Channel Settings

Storing recipient-specific data for channels like device tokens and chat connections

Channel settings store recipient-specific data required by certain channels to deliver notifications. While channels define the provider configuration at the project level, channel settings hold the per-user data that connects a user to that channel — such as device tokens for mobile push or Slack connection details for chat.

Why Channel Settings?

Not all channels need user-specific data. Email and SMS channels use contact information already on the user record (email address, phone number). But some channels require additional, provider-specific data to deliver messages:

Mobile push channels need device tokens registered by the user's device
Chat channels need identifiers that link the user to a workspace or conversation

Channel settings bridge this gap. They are set once (typically during device registration or OAuth connection) and used automatically whenever a notiflow delivers a notification through that channel.

Web push subscriptions are managed through a separate Channel Subscriptions API, not channel settings.

How Channel Settings Work

Channel settings are stored as a mapping between a user and a channel. Each entry includes provider-specific data that Notiflows uses at delivery time.

When a notiflow reaches a channel step, Notiflows:

Looks up the recipient's channel settings for the target channel
Extracts the provider-specific data (tokens, connection IDs)
Uses that data to deliver the notification through the provider

If no channel settings exist for a user on a given channel, delivery through that channel is skipped for that user.

Provider Data Requirements

Each provider type requires specific data in channel settings.

Mobile Push (APNs, FCM)

Mobile push channels store an array of device tokens. A user can have multiple tokens if they use your app on several devices.

{
  "settings": {
    "device_tokens": ["token_for_iphone", "token_for_ipad"]
  }
}

Field	Type	Description
`device_tokens`	`string[]`	Array of device tokens registered by the user's devices

When delivering a push notification, Notiflows sends to all registered device tokens. This ensures the user receives the notification regardless of which device they're currently using.

When to set push tokens:

After the user grants push permission in your app
On each app launch (tokens can rotate)
When migrating from another push provider

When to remove tokens:

When the user logs out of your app on a device
When a token is rejected by the push provider (expired or invalid)

Chat Channels (Slack)

Slack channel settings identify where to deliver messages for a user within a Slack workspace.

{
  "settings": {
    "slack_channel_id": "C01ABCDEF",
    "slack_user_id": "U01ABCDEF"
  }
}

Field	Type	Description
`slack_channel_id`	`string`	The Slack channel to post notifications to
`slack_user_id`	`string`	The Slack user to send direct messages to

At least one of these fields must be provided. If both are set, Notiflows uses the slack_user_id for direct messages.

When to set Slack data:

After the user completes Slack OAuth and connects their account
When an admin maps a user to a Slack identity

	Channel Settings	Preferences
Purpose	Store data needed to deliver through a channel	Control whether a user wants to receive notifications
Set by	Your application (programmatically)	The user (through a preference center)
Example	Device tokens, Slack user IDs	"Disable all SMS notifications"
Effect when missing	Delivery is skipped (can't reach user)	Delivery proceeds (user hasn't opted out)

Both work together at delivery time. Notiflows first checks preferences to see if the user wants the notification, then checks channel settings to see if delivery is possible.

Best Practices

Set tokens early: Register device tokens as soon as push permission is granted, and refresh them on each app launch
Clean up stale tokens: Remove tokens that are no longer valid to avoid unnecessary delivery attempts and provider errors
Handle multiple devices: Users may have several devices — store all active tokens so notifications reach every device
Secure the flow: Always set channel settings from your backend using the Admin API, never from client-side code, as it requires your secret key
Verify before storing: Validate tokens and connection IDs before saving them as channel settings to catch errors early

Channel Settings