A countdown that lives in the channel
Slack has no timer and its one countdown app has been frozen since 2018. One command posts a countdown card where your team is looking, updates it as time runs out, and posts when it's up.
asyncmate · edited
asyncmate · just now
The three timers Slack doesn't have
A clock for a meeting, a countdown to a launch, and a reminder aimed at one person. Slack's built-in tools cover none of them; asyncmate covers all three.
A countdown in the channel
/asyncmate timer 15m Retro wrap-up posts a card, updates it at the halfway mark and at 10, 5 and 1 minute, and posts again when time's up. /asyncmate timer cancel stops it.
A countdown to a date
A reminder that counts down: write {days_left} in the message and each post says "12 days", "1 day" or "today". The post on the day itself is the last one.
A reminder for one person
Slack's own /remind can no longer remind someone else. An asyncmate reminder can go to a channel or to one person, as a DM from the bot, once or on a schedule.
How to start one
- Type /asyncmate timer 15m and what it's for, in the channel that should see it.
- In Microsoft Teams, message the bot the same thing: @asyncmate timer 15m Retro.
- Set up a date countdown or a reminder to a person under Reminders on the dashboard.
Honest limits: the card moves at milestones, not every second, because a chat message can be edited but not animated. There is no Pomodoro mode, since that would need extra permissions from every person. If you want the whole picture of what Slack can and cannot do here, the guide on Slack timers, countdowns and Pomodoro setups covers every option, ours included.
Slack timer FAQ
- How do I set a timer in Slack?
- Slack has no timer of its own. With asyncmate installed, type /asyncmate timer 15m in a channel and a countdown card appears there. It updates as time runs out and a second message posts when it's up. For a nudge without a card, Slack's built-in /remind me in 15 minutes still works.
- Does the countdown tick every second?
- No. A Slack or Teams message can be edited but not animated, so the card updates at milestones: halfway, then 10, 5 and 1 minute before the end. An edit sends no notification; the time's-up post does.
- Can I cancel a running timer?
- Yes. /asyncmate timer cancel ends every timer running in that channel and marks their cards cancelled. Slack's own Workflow Builder delays cannot be cancelled once started.
- Is there a Pomodoro mode?
- Not built in. A Pomodoro timer has to switch your own Do Not Disturb and status, which needs each person to grant the app extra Slack permissions. For a focus block, /dnd for 25 minutes plus a status with an expiry does the job with nothing to install.
- Does it work in Microsoft Teams?
- Yes. The same commands work as messages to the bot in a Teams channel, and date countdowns and reminders to a person run on both platforms from the same dashboard.
- What does it cost?
- Nothing. Timers and reminders are free on every plan and never make anyone a billable participant. Billing counts people who answer a check-in or log hours.
Count it down where the team can see it
Add asyncmate and type /asyncmate timer 15m in any channel. Timers and reminders are free on every plan.
The rest of the same install
- How the Slack standup bot works
- What the AI standup digest writes
- Logging hours by project in Slack
- Running a one-tap poll in Slack
- How anonymous surveys stay anonymous
- Giving kudos in Slack
All of it is one app, in Slack or Microsoft Teams. See every feature or check what a team your size would pay.