You can define custom IVA responses to fit the business needs of your organization and to extract the intent of users with natural language processing (NLP), decisioning, and text analytic capabilities. In the preview console, you can test whether the configured Digital Messaging channel works correctly before moving the channel to a production environment.

If you used a language other than English in Pega Platform 8.6 or earlier, for example, Dutch, you can remove all languages from the supported languages list and then add the Dutch language as the first language in the list in the system updated to the 8.7 version, so that it acts as the fallback language. By default, English appears as the first language in the supported languages list when you update to Pega Platform 8.7.

For relevant training materials and to test this feature on a virtual Pega instance, see the Getting started with Digital Messaging module, the Digital Messaging channels module, and the Configuring a chatbot with Digital Messaging challenge on Pega Academy.

1. Create a new channel interface in Pega Platform:
   1. In the navigation pane of App Studio, click Channels.
   2. In the Create new channel interface section, click Digital Messaging.
   3. In the Details section, in the Channel interface name field, enter a name for your channel.
   4. Optional: To describe the purpose of the channel, in the Description field, enter a short description of your IVA.
   5. In the Supported languages list, select the languages in which the chatbot can interact with users.
      For each language selected, the application can perform text analysis and provide automatic responses in that language. The first language in the list is the default language, which is the fallback language for the chatbot if no translation is yet available in another language. If no translation is yet available in another language, the system displays placeholder text in the fallback language. To learn more about the localization wizard that you use for translation of chatbot conversations, see Localizing your application.
   6. In the channel, click the Connection tab.
   7. In the Template operator ID list, click the name of an existing Pega Platform operator to use as a template.
      The system uses this operator as a template to create all further accounts. Each account has a unique channel identifier set as its ID. The selected operator must at the minimum have the PegaRULES:User4 access role, taking into consideration the application settings, for example, providing access to the application's cases. For more information, see Template operator for IVA channel.
   8. Click Save.
2. Configure a Digital Messaging channel for a social messaging platform:
   • To enable users to chat in Business Chat, configure the channel for Apple Messages for Business

     For more information, see Setting up the IVA for Apple Messages for Business.

   • To enable users to chat in Facebook Messenger, configure the channel for Facebook.

     For more information, see Setting up the IVA for Facebook Messenger.

   • To enable users to chat with SMS or MMS, configure the channel for SMS/MMS (Twilio).

     For more information, see Setting up the IVA for SMS/MMS (Twilio).

   • To enable users to chat in an embedded window on a webpage and optionally switch to other messaging channels like Facebook Messenger, configure the channel for Web Messaging.

     For more information, see Setting up the IVA for Web Messaging.

   • To enable users to chat in WhatsApp Messenger, configure the channel for WhatsApp.

     For more information, see Setting up the IVA for WhatsApp.

   • To enable users to chat in a native Android app, configure the channel for Android app messaging.

     You use Pega Mobile Messaging SDK in your Android app to communicate with the chatbot for your application. For more information, see Setting up the IVA for Android app messaging.

   • To enable users to chat in a native iOS app, configure the channel for iOS app messaging.

     You use Pega Mobile Messaging SDK in your iOS app to communicate with the chatbot for your application. For more information, see Setting up the IVA for iOS app messaging.

   • To enable users to chat in additional channels, for example, Teams, Webex, or Slack, configure the channel for the Client Channel API. For more information, see Setting up the IVA for Client Channel API.
   You configure specific settings for a social messaging platform on the Connection tab using Digital Messaging Manager that is displayed on a separate page.
   For example:

   The following figure shows the available connections for a Digital Messaging channel: