`admin.analytics.messages.metadata` method

Facts

DescriptionRetrieves metadata for a list of messages from a given channel.

Method Access

HTTP
JavaScript
Python
Java

POST https://slack.com/api/admin.analytics.messages.metadata

app.client.admin.analytics.messages.metadata

app.client.admin_analytics_messages_metadata

app.client().adminAnalyticsMessagesMetadata

Scopes

User token:

admin.analytics:read

Content types

application/x-www-form-urlencoded

application/json

Rate Limits1200 requests per minute with a burst allowance of 2000.

Arguments

Required arguments

tokenstringRequired

Example: xxxx-xxxxxxxxx-xxxx

channelstringRequired

Channel ID for channel containing the messages to query.

Optional arguments

oldest_tsstringOptional

Oldest timestamp to include in the results

latest_tsstringOptional

Most recent timestamp to include in the results. If not passed, defaults to current time.

cursorstringOptional

Paginate through collections of data by setting the cursor parameter to a next_cursor attribute returned by a previous request's response_metadata. Default value fetches the first "page" of the collection. See pagination for more details.

Example: abcd...

Usage info

This Web API method allows org owners and admins to retrieve message metadata from channels within their organization. It returns structural information about messages without the actual message content, including character counts, reactions, file attachments, and threading information.

Pagination

Results are paginated. When more results exist, the response includes a response_metadata.next_cursor field. Pass this value as the cursor parameter in subsequent requests to fetch the next page.

cursor = None
all_messages = []

while True:
    response = client.admin_analytics_messages_metadata(
        channel="C0123456789",
        limit=1000,
        cursor=cursor
    )
    all_messages.extend(response["messages"])
    
    cursor = response.get("response_metadata", {}).get("next_cursor")
    if not cursor:
        break

Response

Typical success response

{
  "ok": true,
  "messages": [
    {
      "type": "message",
      "ts": "1234567890.123456",
      "user_id": "U123ABC456",
      "text_character_count": 42,
      "subtype": "bot_message",
      "thread_ts": "1234567890.123456",
      "reactions": [
        {
          "name": "thumbsup",
          "count": 5
        }
      ],
      "files": [
        {
          "id": "F123ABC456",
          "created": 1234567890,
          "timestamp": 1234567890,
          "mimetype": "image/png",
          "filetype": "png",
          "pretty_type": "PNG"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "response_metadata": {
    "next_cursor": "abcd..."
  }
}

Message object fields

Field	Type	Description	Required
`type`	`string`	Message type	Required
`ts`	`string`	Timestamp of the message	Required
`user_id`	`string`	Encoded ID of user who authored the message	Optional
`subtype`	`string`	Message subtype (e.g., `bot_message`, `channel_join`)	Optional
`thread_ts`	`string`	Timestamp of the root message if this is a threaded reply	Optional
`display_as_bot`	`boolean`	Whether the message displays as a bot	Optional
`client_msg_id`	`string`	Client-generated message ID	Optional
`text_character_count`	`integer`	Number of characters in the message text	Optional
`reactions`	`array`	Array of reaction counts	Optional
`files`	`array`	Array of file metadata	Optional

Reaction object fields

Field	Type	Description	Required
`name`	`string`	Name of the reaction emoji	Required
`count`	`integer`	Number of times this reaction was used	Required

File object fields

Field	Type	Description	Required
`id`	`string`	Encoded file ID	Required
`created`	`integer`	Unix timestamp when file was created	Required
`timestamp`	`integer`	Unix timestamp of the file	Required
`mimetype`	`string`	MIME type of the file	Optional
`filetype`	`string`	File type extension	Optional
`subtype`	`string`	File subtype	Optional
`pretty_type`	`string`	Human-readable file type	Optional
`is_external`	`boolean`	Whether the file is external	Optional
`external_type`	`string`	Type of external file	Optional
`is_public`	`boolean`	Whether the file is public	Optional
`public_url_shared`	`boolean`	Whether the public URL is shared	Optional
`display_as_bot`	`boolean`	Whether to display as bot	Optional
`duration_ms`	`integer`	Duration in milliseconds for media files	Optional
`media_display_type`	`string`	Display type for media files	Optional

Errors

This table lists the expected errors that this method could return. However, other errors can be returned in the case where the service is down or other unexpected factors affect processing. Callers should always check the value of the ok parameter in the response.

