# Developer sandboxes for Enterprise org testing

*Slack Developer Study Guide · Design for Scale · Last updated October 21, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-developer/design-for-scale/developer-sandboxes-for-enterprise-org-testing*

What a Slack developer sandbox is: a free Enterprise org environment from the Slack Developer Program, basic versus full-featured eligibility, the six-month lifespan with extension, archive and grace period, and the user, Slack Connect, distribution and Discovery API limits to plan around.

- Certification: Salesforce Slack Developer
- Exam section: Design for Scale
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/slack-developer

**Official exam objective:**

> Describe the characteristics of an Enterprise Grid Sandbox.

## What the exam expects

- Describe a developer sandbox: an Enterprise org environment, provisioned free through the Slack Developer Program, for development and testing only.
- Tell basic from full-featured sandboxes and who qualifies for each (paid plan or a payment method that is not charged).
- Explain the lifecycle: six-month default lifespan, extension while eligible, the 30-day reminder, archive, three-month grace period and deletion.
- Plan around the limits: eight users excluding bots, two guests, Slack Connect only between sandboxes (three teams), no third-party distribution, Discovery API only for partners.
- Explain why a sandbox has no access to production data, even on the same email domain.

Key terms: **developer sandbox** (a free Enterprise org environment from the Slack Developer Program); **basic sandbox** (the version every member gets, with stricter limits); **partner sandbox** (the Slack Partner Developer Program's equivalent); **archived** (a sandbox past its lifespan that nobody can access); **grace period** (three months after archiving when data is kept and the sandbox can be unarchived).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What a sandbox is | An Enterprise org environment, free, from the Slack Developer Program | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Full features | Paid plan member (workspace 30+ days old) or a payment method, not charged | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Default lifespan | Six months; one month for basic sandboxes | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Basic sandbox gaps | No guests, Slack Connect, ROSI hosted functions, coded workflows or datastores | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Archive reminder | Email 30 days before the lifespan ends | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Grace period | Three months after archiving, then automatic deletion | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| User limit | Eight per sandbox, owners and admins included, bots and apps excluded | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Slack Connect | Only between sandboxes, max three teams; none in basic sandboxes | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Distribution | Cannot distribute third-party apps and workflows | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Discovery API | Partner program only | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Production data | No connection to workspaces sharing the domain | [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/) |
| Partner alternative | Slack Partner Developer Program partner sandboxes | [Testing Enterprise org apps](https://docs.slack.dev/enterprise-grid/testing-enterprise-grid-apps) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a sandbox suit testing an app's behaviour in multi-workspace channels?
- When is an archived sandbox deleted?
- Which developers can unlock full sandbox features without being charged?
- When can a developer test the Discovery API in a sandbox?

## Sources

- [Developer sandboxes](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/developer-sandboxes/)
- [Testing Enterprise org apps](https://docs.slack.dev/enterprise-grid/testing-enterprise-grid-apps)
- [Developing apps for Enterprise orgs](https://docs.slack.dev/enterprise/developing-for-enterprise-orgs)
- [Enterprise Organizations](https://docs.slack.dev/enterprise/)
- [Understanding Slack Connect](https://docs.slack.dev/apis/slack-connect/)
- [Unlock the Potential of Slack Enterprise Grid for Teams](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/designing-a-slack-enterprise-grid/discover-slack-enterprise-grid)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 7 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Slack Developer pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams