Before
An administrator likely had to verify the requester, interpret the requested action, make the change in Google Workspace, and then notify the relevant Slack channel manually. Each command type could require a separate administrative action and follow-up message, with unauthorized requests handled through an additional manual response.
How it works
- Receive the Slack command and identify the requester, target, and requested user or group action.
- Check the requester against the authorized-user list and route unauthorized requests to a warning message.
- Execute the requested suspension, unsuspension, or deletion and publish the result in Slack.
Workflow details
- Command intake: The workflow receives a Slack webhook containing the requester, command, target user or group information, and notification context. It first identifies who triggered the request and inspects the command to determine which administrative action is needed.
- Authorization control: The requester is compared with a configured list of authorized users before any directory change is made. Unauthorized requests stop the administrative path and receive a warning message in Slack.
- User administration: Authorized commands can suspend a user, restore an unsuspended user to active status, or permanently delete a user from Google Workspace. Each user change is followed by a Slack notification describing the completed status change or deletion.
- Group administration: An authorized group-deletion command removes the specified group from Google Workspace and sends a confirmation message to the designated Slack channel.
- Operational result: Routine identity administration and communication are handled through one command-driven workflow, while authorization checks remain automatic and the resulting action is visible to the relevant Slack audience.
What changed
A Slack command now initiates the authorization check, directory operation, and notification automatically. Human administrators no longer need to perform the routine change or follow-up announcement for supported authorized commands, while unauthorized requests are rejected with a warning.
Work removed
Manually verifying requester authorization, switching to the directory administration interface, suspending or restoring users, deleting users or groups, copying target details, and posting completion or denial messages in Slack.
Expected outcome
For each authorized request, the workflow automates one directory change and one Slack notification, replacing at least two recurring manual actions; this is a configuration-based estimate rather than a measured customer result.
