Donut allows you to run sophisticated intros with more targeted options, rather than just making random intros. You can use Donut's "Within-group" function to launch regional or team introductions, topic or interest-based meetups, and more.
Read on to learn more about how it works and find answers to FAQs below.
How It Works:
Login at app.donut.ai with your Slack credentials
Click "All Channels" in the left sidebar menu
Locate your channel, and hit the settings gear icon. If you would like to create a new channel, you can select the "+Create a Donut Channel" button instead.
Under "Program Basics" select the type of Intro you'd like to use, in this case, "Within-group" should be selected.
Choose if you would like to add your groups Manually or Automatically with HRIS. Learn more about connecting your HRIS to leverage automated Categories and Groups.
Some common category examples include department, mentors & mentees, location, or interest groups. Once your groups are defined, Donut will either message folks to learn which group they should be in (If you've selected our Manual option) or will be able to put folks in groups based on your HRIS data. Donut will introduce people with users who are a part of the same group, helping to create more strategic introductions.
Example Use Cases:
Location-Based: Create a channel that spans your entire organization, where each participant selects their region (AMEA, APAC, Americas). This ensures matches occur only within the same geographical area.
Interest-Based: Set up a channel like #hobbies, prompting individuals to pick a favorite hobby—such as gardening, reading, or painting—to connect with others who share the same passion.
Preferred Interaction Formats: Design categories for different interaction preferences, such as "Video Chat," "Async Slack Chat," or "Verbal Chat (No Video). This approach facilitates tailored introductions based on chosen formats.
Once the groups are defined, every new user who joins the Intro channel will be prompted to select a group via buttons right in Slack, and Donut will intro them with users who select the same group.
Reminder Message for Group Selection
To ensure that all participants are placed in the correct groups, Donut automatically sends a reminder message to users who haven’t selected a group yet.
One business day before each round of intros is scheduled to begin, Donut will message anyone who hasn’t picked a group, prompting them to make a selection.
When a user joins the channel, they’ll also receive a similar message asking them to choose a group. If they don’t select one, they won’t be included in introductions.
✨ New: Admins can now manually trigger this reminder at any time using the "Send Messages" button in the channel settings. To send a message to folks without a group:
Go to All Channels > find the Intros channel you'd like to edit
Click the gear icon to access the channel settings
On the Program Basics tab, go to the Intro Type section
Under the Group fields, click Send Messages
This allows you to proactively nudge participants who haven’t picked a group yet.
Looking to introduce folks in different groups? Click here for step-by-step instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose the intro group size with the Cross-groups option?
Yes. The size of your intro groups can be set using the Group Size setting:
Can I assign groups for my Slack team members?
Yes. However, manually assigning groups to users is available on our Premium Plan only.
Note: Participants will be asked to select a group when they join the channel. If they do not choose a group, they will not receive an intro for that round.
For details on how Donut reminds users to pick a group, see Reminder Message for Group Selection.
(If using the Automated HRIS option, users will have groups assigned based on your HRIS data).
For those on our Premium plan, you'll take the following steps:
Login at app.donut.ai with your Slack credentials
Click "All Channels" in the left sidebar menu
Locate your channel, and hit the reporting icon📊
Select the "Members" tab which will bring up all channel members. (You can select the "Edit" links next to their group to make changes.
What group options are available with the HRIS Integration?
You will be able to select Categories based on Locations, Departments, and Employment status associated with your HRIS system. The names and options will vary by the specific HRIS tool that you utilize.
Note: Intros is not currently compatible with HRIS integrations using Okta or Active Directory. For more information, click here.
What happens if someone is missing HRIS data for that category, but are in the Slack channel?
No worries at all! If Donut is unable to locate which group someone is a part of, we will still send them a message asking them to self-select into a group! Your channel admin may also edit their group selection in your Program Hub.
Can I view what group my Slack team members have chosen?
Yes. To view the team your channel members have chosen, click on the "Members" button (the smiley icon) of your intro channel, or head to the "Program Hub" if you're already in your channel settings.
Once in the Members Tab, you can see the groups everyone has chosen.
Please note: on our Standard Plan the groups are view-only, and on our Premium Plan you can edit on a team member's behalf.
What happens if someone does not join a group?
If teammates do not select a group or are assigned a group, they will not be introduced and will be left out of future intros until they select a group. Because Donut matches people based on their group choice, it cannot include them if they do not select a group.
💡Donut will send a friendly reminder to pick a group 1 business day before folks are introduced.
Can we change the group names after creating them?
Only if you are using the Manual Group feature, you can make changes anytime to the group names. If you are utilizing the HRIS option, you won't be able to make changes to those group names. If you find that you would like to add, remove or change groups created with HRIS, it's best to choose the Manual option instead.
When you make changes to the groups, any new member that joins your Intro channel will be presented with the new group options. Existing group members will remain part of the same group, even if the group name has been changed.
Can someone be part of multiple groups?
Each member can only opt into one group for the channel. If you find that you are wanting to utilize multiple group selections, we recommend setting up multiple channels and utilizing this feature within each channel. For example, maybe you want folks in CX and Engineering to meet folks with similar interests. You could create a separate CX and Engineering channel while utilizing interest groups within each channel.
How do teammates change their selected group?
Teammates can open the Donut app home menu in Slack to view their personal Donut settings.
If a channel is using cross-group or within-group intros, there will be a drop-down indicating which group they've chosen. They can change the selection by clicking on the drop-down field.
How do I reset the groups and have everyone re-select?
Should you wish to have everyone re-select their groups, the best option is to hit the trash can icon on the group names and start over with fresh groups. This will trigger the DM to be sent to all channel members again so that they can select the appropriate group.
Want to get started now? Log in to the dashboard and set up categories before your next Intro round to try it out.
If you have any questions or feedback, click the purple Donut button on the bottom right of your screen to open up a chat with our support team!