I built a custom Slack inbox. It was easier than you’d think. | Yash Tekriwal (Clay)

2026-04-06 · Source: Lenny's Newsletter · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Software Development & Engineering, Robotics & Autonomous Systems · Depth: Advanced, extended

Summary

Yash Tukerol, Head of Education at Clay, developed a custom Slack digest and Kanban dashboard using OpenAI agents and Perplexity Computer to manage an overwhelming volume of daily notifications. Facing 100-150 Slack notifications daily, with 60-80% being non-urgent FYIs, he sought a system to prioritize actionable tasks. Initially, he used OpenClaw (Jarvis) via Discord to build a Slack digest that categorized messages into DMs, group mentions, and threads, further sub-categorizing them by urgency (action required, need to read, FYI). This system, while effective, still presented a long, scrollable text list. He then transitioned to Perplexity Computer to create a visual Kanban-style dashboard, featuring "Action Required," "Need to Read," and "FYI" columns, with an "archive all" button for FYIs. This dashboard integrates with various tools like Notion and Asana via Perplexity Computer's native connectors, offering multi-model, multi-threaded task execution and easy deployment.

Key takeaway

For AI Engineers and Product Leaders struggling with digital overload, consider building custom productivity applications using AI platforms like Perplexity Computer. This approach allows you to tailor solutions precisely to your workflow, moving beyond generic SaaS limitations and significantly reducing time spent on low-value tasks like sifting through non-urgent notifications. Explore how AI can automate information categorization and integrate with your existing tools to create a personalized command center for your daily work.

Key insights

AI agents and platforms can transform overwhelming digital communication into actionable, prioritized workflows.

Principles

• Categorize notifications by urgency and type.
• Automate repetitive information processing.
• Build custom tools to bridge workflow gaps.

Method

Use an AI coding agent (e.g., OpenClaw) to build a deterministic data organization system, then deploy a custom UI with a multi-model platform (e.g., Perplexity Computer) for interactive management and categorization.

In practice

• Develop a Slack digest to filter urgent messages.
• Create a Kanban dashboard for visual task prioritization.
• Integrate AI with existing tools for automated workflows.

Topics

• Slack Notification Management
• Perplexity Computer
• OpenClaw
• Custom Productivity Apps
• SaaS Evolution

Best for: AI Engineer, Software Engineer, Director of AI/ML

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Lenny's Newsletter.