Join the Groupable Users Slack Workspace and Set Up Your Profile

What is the Groupable Users Slack Workspace?

Slack is a messaging tool, a bit like email, but organized into shared conversations instead of individual messages. The Groupable team uses it to run a community called "Groupable Users," where officers and administrators from parent-group organizations (Grand Lodges, Grand Chapters, Grand Bodies, and similar groups) can ask questions, share tips, and hear from the Groupable team directly.

You were invited to join by Sylva M (Groupable). Joining takes about five minutes and does not require you to install anything, though free apps are available later if you want them.

Before You Start

You will need:

• The invitation email from Sylva M (Groupable), which contains either a link or a QR code (or both).
• An email address you check regularly. Slack suggests using the email account you use for work.
• A few minutes to complete a short sign-up process.

If you don't see an invitation in your inbox, or it no longer works, email support@groupable.com and the Groupable team will send you one.

Getting Started: Opening Your Invitation

You can join in either of two ways, depending on what your invitation email contains.

Option A: Click the link in the email.

1. Open the invitation email from Sylva M (Groupable).
2. Click the invitation link.
3. Your web browser opens the invitation page.

Option B: Scan the QR code with your phone.

1. Open the invitation email on a computer or tablet, or have it visible on another device.
2. Open the camera app on your phone and point it at the QR code (the small black-and-white square) in the email.
3. A link appears on your phone screen. Tap it.
4. Your phone's web browser opens the invitation page.

Either option takes you to the same place.

Accepting the Invitation

Once the invitation page opens, you will see the Slack logo and a message that reads: "Accept Sylva M (Groupable)'s invitation to Groupable Users."

Below that is a box for your email address, labeled name@work-email.com, and a note that says: "We suggest using the email account you use for work."

1. Type your email address into the box.
2. Click the purple Continue button.

You will also see two other options on this page: Continue With Google and Continue With Apple. If you already have a Google or Apple account and would rather use it to sign in, click one of those buttons instead of typing an email address, and follow the prompts Slack shows you.

The page also shows a note letting you know the invitation is not permanent. Invitations expire about 30 days after they're sent, and the invitation page shows how many days you have left. If your invitation has already expired by the time you try to join, see Troubleshooting below.

Confirming Your Email and Creating Your Account

After you click Continue, Slack sends a confirmation code to the email address you entered.

1. Check your email inbox for a message from Slack containing a code.
2. Type that code into the box on the Slack page.
3. Slack then asks for your name and asks you to choose a password. Fill in both fields.

Once you finish this step, you are a member of the Groupable Users workspace. The next step, setting up your profile, is the most important part, so do not skip it.

Setting Up Your Profile So We Know Who You Are

This is the part the Groupable team relies on most. Slack shows your name to everyone in the workspace, but it does not automatically know which parent group you serve or what office you hold. Filling in your profile completely is how we match you to your organization when you ask a question.

Step 1: Open Your Profile

1. Click your photo or initials in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Click Profile.
3. Click Edit profile.

Step 2: Fill In These Fields

Here are a few examples of how the Title field should look:

• Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Kansas
• Database Administrator, Grand Chapter OES of Texas
• Supreme Scribe, Tall Cedars of Lebanon

If your organization is not a Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, or Tall Cedars body, use the same pattern with your own office and the name of your parent group, for example: Secretary, [your parent group's name].

Why this matters in one sentence: without your office and organization in the Title field, the Groupable team cannot tell which organization your question is about.

Step 3: Add a Photo (Optional)

Adding a photo to your profile is optional, but it helps everyone in the workspace recognize you, especially in a community with people from many different organizations. If you'd like to add one, look for the photo option on the same Edit Profile screen.

When you finish entering your information, close the profile window. Slack keeps what you entered.

What to Expect Once You're In

After you finish setting up your profile, you land in a channel called #general. A channel is a shared conversation, a bit like an email discussion thread that everyone in the workspace can see and join.

Also look for a channel called #announcements. That's where the Groupable team posts new features, new modules, and other news, so it's worth a check when you sign in.

To ask a question or say hello, type your message into the box at the bottom of the screen and press Enter.

You do not need to download anything to use Slack. It works right in your web browser. If you would like a phone or desktop app later, they are free, but they are entirely optional.

Once you've added your name, office, and organization to your profile, the Groupable team will add you to a private channel just for your organization. A private channel works like the channels you've already seen, but only people from your organization and the Groupable team can see it. This is especially helpful when you are getting started with Groupable or have any questions that include a member's personal information, like a name, address, or payment detail.

Signing Back In Later

To return to the Groupable Users workspace after your first visit:

1. Open your web browser and go to groupableusers.slack.com.
2. Sign in with the same email address you used to join.

Optional: Get the Slack App

Slack works fine right in your web browser, so you never have to install anything. But the free phone and desktop apps have one advantage worth knowing about: the app tells you about any replies you receive, or when someone posts in your organization's private channel, so you don't have to remember to check back.

On Your Phone

1. Search for Slack in the App Store on an iPhone, or in Google Play on an Android phone.
2. Install the app.
3. Open the app and sign in with the same email address you used to join.
4. When the app asks for your workspace, enter groupableusers.

On Your Computer

1. Go to slack.com/download.
2. Choose the version for a Mac or a Windows PC.
3. Install it and sign in the same way, with the same email address you used to join.

Getting the app is entirely optional. Your browser keeps working either way.

Tips / Good to Know

• You do not need to install anything to use Slack. A web browser is all you need.
• Use the email address you check most often for work-related messages, since that is where Slack will send you confirmation codes and notifications.
• Keep your Title field up to date. If you change offices, update it so the Groupable team and your fellow officers know who you currently are.

Troubleshooting

I don't have an invitation, or it doesn't work anymore

Invitations expire about 30 days after they're sent. If you never received one, or yours has expired:

1. Reply to the email that carried the invitation, or
2. Write to support@groupable.com.

Either way, the Groupable team will send you a fresh invitation.

I didn't receive the confirmation code email

Check your spam or junk folder for a message from Slack. If you still don't see it after a few minutes, double-check that you typed your email address correctly, then open your invitation again.

I'm not sure what to put in my Title field

Use the pattern: your office, a comma, then the name of your parent group. For example, Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Kansas. If you're unsure of your exact office title, use the name most commonly used in your organization's bylaws or on your Groupable member profile.

Glossary

Workspace — A single Slack community, tied to one organization or group. "Groupable Users" is the name of the workspace you are joining.

Channel — A shared conversation within a workspace, similar to an email discussion thread that everyone in the workspace can see. #general is the first channel you land in.

Profile — The page in Slack that shows your name, title, and photo to other members of the workspace.

Display name — The short name Slack shows next to your messages, such as your first and last name.

Parent group — The top-level organization you serve, such as a Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, or similar governing body that oversees local groups such as lodges, chapters, or local committees.