How to Send Asana Task Notifications to Slack with n8n

n8n Canvas > + New Workflow

Create a new workflow in n8n

Log into your n8n instance (cloud at app.n8n.io or your self-hosted URL). Click the orange 'New Workflow' button in the top-right of the canvas. A blank canvas opens with a prompt to add your first node. Name the workflow 'Asana → Slack Task Notifications' using the pencil icon at the top so you can find it later.

1. 1Click 'New Workflow' in the top-right corner
2. 2Click the pencil icon next to 'My Workflow' at the top
3. 3Type 'Asana → Slack Task Notifications' and press Enter
4. 4Click the '+' node button in the center of the canvas to add your trigger

Canvas > Add Node > Search 'Asana Trigger'

Add the Asana Trigger node

In the node picker, search for 'Asana' and select the 'Asana Trigger' node — not the regular Asana node, which is for actions. This trigger listens via Asana's webhook API, so events fire in real time rather than on a schedule. You'll see a configuration panel open on the right with fields for credentials, resource, and event type.

1. 1Type 'Asana' in the node search bar
2. 2Click 'Asana Trigger' (look for the lightning bolt icon indicating it's a trigger)
3. 3Click 'Create new credential' under the Credentials dropdown
4. 4Paste your Asana Personal Access Token and click Save

Asana Trigger Node > Parameters Panel

Configure the Asana Trigger events

Set the Resource to 'Task' in the dropdown. Under Events, select both 'Task Assigned' and 'Task Changed' — you need both to catch new assignments and priority changes. In the Project field, either select a specific project to scope notifications or leave it blank to catch all tasks across the workspace. Set the Workspace field to your team's Asana workspace.

1. 1Set 'Resource' to 'Task'
2. 2Check 'Task Assigned' under Events
3. 3Check 'Task Changed' under Events
4. 4Set 'Workspace' to your Asana workspace from the dropdown
5. 5Optionally select a specific Project to limit scope

Asana Trigger Node > Listen for Test Event button

Test the Asana trigger with sample data

Click 'Listen for Test Event' at the bottom of the Asana Trigger panel. n8n will register the webhook with Asana's API automatically when you enter test mode. Go to Asana, find any task, and assign it to someone (or reassign it) to fire a test event. Switch back to n8n — you should see the raw JSON payload appear in the Output panel on the right within a few seconds.

1. 1Click 'Listen for Test Event' in the node panel
2. 2Open Asana in a new tab
3. 3Find any task and change the assignee or priority
4. 4Return to n8n and wait for the payload to appear in the Output panel

Canvas > Add Node > Search 'IF'

Add an IF node to filter relevant events

Not every task event should fire a Slack notification. Add an 'IF' node after the trigger to filter out events where no assignee is present (unassigned tasks) and to separate 'assignment' events from 'priority change' events. This prevents spammy notifications for minor edits like description changes. Connect the Asana Trigger output to the IF node.

1. 1Click the '+' button on the Asana Trigger node output connector
2. 2Search for 'IF' and select the IF node
3. 3Set Condition 1: Value 1 = '{{ $json.assignee }}', Operation = 'Is Not Empty'
4. 4Click 'Add Condition' and set Condition 2: Value 1 = '{{ $json.assignee.gid }}', Operation = 'Is Not Empty'
5. 5Set the Combine field to 'AND'

Canvas > Add Node > Search 'Asana' (action node)

Fetch full task details from Asana API

The webhook payload is sparse — it often omits due dates, priority, and project names. Add an Asana node (action, not trigger) to fetch the complete task record using the task GID from the webhook. This gives you all the fields you need to build a rich Slack message. Connect this node to the 'true' output of your IF node.

1. 1Click '+' on the IF node's true output
2. 2Search 'Asana' and select the regular Asana node (not the trigger)
3. 3Set Resource to 'Task', Operation to 'Get'
4. 4Set Task ID to '{{ $json.gid }}' using the expression editor
5. 5Use the same Asana credential you configured in Step 2

Canvas > Add Node > Search 'Code'

Add a Code node to build the Slack message

Add an n8n Code node to transform the Asana task data into a formatted Slack Block Kit message. This is where you handle edge cases: null due dates, missing priority labels, and mapping the event type to a human-readable header ('You've been assigned a new task' vs. 'A task priority has changed'). The Code node outputs a structured object ready for the Slack node.

