How to Create a Poll in Slack

Slack is a tool used by many employers to communicate with team members and keep everyone updated. One of the more valuable features of Slack is polls, which allow employees to give their opinions on different subjects collectively.

Slack does not have a built-in polling option. However, you can use Slack integrations to create polls. You can install them in mobile or web app versions or web browsers.

This article will show you how to create a poll in Slack using integrations.

Slack Poll Integrations

Slack has numerous poll integration tools, but Polly and Simple Poll are the most regularly used..

Polly

Polly is software created mainly to manage surveys. Polly is the commonly used polling integration in Slack due to its broad applicability and easy-to-use interface, allowing users to automate their work. People can use Polly for creating polls, surveys, and forms. Polly makes customization easier as you have unlimited templates and six poll types. 

Simple Poll

If you are looking for an integration that is easy to set up, Simple Poll is perfect for you. You can use the tool to create anonymous polls. It can hide voters’ names and limit the number of times someone can vote. It also provides a quick analysis of simple questions. 

Create polls using Polly

We will use Polly in our example, although these steps will be similar for other Poll integration tools you use.

1. Go to Slack, and launch your workspace by clicking on Launch Slack.

   

2. Click on the drop-down icon next to your workspace name.

   

3. Head over to Settings & administration and click Manage apps to add a new app.

Installing Polly in Slack

1. In the search bar on the next page, type in “Poll” and pick Polly from the list.

   

2. A new window will open. Click Add to Slack.

   

3. Grant Polly permission to access your workspace by clicking Allow.

   

4. Click Continue to agree to the privacy policy and get started.

   

5. Refresh your Slack URL, and Polly will be available in your workspace.

   

Using Polly in Slack

1. After installing Polly, you will see a message at “Apps.” Click on Polly to open the message.

   

2. Type /Polly in the message section, followed by the poll question. For example /Polly, Do you like the new inventory system?

   

3. In the pop-up, select the question type. Polly has the following 6 types of questions. Multiple choice questions, Open-ended questions, and Likert scale questions (Agree/Disagree.) Apart from that, Polly has rating scale questions; NPS( a scale of 0-10), 1-to-5, and 1-to-10.

   

4. You can allow comments by checking the box next to “Allow comments.” Below “Choose audience,” you can select whom you would like to assign the poll. It can be a channel or an individual.
5. If you choose to send Polly as DM,  Polly will send the entire poll as a direct message to each member.

   

6. Then click Settings.

   

7. In the Responses drop-down, choose whether you want to make the answers Anonymous, Confidential or Non-anonymous. Anonymous responses hide the respondent usernames, while in non-anonymous responses, the respondents’ names will be available in the poll. Confidential responses hide the usernames but show their demographic information.

   

8. Under “Results,” choose the result mode from the drop-down.

   

9. You can also schedule your poll by clicking Schedule.

   

10. Select the date, time, and frequency of voting for members. Then, click Submit.

    

11. After you’re satisfied with the rest of the settings, click Submit.

    

12. Click Send to complete the poll.

    

13. Polly will confirm creating the poll. If you want to make a link that you would like to share with people outside the workspace, click Create Link. Copy the link and click Cancel.

    

14. Open the link in a new tab.

    

15. Polly will send the poll to the team members at the scheduled time. If you did not schedule the poll, Polly sends it immediately.

Close or delete a Polly poll

1. If you want to delete or close a poll, go to Polly under “Apps” in the left sidebar, and select the three dots (…). Then click Settings.

   

2. At “Admin Controls,” you can click Close next to “Close the polly to any new responses.” You can also permanently delete the poll by clicking Delete next to “Permanently delete this polly and remove all its messages in Slack.”

   

3. Finally, click Close.