# Let an agent search docs and post summaries into Slack

> Decisions live in long docs that the rest of the team never reads.

This setup is for team leads and project owners whose decisions sit in long Notion docs. Claude searches Notion, reads the pages you point it at and posts a short summary of decisions, owners and dates into one Slack channel. You end up with a channel the whole team can skim instead of a pile of unread specs.

## Steps

1. **Connect the Notion MCP server**: Add Notion's hosted MCP server in Claude Desktop (Settings > Connectors) or with claude mcp add in Claude Code, then sign in with OAuth. Claude can only see pages your Notion account can see, so use an account that has access to the project teamspaces and nothing more sensitive. Test it by asking Claude to list the pages in one teamspace.
   Tip: If your own account sees HR or finance pages, consider a separate Notion member account with narrower access for the agent.
2. **Connect the Slack MCP server**: Add the Slack MCP server and authorise it for your workspace. If you use a bot token, give it only the scopes needed to read channel info and post messages, and invite the bot to a single channel such as #doc-summaries. Ask Claude to post a test message there before you rely on it.
   Tip: Create the summary channel first so you can name it in the install step.
3. **Define the summary format**: Write a template Claude should follow every time, for example: one-line context, decisions, owners, open questions, due dates, and a link back to the Notion page. Save it in a Claude project or a CLAUDE.md file so you don't have to paste it each time. Check the first few summaries against the source doc for missed or invented details.
   Tip: Ask Claude to quote the exact sentence from the doc for each decision so you can spot errors fast.

## Prompts to try

- Find the Notion pages edited this week in the Product teamspace and post a summary of decisions and owners to #doc-summaries.
- Summarise the Q3 pricing spec in Notion in five bullets and post it to Slack with a link to the page.
- Search Notion for anything that mentions the mobile launch date and tell me where the docs disagree.
- Read the last three meeting notes in the Engineering database and post the open action items with owners to #doc-summaries.
- Draft the Slack summary for the onboarding redesign doc but show it to me before posting.

## What you need

- A Notion workspace with access to the relevant teamspaces
- Permission to install apps in your Slack workspace
- Claude Desktop or Claude Code
- A dedicated Slack channel for summaries

## Limits

- Claude can misread or drop details in long docs, so someone should spot-check summaries that announce decisions.
- Notion databases with many pages can hit search and context limits; point Claude at specific pages or filters for large spaces.
- Embedded files, images and comments in Notion may not be included in what the server returns.

## Security notes

- Restrict Slack posting to one channel.
- Do not grant access to private HR or finance teamspaces.

## MCP servers

- [Notion MCP Server](https://developers.notion.com/docs/mcp): page-read, page-write
- [Slack MCP Server](https://docs.slack.dev/ai/mcp-server): channel-read, message-write

## FAQ

**Which Claude plans and hosts work?**

Claude Desktop and Claude Code both support remote MCP servers like Notion's. Custom connectors in Claude Desktop need a paid Claude plan on some account types, so check your plan's connector settings.

**Can Claude post to any channel?**

It can post wherever the Slack app or bot is allowed to post. Keep the bot in one channel and limit its scopes so a mistaken prompt cannot reach #general or a DM.

**Will it summarise pages it can't see?**

No. The Notion server works with your account's permissions, so pages you can't open are invisible to Claude too. If a summary looks incomplete, check whether linked pages sit in a teamspace you aren't a member of.

**Can this run on a schedule?**

Claude Desktop runs when you prompt it. For a daily or weekly post, run Claude Code headless from a cron job or CI workflow with the same MCP config.

## Tools

- **[Notion](https://suiteintent.com/t/notion?m=GB)**: Docs, wikis and lightweight databases. · Best for: Building a shared company wiki · Free plan · Free for students
- **[Slack](https://suiteintent.com/t/slack?m=GB)**: Team messaging organised in channels. · Best for: Moving team chat out of email · Free plan · Free for nonprofits