At Savvy CFO, we use Slack every day to keep our fractional finance teams and clients connected, organized, and efficient. Over time, we’ve learned that how you use Slack has a bigger impact on productivity than which plan you’re on.
This guide is built for the Free and Pro versions of Slack - the most common tiers used by Canadian Small Businesses (SMBs)
We’ve also flagged a few advanced tools available only on Business+ or Enterprise+ plans for teams ready to scale further.
Create dedicated channels for each project, client, or process (e.g., #client-abcd or #finance-monthend).
It keeps communication tidy and lets team members instantly know where to find what.
Savvy tip: Add short channel topics or descriptions, such as “Client deliverables for abcd Corp,” so newcomers always know what’s what.
Instead of replying directly in the main chat, reply in a thread.
This keeps conversations contained and your channels readable.
Savvy tip: Mute threads you’re not part of. It’s one of the easiest ways to reduce Slack overwhelm.
Slack’s status tool is your virtual “Do Not Disturb” sign.
Use it to let others know when you’re in deep focus, in a client meeting, or away for a break.
Why it helps: Fewer unnecessary pings mean you can get through focused work without interruptions.
Turn on DND during your focus hours or after 6 p.m. Slack will pause notifications and deliver a summary when you’re back online.
Savvy tip: Schedule recurring DND windows for consistent “quiet time.”
Emoji reactions (✅ 🙌 👀) are underrated productivity tools.
They replace “thanks” or “got it” messages and create quick, visual workflows.
Why it helps: Keeps channels clean and provides instant feedback to everyone.
When someone drops a key file or update, save or pin it.
Pins make shared references easy to find later, especially for client projects or recurring processes.
Savvy tip: Use /pins to view all pinned content in a channel.
Your personal Slack space is perfect for quick notes or reminders.
Type /remind me to follow up with CRA on Tuesday, and Slack will do the rest.
Why it helps: You can jot down ideas and turn them into action items without leaving Slack.
Once you learn a few keyboard shortcuts, Slack gets faster - a lot faster.
Try these:
Ctrl + K → Jump to any channel
Ctrl + Shift + M → Mentions
Ctrl + / → See all shortcuts
Why it helps: Small efficiencies add up over the course of a workweek.
You can now organize channels into collapsible sections like “Clients,” “Internal,” or “Admin.”
It’s one of the simplest ways to tame Slack chaos.
Savvy tip: Collapse sections you don’t need daily - it trains your brain to focus on what’s most important.
Slack’s Huddles are quick audio (and now video) chats that don’t require a meeting link or calendar invite.
Why it helps: Great for quick clarifications; no “let’s schedule a call” required.
Reminders are Slack’s built-in to-do system.
Example: /remind #finance to review invoices every Monday at 9 am.
Why it helps: Keeps recurring tasks visible without adding another tool to your stack.
Slack Canvas lets you document recurring notes, checklists, or procedures right beside your chat.
Why it helps: Keeps shared context and documentation where the work happens - inside Slack.
(AI-enhanced Canvas tools require Business+.)
Instead of scrolling forever, use advanced search filters:
from:me — things you’ve said
in:#channel — limit by channel
has:link — find messages with attachments
Why it helps: Saves time and makes Slack your team’s searchable knowledge base.
(AI summaries available on Business+.)
Integrate a few essential tools - Google Drive, Asana, or Calendly - but resist connecting everything.
Why it helps: Keeps notifications relevant and reduces the “app overload” trap.
(Some integration limits apply on Free plan.)
Write a quick internal guide that answers questions like:
When should we use DMs vs. channels?
How fast are replies expected?
Which emojis mean what?
Why it helps: Prevents miscommunication and builds team consistency - especially across remote teams.
Meetings are one of the biggest sources of context switching. Fireflies.ai helps solve this by bringing meeting recordings, summaries, and action items directly into Slack - where your team already works.
Once connected to your Slack workspace, Fireflies:
Automatically posts AI-generated meeting summaries into Slack channels or DMs
Highlights key points, decisions, and next steps
Provides direct links to full recordings and searchable transcripts
Why it helps:
Non-attendees stay informed without joining every meeting
Less follow-up chatter like “Can someone summarize?”
Faster execution, since action items live in the same place as daily communication
Finish a client or internal call → Fireflies posts the summary to the relevant Slack channel → the team reacts, assigns follow-ups, or sets reminders - no extra tools required.
If your business scales, Slack’s Business+ plan adds AI-powered search, message recaps, and workflow generation - perfect for teams managing multiple channels and projects.
But for most SMBs, Slack’s Free and Pro plans already deliver the tools needed for organized, focused, high-context collaboration.
The key to Slack productivity isn’t chasing every new feature; it’s intentional communication habits.
When you use channels thoughtfully, protect focus time, and build shared team norms, Slack becomes more than a chat tool - it becomes your team’s operating rhythm.
At Savvy CFO, we believe great finance teams (and great businesses) thrive on clear communication.
Apply a few of these tips to your Slack workspace and start seeing a difference in focus and flow.
Want more? Explore more insights on The Savvy Lab for tools and tactics that help small and mid-sized businesses scale smarter.