, the system looks up the sender's Slack email and tries to match it to a Gumloop account. This is required for credit accounting, permissions, and audit logging. If no matching account is found, the user sees a message like:

"👋 Welcome! To chat with Gumloop Agents, you'll need a Gumloop account linked to your Slack email."

The message includes a Get Started with Gumloop button. The agent will not run until the user creates an account.

Creating a Gumloop account is free and only takes a few seconds. Users don't need to log in again after that — the account simply confirms their identity in the workspace. If your intended users can create accounts, this is the simplest path.

Workaround: Use a Slack Trigger Instead

If your users cannot create Gumloop accounts (for example, due to company policy), switch from an @mention-based agent to a Slack trigger-based agent. With a trigger, only the trigger creator needs a Gumloop account. Anyone in the channel can post messages, and the agent will respond using the trigger creator's credentials and identity.

How to Set It Up

1. Open your agent in Gumloop and go to the Triggers section.

2. Create a new Slack Message Reader trigger pointed at the channel your users post in.

3. Configure the trigger's prompt template to include {{Channel IDs}} and {{Thread Links}} so the agent knows where to reply.

4. Enable Read Full Thread on the trigger so the agent gets conversation context.

5. Add an instruction in the prompt like: "Reply in the channel and thread above using the Slack send_message tool. Do not post to any other channel."

Important: Trigger-Based Agents Don't Get Automatic Thread Memory

Unlike @mention agents, trigger-based agents treat each incoming message as a brand-new interaction — they don't automatically remember earlier messages in the thread. This is why the steps above include {{Thread Links}} and Read Full Thread — these give the agent the context it needs to follow the conversation.

For full setup details, see the Agent Triggers — Slack docs.

Quick Comparison

Related Docs

• Using Agents in Slack

• Agent Triggers — Slack

• Apps & Credentials