Error

Description

access_denied

Access to a resource specified in the request is denied.

accesslimited

Access to this method is limited on the current network

account_inactive

Authentication token is for a deleted user or workspace when using a bot token.

admin_analytics_disabled

We're having issues returning your analytics. Please wait and try again.

analytics_unavailable

We were unable to find analytics for you.

channel_not_found

The specified channel was not found

deprecated_endpoint

The endpoint has been deprecated.

different_team_owns_message_metadata_for_channel

Message metadata must be accessed by an actor from the same team that owns the channel. This may be the org or a specific enterprise workspace.

ekm_access_denied

Administrators have suspended the ability to post a message.

enterprise_is_restricted

The method cannot be called from an Enterprise.

fatal_error

The server could not complete your operation(s) without encountering a catastrophic error. It's possible some aspect of the operation succeeded before the error was raised.

internal_error

The server could not complete your operation(s) without encountering an error, likely due to a transient issue on our end. It's possible some aspect of the operation succeeded before the error was raised.

invalid_arg_name

The method was passed an argument whose name falls outside the bounds of accepted or expected values. This includes very long names and names with non-alphanumeric characters other than _. If you get this error, it is typically an indication that you have made a very malformed API call.

invalid_arguments

Required arguments either were not provided or contain invalid values.

invalid_arguments

The method was called with invalid arguments.

invalid_array_arg

The method was passed an array as an argument. Please only input valid strings.

invalid_auth

Some aspect of authentication cannot be validated. Either the provided token is invalid or the request originates from an IP address disallowed from making the request.

invalid_charset

The method was called via a POST request, but the charset specified in the Content-Type header was invalid. Valid charset names are: utf-8 iso-8859-1.

invalid_form_data

The method was called via a POST request with Content-Type application/x-www-form-urlencoded or multipart/form-data, but the form data was either missing or syntactically invalid.

invalid_post_type

The method was called via a POST request, but the specified Content-Type was invalid. Valid types are: application/json application/x-www-form-urlencoded multipart/form-data text/plain.

method_deprecated

The method has been deprecated.

missing_post_type

The method was called via a POST request and included a data payload, but the request did not include a Content-Type header.

missing_scope

The token used is not granted the specific scope permissions required to complete this request.

no_permission

The workspace token used in this request does not have the permissions necessary to complete the request. Make sure your app is a member of the conversation it's attempting to post a message to.

not_allowed_token_type

The token type used in this request is not allowed.

not_an_enterprise

The user token does not belong to an enterprise.

not_authed

No authentication token provided.

org_login_required

The workspace is undergoing an enterprise migration and will not be available until migration is complete.

ratelimited

The request has been ratelimited. Refer to the Retry-After header for when to retry the request.

request_timeout

The method was called via a POST request, but the POST data was either missing or truncated.

restricted_plan_level

This feature is not available for your current product plan.

service_unavailable

The service is temporarily unavailable

team_access_not_granted

The token used is not granted the specific workspace access required to complete this request.

team_added_to_org

The workspace associated with your request is currently undergoing migration to an Enterprise Organization. Web API and other platform operations will be intermittently unavailable until the transition is complete.

token_expired

Authentication token has expired

token_revoked

Authentication token is for a deleted user or workspace or the app has been removed when using a user token.

two_factor_setup_required

Two factor setup is required.

Facts​

Arguments​

Required arguments

Optional arguments

Usage info​

Pagination​

Response​