1. 1Click '+' on the Asana Get Task node output
2. 2Search 'Code' and select the Code node
3. 3Set Language to 'JavaScript'
4. 4Paste the transformation code from the Pro Tip section below
5. 5Click 'Execute Node' to verify the output structure

This Code node runs after the Asana 'Get Task' API call. It builds a Slack Block Kit message with conditional headers (assignment vs. priority change), formats the due date, handles null priority gracefully, and outputs the assignee email for the users.lookupByEmail step. Paste this into the Code node in Step 7, using the JavaScript language setting.

// n8n Code Node — Asana → Slack Block Kit Message Builder
// Runs after Asana 'Get Task' node. Outputs structured Slack message + assignee email.
const task = $input.item.json;

// n8n Code Node — Asana → Slack Block Kit Message Builder
// Runs after Asana 'Get Task' node. Outputs structured Slack message + assignee email.

const task = $input.item.json;
const triggerData = $node['Asana Trigger'].json;

// Determine event type from the webhook change field
const changeField = triggerData?.change?.field || 'assignee';
const isAssignment = changeField === 'assignee';
const isPriorityChange = changeField === 'custom_fields';

// Build human-readable header based on event type
const header = isAssignment
  ? '📋 You\'ve been assigned a new task'
  : isPriorityChange
  ? '🔺 A task priority has changed'
  : '🔔 A task was updated';

// Format due date — Asana returns ISO date string 'YYYY-MM-DD' or null
let dueDateDisplay = 'No due date set';
if (task.due_on) {
  const d = new Date(task.due_on + 'T12:00:00Z'); // noon UTC avoids timezone-off-by-one
  dueDateDisplay = d.toLocaleDateString('en-US', { month: 'short', day: 'numeric', year: 'numeric' });
}

// Resolve priority from custom fields array (null-safe)
const priorityField = (task.custom_fields || []).find(f => f.name === 'Priority');
const priority = priorityField?.display_value ?? 'No priority set';

// Truncate task notes to 200 chars for Slack context block
const rawNotes = task.notes || '';
const notesSnippet = rawNotes.length > 200
  ? rawNotes.substring(0, 197) + '...'
  : rawNotes || '_No description provided_';

// Get project name (tasks can belong to multiple projects; show the first)
const projectName = (task.projects || [])[0]?.name ?? 'No project';

// Slack Block Kit structure
const blocks = [
  {
    type: 'header',
    text: { type: 'plain_text', text: header, emoji: true }
  },
  {
    type: 'section',
    fields: [
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Task:*\n<${task.permalink_url}|${task.name}>` },
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Project:*\n${projectName}` },
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Due Date:*\n${dueDateDisplay}` },
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Priority:*\n${priority}` }
    ]
  },
  {
    type: 'context',
    elements: [
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: notesSnippet }
    ]
  },
  {
    type: 'actions',
    elements: [
      {
        type: 'button',
        text: { type: 'plain_text', text: 'Open in Asana', emoji: true },
        url: task.permalink_url,
        action_id: 'open_asana_task'
      }
    ]
  }
];

// Output: blocks for Slack node + email for users.lookupByEmail HTTP request
return [
  {
    json: {
      blocks,
      text: `${header}: ${task.name}`, // Fallback text for Slack notifications
      assigneeEmail: task.assignee?.email ?? null,
      assigneeName: task.assignee?.name ?? 'Unknown',
      taskGid: task.gid
    }
  }
];

Canvas > Add Node > Search 'HTTP Request'

Resolve Asana email to Slack user ID

Add an HTTP Request node to call Slack's users.lookupByEmail endpoint with the assignee's Asana email. This returns the Slack user ID needed to send a DM. Use your Slack Bot Token in the Authorization header. Connect this node between the Code node and the final Slack node.

1. 1Click '+' after the Code node
2. 2Add an HTTP Request node
3. 3Set Method to GET
4. 4Set URL to 'https://slack.com/api/users.lookupByEmail'
5. 5Add Query Parameter: email = '{{ $json.assigneeEmail }}'
6. 6Add Header: Authorization = 'Bearer xoxb-your-bot-token'

This Code node runs after the Asana 'Get Task' API call. It builds a Slack Block Kit message with conditional headers (assignment vs. priority change), formats the due date, handles null priority gracefully, and outputs the assignee email for the users.lookupByEmail step. Paste this into the Code node in Step 7, using the JavaScript language setting.

