---
title: "What is a slash command in Slack? /poll explained"
url: "https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/slash-command/"
description: "A slash command is a message starting with / that runs an app instead of posting text. How Slack slash commands work, with the /poll syntax for Simple Poll."
---

# What is a slash command?

**Slash command**: A slash command is a message that starts with a forward slash, like `/poll`, and runs an app or a built-in Slack action instead of posting text to the channel.

Also known as: Slack slash command, /poll command.

Slack describes slash commands as a way for people to invoke an app by typing a string into
the message box. You type the command, press Enter, and the app does its thing in that
conversation. Simple Poll's command is `/poll`.

## Example polls

Paste any of these into the message box in Slack.

```text
/poll "Where should we hold the team offsite?" "Lisbon" "Berlin" "Stay remote"
```

The basic form. Question and options in double quotes. *Free.*

```text
/poll "Which launch date works for you?" "Next Tuesday" "Next Thursday" "The Monday after" limit 1 close after 1 day
```

Modifiers after the last quote, here a one-vote limit and an automatic close. *Premium: vote limits, closing automatically.*

```text
/poll "What questions do you have for the leadership team?" q&a anonymous close after 3 days
```

A different poll type, an anonymous Q&A, from the same command. *Premium: closing automatically.*

## How /poll works

`/poll` works two ways:

- **On its own.** Type `/poll` and press Enter to open the Simple Poll modal, a form with
  every setting, including scheduling and recurring polls.
- **With text.** Type the whole poll in one line and Simple Poll shows you a preview to
  post. This is the fast way once you know the grammar.

The other command you might need is `/simplepoll trial`, which starts the free 14-day
Premium trial for your workspace.

## The /poll grammar in brief

- Put the question and each option in **straight double quotes**:
  `/poll "Lunch?" "Pizza" "Tacos"`.
- Put **modifiers after the last quote**, separated by spaces: `anonymous`, `limit 1`,
  `close after 1 day`, `ranked`, `scale`, `short text`, `q&a`.
- **Spelling matters.** A misspelt modifier like `anonymus` is ignored, and you'd get a poll
  that isn't anonymous. Check the preview.
- **No double quotes inside an option.** Use single quotes or reword.
- **No options** means voters add their own: `/poll "What should we call the new bot?"`.

`limit`, `close after`, reminders, `schedule`, more than five options and surveys are
Premium. The full reference is in [how to use the /poll command](https://simplepoll.rocks/guides/how-to-use-the-poll-slash-command/).

## The mistake people make

Typing the options without quotes. The quoted form is the reliable one: it keeps
multi-word options together and stops words being read as settings.

## FAQ

### What happens if I type /poll with nothing after it?

It opens the Simple Poll modal, where you fill in the question, options and settings in a
form.

### Why didn't my /poll modifier work?

It was probably misspelt or written inside the quotes. Modifiers go after the last
closing quote, spelt exactly.

## Related

- [How to use the /poll command in Slack](https://simplepoll.rocks/guides/how-to-use-the-poll-slash-command/): /poll is Simple Poll's slash command. Typed on its own, it opens the poll form. Typed with a question, options and a few keywords, it builds the whole poll in one line, shows you a preview, and posts it. This page is the reference for the one-line version.
- [How to create a poll in Slack](https://simplepoll.rocks/guides/how-to-create-a-poll-in-slack/): Slack has no poll button of its own. Its help centre suggests two routes: install a polling app, or post a message and ask people to vote with emoji reactions. This guide covers the app route with Simple Poll, used by 945,000+ teams, because it gives you a real poll: counted votes, anonymous voting, one-vote limits and a clean result.
- [What is a straw poll?](https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/straw-poll/): A straw poll is an informal, non-binding vote that shows which way a group is leaning before a real decision is made.
- [How to make an emoji poll in Slack](https://simplepoll.rocks/guides/how-to-make-an-emoji-poll-in-slack/): "Emoji poll" means two things in Slack. One is a message where people vote by reacting with an emoji, which needs no app. The other is a proper poll where each option carries an emoji, which reads faster and still counts votes properly. This page covers both, plus the poll emoji themselves.

## Sources

- [Slack: Implementing slash commands](https://docs.slack.dev/interactivity/implementing-slash-commands)
- [How can I use Slash Commands to make a poll quickly?](https://help.simplepoll.rocks/article/120-how-can-i-use-slash-commands-to-make-a-poll-quickly)

---

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