Introduction
In fast-paced startup environments or agile teams, keeping task communications synchronized across platforms is critical. Asana’s Comment Sync feature allows users to copy comments from Slack directly into an Asana task’s comment log, centralizing discussion around tasks. However, as teams scale or look for cost-effective alternatives, relying on Asana’s paid feature set may not be feasible.
This article walks you through building a robust, scalable n8n workflow that automates copying comments from Slack channels into task comment logs in Asana—effectively replicating Asana’s Comment Sync feature. This automation benefits operations specialists, automation engineers, and startup CTOs who want to maintain seamless communication without incurring additional costs.
Tools & Services Integrated
– Slack: Source of comments
– Asana: Destination for task comments
– n8n: The automation platform
Use Case & Problem Statement
Problem: In teams where conversations happen in Slack but task management is in Asana, important context can get lost because comments are siloed in Slack rather than attached to the task.
This automation solves:
– Centralizing comments from Slack into Asana tasks.
– Maintaining historical context of tasks with Slack conversations.
– Reducing manual copy-pasting or switching between apps.
Who Benefits?
– Operations teams managing project communication.
– Automation engineers implementing workspace integrations.
– Startup CTOs looking to reduce SaaS spending without losing productivity.
Workflow Overview
Trigger: New message posted in a specific Slack channel.
Steps:
1. Detect if the message includes a reference to an Asana task (e.g., a task ID or URL).
2. Extract the task identifier from the Slack message.
3. Use Asana API to post the Slack message content as a comment in the corresponding Asana task.
Technical Tutorial
Prerequisites:
– n8n instance (self-hosted or cloud)
– Slack API credentials with scopes: channels:history, chat:write, and possibly conversations:read
– Asana Personal Access Token
Step 1: Set Up Slack Trigger Node
– In n8n, add the Slack Trigger node.
– Configure it to trigger on ‘New Message’ events in the channel(s) where task-related messages will be posted.
– Make sure the node has appropriate permissions to listen to the channel’s messages.
Step 2: Extract Asana Task ID from the Slack Message
– Add a Function node after the Slack Trigger.
– Write JavaScript code to parse the incoming Slack message text and extract the Asana task ID or URL.
– Asana task URLs typically look like https://app.asana.com/0/projectID/taskID; extract the ‘taskID’ part.
Example snippet:
“`javascript
const message = $json[“text”];
const regex = /https:\/\/app.asana.com\/0\/\d+\/(\d+)/;
const match = message.match(regex);
if(match && match[1]) {
return [{ taskId: match[1], comment: message }];
} else {
return [];
}
“`
– The Function node outputs only if a task ID is found, effectively filtering irrelevant messages.
Step 3: Post Comment to Asana Task
– Add an HTTP Request node configured to call the Asana API endpoint for task comments:
`POST https://app.asana.com/api/1.0/tasks/{taskId}/stories`
– Authentication:
Use HTTP Header with Authorization: Bearer {ASANA_ACCESS_TOKEN}
– Body (JSON):
{
“text”: “{{ $json[“comment”] }}”
}
– Replace `{taskId}` with the extracted taskId from the previous node.
Step 4: Add Error Handling
– Use a ‘NoOp’ or Error Trigger node to capture failed API calls.
– Optional: Add retries with exponential backoff using n8n’s error workflows.
– Log errors or notify the team via Slack or email.
Step 5: Test the Workflow
– Post a message in Slack including an Asana task URL.
– Validate the comment appears in the Asana task.
Common Issues & Tips
– Slack message formatting might vary; ensure regex covers all expected URL formats.
– Rate limits: Both Slack and Asana APIs may have rate limits; use n8n’s built-in rate limiting and retry logic.
– Task permission issues: Ensure the Asana access token has write permissions.
– If Slack messages include files or attachments, consider extending the workflow to include them.
Scaling & Adaptation
– Extend the workflow to parse multiple URLs or task IDs in a single Slack message.
– Support additional Slack channels.
– Add filters for message types or user roles to control comment syncing.
– Implement batching for high message volume scenarios.
Summary
By leveraging n8n, teams can replace costly Asana Comment Sync functionalities with a fully customizable, maintainable, and cost-effective automation. This workflow ensures that all task-related conversations remain consolidated in Asana, driven directly from Slack channels where communication naturally happens.
As a bonus tip, consider extending this workflow to sync comments from Asana back into Slack to maintain two-way communication, creating a comprehensive collaboration loop without paying for premium integrations.