Guide
Slack notifications for new leads and paid invoices
CalSpark can post to a Slack channel when a lead arrives, a job is completed or an invoice is paid. It uses a Slack incoming webhook, so there is no Slack app to install. This guide covers the setup, the three ready-made messages and how to add Slack to your own automations.
By CalSpark team. Published . Updated .
What you get, and what you do not
- A message in a channel you choose when a new lead comes in, a job is completed or an invoice is paid.
- A Slack step you can add to any custom automation, with your own text.
- A test message, so you can check the channel before real events arrive.
It is not a Slack app. There are no slash commands, no buttons in the message, and CalSpark does not read anything from Slack. It posts to one webhook, so one channel at a time. Your Slack plan applies. Slack does not charge for incoming webhooks.
Who is this for? An office that already lives in Slack, where the dispatcher should see a new lead the moment it arrives and the owner wants to know when a large invoice is paid, without opening CalSpark to check. If nobody in your shop uses Slack, email automations do the same job.
Step 1: create the webhook in Slack
- Pick or create the channel, for example one called leads.
- In Slack, create an incoming webhook for that channel. Slack documents the steps in its developer pages under incoming webhooks.
- Copy the webhook URL. It begins with https://hooks.slack.com.
Treat the URL like a password. Anyone who has it can post to your channel. CalSpark stores it encrypted and never shows it again after you save it.
Step 2: connect it in CalSpark
- Sign in as an admin and open Settings, then Integrations.
- Find the Slack card. Paste the URL into Slack incoming webhook URL. Only addresses that start with https://hooks.slack.com are accepted.
- Optionally type the channel name in the channel name field. It is only a reminder for you.
- Choose Connect, then use the test button. A test message should appear in the channel.
To switch channels, choose Replace webhook and paste the new URL. Disconnect removes it. The Integrations page appears when Automations is on, which it is by default.
Step 3: add the ready-made messages
| Preset | When it posts |
|---|---|
| Slack: new lead | A request comes in through your request form. |
| Slack: job completed | A technician or the office marks a job completed. |
| Slack: invoice paid | An invoice is paid in full. |
Choose Add next to each one you want. New leads only arrive if the request form is on. An admin turns on Request form in Company, Features, and the setup is in how to add a service request form to your website.
Add Slack to your own automations
In the custom automation builder, add a Slack message action. Write the text, up to 3,000 characters, and use the fields from the event. For example, post to Slack only when an invoice paid in full is above a certain total. The build steps are in build your first custom automation.
Keep messages short. The point is to tell the office something happened and who to look at. A message that says a lead came in, with the name and the phone number, is enough to act on. The rest is in CalSpark when they open it.
If a message does not appear, run the connection test first. If the test works and a real event does not, check that the automation is switched on and look at its run history for a skipped reason.
Habits that keep it useful
- Pick the channel the right people already watch. One webhook means one channel, so a shared office channel usually works better than a private one.
- Turn on only the presets you will act on. Three busy messages in one channel get muted fast. Start with new leads, then add paid invoices once the first one is working.
- Agree who answers a lead and how fast. A notification nobody owns is noise.
- Test after any change, with the test button for the connection and a real example for the automation.
Questions
Do I need to install a Slack app?
No. You create an incoming webhook in Slack and paste its URL into CalSpark.
Can CalSpark read messages in Slack?
No. It only posts messages. It does not read from Slack or respond to commands.
Which events have ready-made messages?
New lead, job completed and invoice paid. You can add Slack to any custom automation for other events.
Is the webhook URL safe?
CalSpark stores it encrypted and does not show it again. Anyone who has the URL can post to the channel, so do not share it.
Does Slack cost extra?
CalSpark does not charge extra. Slack does not charge for incoming webhooks, but your Slack plan applies.
Keep reading
- Slack notifications: connect an incoming webhookPaste a Slack incoming webhook into Settings, Integrations to post new leads, completed jobs and paid invoices to a channel. Steps, limits and FAQ.
- Build Your First Custom Automation: Three RecipesHow the CalSpark custom automation builder works, a step-by-step build, and three recipes: a check-in email, a big-invoice alert and a completed-job webhook.
- How to Add a Service Request Form to Your Business WebsiteTurn on the CalSpark request form in Company, Features, then set up the hosted page, the embed snippet, what a submission creates, the instant reply, and what the form cannot do.
- Integrations: what works today and what is plannedEvery integration with a one-line status. Live: Stripe, Slack, calendar feeds, API, webhooks. Texts need your own Twilio account. Planned, not available: Zapier, QuickBooks, Google Calendar push.
- Invoicing and online card paymentsInvoices with line items, PDF and email, pay links, card payment of the balance through your own Stripe account, staff-recorded partial payments and refunds. Estimates convert to draft invoices.
Try it with your own jobs
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