VIDEO: Supercharge Your Project Management with Slack and Basecamp Integration

Hi I'm Justin Fraction for TechnologyAdvice. Basecamp and Slack share several features, but they're not quite the same thing. Slack is primarily a communication tool, whereas Basecamp is focused on project management. Basecamp and Slack are better together than apart. To have the best of both worlds, you can integrate Basecamp and Slack using Zapier, Zoho Flow, or Field Trip. In this overview, we'll cover how this integration works and how it can help you streamline your workflow.

Before we get started, let's take a quick look at both applications. Slack is an all-in-one communication tool with a ton of integrations, ensuring that users have everything they need at their fingertips. Furthermore, Slack boasts a search function that enables users to easily retrieve past conversations within their organization. Slack also supports RSS feeds and webhooks on all channels, and Zapier can be used to push updates to Slack. Basecamp, on the other hand, operates differently from Slack.

It doesn't have as many integration capabilities as Slack, but that's not the point. Basecamp is designed to be a repository for all project-related documents, providing a centralized location where team members can access and manage important project information. So let's say an entire team is working on a project. You’d use Basecamp to store documents relating to it. You can even separate those into folders to make it easier to find things later on.

While Slack does have a file sharing feature, it can be difficult to keep track of files mentioned in conversations. However, you can search for files or pin conversations related to files to access them later. With the help of the Field Trip Slack app, you can easily connect Basecamp and Slack. By using Basecamp as your document storehouse, you can easily share your documents with individual teammates or groups on Slack. Additionally, you can create documents and share them on the message board for others on Slack to comment on.

Basecamp houses all tasks, due dates, and assigned users in a single place within your project. Basecamp also uses in-app messaging which shows up as comment strings on project cards. Slack uses desktop notifications to show new messages and direct notifications. You have complete control over these and can customize the what, the who, and the from what where of what you will see. Basecamp posts can trigger notifications on Slack. The Slack Field Trip app will even notify people on Slack when a milestone on Basecamp has been completed.

Essentially you’d only really have to pay attention to Slack. Basecamp will store every document, every file, and every task in one place. While some project management packages will let you build custom workflows or Gantt charts, Basecamp doesn’t go that far. However, messaging does happen within a project, between individuals, or through group messages called pings that live outside of the projects. Slack is all about the conversation. Again, it can allow you to share documents between team members but it’s primarily a communication app first.

With Zapier, Basecamp can be used to generate Slack channels to allow for straightforward communication between members. Adversely, you can create messages on Slack that can become tasks on Basecamp. You can run reports based on assignments, projects, dates, team members, etc. These reports are designed to help you keep track of who did what and what is left to be done. Slack sends out weekly update emails that give an overview of Slack activity.

There are also stat pages that admins can review about the activity. With Zoho Flow or Zapier you can have better Basecamp reporting while also incorporating communications from Slack. So if your project was being worked on in Basecamp and discussions around it were being had on Slack, integrated reports can collate all of it. Zapier will also let users send Slack messages with reports of Basecamp to-dos regularly. And the Field Trip Slack app can let leaders do automatic-check ins and track productivity.

If you’re trying to decide if Basecamp or Slack is better for your team: don’t. You can use both and we hope we’ve given you some ideas of how that can work. Basecamp can allow users to document team collaboration and tasks while Slack enables instant messaging and document sharing. With information connected and synced between programs, you can generate reports that reflect information obtained from both. And don’t forget the ability to extend the notification functionality of both programs by creating links between the two that allows them to work together.

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