// n8n Code Node — Asana → Slack Block Kit Message Builder
// Runs after Asana 'Get Task' node. Outputs structured Slack message + assignee email.
const task = $input.item.json;

// n8n Code Node — Asana → Slack Block Kit Message Builder
// Runs after Asana 'Get Task' node. Outputs structured Slack message + assignee email.

const task = $input.item.json;
const triggerData = $node['Asana Trigger'].json;

// Determine event type from the webhook change field
const changeField = triggerData?.change?.field || 'assignee';
const isAssignment = changeField === 'assignee';
const isPriorityChange = changeField === 'custom_fields';

// Build human-readable header based on event type
const header = isAssignment
  ? '📋 You\'ve been assigned a new task'
  : isPriorityChange
  ? '🔺 A task priority has changed'
  : '🔔 A task was updated';

// Format due date — Asana returns ISO date string 'YYYY-MM-DD' or null
let dueDateDisplay = 'No due date set';
if (task.due_on) {
  const d = new Date(task.due_on + 'T12:00:00Z'); // noon UTC avoids timezone-off-by-one
  dueDateDisplay = d.toLocaleDateString('en-US', { month: 'short', day: 'numeric', year: 'numeric' });
}

// Resolve priority from custom fields array (null-safe)
const priorityField = (task.custom_fields || []).find(f => f.name === 'Priority');
const priority = priorityField?.display_value ?? 'No priority set';

// Truncate task notes to 200 chars for Slack context block
const rawNotes = task.notes || '';
const notesSnippet = rawNotes.length > 200
  ? rawNotes.substring(0, 197) + '...'
  : rawNotes || '_No description provided_';

// Get project name (tasks can belong to multiple projects; show the first)
const projectName = (task.projects || [])[0]?.name ?? 'No project';

// Slack Block Kit structure
const blocks = [
  {
    type: 'header',
    text: { type: 'plain_text', text: header, emoji: true }
  },
  {
    type: 'section',
    fields: [
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Task:*\n<${task.permalink_url}|${task.name}>` },
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Project:*\n${projectName}` },
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Due Date:*\n${dueDateDisplay}` },
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: `*Priority:*\n${priority}` }
    ]
  },
  {
    type: 'context',
    elements: [
      { type: 'mrkdwn', text: notesSnippet }
    ]
  },
  {
    type: 'actions',
    elements: [
      {
        type: 'button',
        text: { type: 'plain_text', text: 'Open in Asana', emoji: true },
        url: task.permalink_url,
        action_id: 'open_asana_task'
      }
    ]
  }
];

// Output: blocks for Slack node + email for users.lookupByEmail HTTP request
return [
  {
    json: {
      blocks,
      text: `${header}: ${task.name}`, // Fallback text for Slack notifications
      assigneeEmail: task.assignee?.email ?? null,
      assigneeName: task.assignee?.name ?? 'Unknown',
      taskGid: task.gid
    }
  }
];

Canvas > Add Node > Search 'Slack'

Add the Slack node to send the DM

Add a Slack node configured to send a direct message. Set the channel to the Slack user ID resolved in the previous step. Use the Block Kit blocks from your Code node output for a formatted message. The Slack node handles the API call to chat.postMessage under the hood — you just map the fields.

1. 1Click '+' on the HTTP Request node output
2. 2Search 'Slack' and select the Slack node
3. 3Set Resource to 'Message', Operation to 'Post'
4. 4Set Channel to '{{ $node["HTTP Request"].json.user.id }}'
5. 5Set Message Type to 'Block' and paste '{{ $node["Code"].json.blocks }}' in Blocks field
6. 6Set the Fallback Text to '{{ $node["Code"].json.text }}'

Canvas > Slack Node > Error Output > Add Node

Add an error handler for failed notifications

Add a second Slack node connected to the error output of your main Slack send node. Route failures to a shared ops channel like #automation-alerts rather than losing them silently. Include the error message and the task GID so someone can manually follow up. This is especially important for the email-to-Slack-ID lookup failures from Step 8.

1. 1Hover over the Slack node to reveal the red error output connector
2. 2Click the red error connector and add a new Slack node
3. 3Set Channel to your ops or alerts channel ID (e.g. C04ABCDEF)
4. 4Set Message to 'Task notification failed for task {{ $node["Asana Trigger"].json.gid }}: {{ $json.error.message }}'
5. 5Use the same Slack credential

n8n Canvas > Inactive toggle (top-right)

Activate the workflow and verify end-to-end

Click the 'Inactive' toggle in the top-right of the canvas to activate the workflow. Once active, n8n keeps the Asana webhook registration alive and processes events as they arrive. Go to Asana, assign a real task to a team member, and confirm the Slack DM arrives within 10 seconds. Check the Executions tab in n8n to see the run log.

1. 1Click the 'Inactive' toggle — it should flip to 'Active' and turn green
2. 2Open Asana and assign a task to a team member who is also in Slack
3. 3Check that person's Slack DMs within 10 seconds
4. 4Return to n8n and click 'Executions' in the left sidebar to confirm a successful run appears