MetaData Import Task is no longer pulling Slack updates - Patch Management

Products

• Patch Management Solution

Issue/Introduction

Slack updates haven't been downloading from the metadata import task since March 17, 2026. Slack Technologies is still checked in the Vendors list of the MetaData Import Task. 

Cause

Slack no longer provides updates in an MSI format, instead using the Microsoft's modern Windows app packaging format (MSIX). Patch Management does not include updates in this format.

Resolution

To update Slack, you can use Software Management with policies or tasks to prepare for and deploy Slack in the currently available Modern App format. The below steps are one method used as an example.

To update an existing installation, you must first uninstall the MSI based installation and then deploy the MSIx format package to provision the app on targeted endpoints.

1. Obtain an MSI version of Slack - this can be done in the Patch Management report Bulletins and Updates, Home > Patch Management > Windows > Top link,  by right-clicking the latest available Slack Bulletin, SMWI-260317, and selecting Download Package. 
2. Navigate to Manage Software and click Add Software at the top of the left pane, and select Import Package.
3. Use the import wizard to navigate to the patch repository and select the Slack MSI (the default patch for the repository and sample Slack bulletin is "C:\Program Files\Altiris\Patch Management\Packages\Updates\SMWI-260317") There are two folders named with their respective package IDs - select the folder with the MSI file named slack-standalone-4.48.102_x64.msi
4. Navigate to Manage > Policies, and then Software > Managed Software Delivery. Right-click this folder and select New > Managed Software Delivery.
5. Give the policy a descriptive name and then click Add on the Software tab of the Policy Rules/Actions section and select the imported Slack software release.
6. Change the Command line from the default of Install for all users with no UI to Uninstall - no UI.
7. Set a compliance schedule, target the desired endpoints, and save the policy.

This will uninstall the MSI version of Slack from the targeted endpoints. The next step is to obtain and deploy the Modern App (MSIx) version of Slack. You can download by any means, but in this example we will use the built-in import method available for MSIx applications. Note this method assumes the Software Library is configured.

1. Navigate to Manage > Software, click Add Software at the top of the left pane, and select Import Microsoft Store Package.
2. Type "Slack" into the search box and follow the wizard steps including agreeing to the terms and download dependencies.
3. Once the download completes, repeat the steps above to create a Managed Software Delivery policy, but when adding software, select the MSIx version of Slack.

 

 

 

Additional Information

There is the Slack KB article that states "The MSI for per-user deployment and the MSI for machine-wide installation will be replaced with the the MSIX installer. Your IT team will need to uninstall the MSI package and deploy Slack using the MSIX for Windows."

And this detailed Slack KB article describes all aspects of MSIX based deployment.