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Setting up social channels

Updated on March 16, 2021

Set up the conversational channels connections including Apple Business Chat, WhatsApp, SMS, and Facebook within the Digital Messaging Manager of your Digital Messaging interface to enable customers to interact with Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) by sending messages from the respective messaging channels. By performing this task, you ensure that users can quickly and efficiently request information or report problems with your application through these conversational channels.

Note: Due to changes by Twitter in the API and the licensing model, direct integration with Twitter is no longer supported in the Digital Messaging channel interface.
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Before you begin: Create a new Digital Messaging interface for IVA.
You use the Digital Messaging Manager on the Channel tab of the Digital Messaging interface to configure individual social channels from one place on your self-service application in the Pega Customer Service application.

Setting up Apple Business Chat

Before you begin: Perform the following tasks:
  • Create a Business Chat account in the Apple Business Chat portal by registering for the Apple iMessage service. Apple will generate a Business Chat identifier for your account. For more information, refer to the Apple Business Chat portal.
  1. In the navigation pane of App Studio, click Channels.
  2. In the Current channel interfaces section, click the icon that represents your existing Digital Messaging interface.
  3. In your Digital Messaging interface, click the Channel tab, and then click Manage connections.
    Note: Make sure you have set up the right Template Operator and Base URL.
  4. In the DIGITAL MESSAGING MANAGER window, click Add Connectionand then click Apple Business Chat icon in the Add a connection section.
  5. On the Apple Business Chat Accounts page, click the Add new ABC account icon.
  6. In the Add New Business Chat Account window, in the Account Name field, enter a label for your Apple Business Chat account to use in the system.
    For example: Enter: Sample U+ Bank.
  7. In the Business Chat ID field, enter an identifier for your Apple Business Chat account.
    For example: :Enter: 427c3913-bas7-22f6-6c99c1ecbb2f.
    Apple generates a unique Business Chat identifier when you create an account in the Apple Business Chat portal.
  8. Click Submit.
  9. The system displays the Apple Business Chat connection in the Connections section.
  10. Close the window, and then in your Digital Messaging interface, click Save.

Setting up WhatsApp

Before you begin:
  • Create a Facebook Manager business account on the Facebook portal to generate a Facebook Manager business account ID. For more information, see Get Started with Facebook Business Manager Guide on the Facebook website.
  • Create a Twilio account on the Twilio portal. For more information, see Get started with a free Twilio account on the Twilio website.
  • Upgrade the Twilio account to a paid account. For more information, see Upgrading to a paid Twilio account on the Twilio support website.
  • Set up a WhatsApp number for your Twilio account.
  1. In the navigation pane of App Studio, click Channels.
  2. In the Current channel interfaces section, click the icon that represents your existing Digital Messaging interface.
  3. In your Digital Messaging interface, click the Channel tab, and then click Manage connections.
    Note: Make sure you have set up the right Template Operator and Base URL.
  4. In the DIGITAL MESSAGING MANAGER window, click Add Connectionand then click the WhatsAppicon in the Add a connection section.
  5. On the Twilio WhatsApp Accounts page, click Add New Twilio WhatsApp Number.
  6. In the Add New Twilio WhatsApp Number window, perform the following tasks:
    1. In the Name field, enter a name for your WhatsApp account.
    2. In the Number field, enter a WhatsApp number, including the country code.
      For example: Enter: +12239992233
    3. In the Account SID field, enter the identifier for your Twilio account.

      Twilio generates a unique identifier when you create a Twilio account.

      For example: Enter: BA6d82c336e8d135edef20311c2287g8cd
    4. In the Auth Token field, enter the authorization token for your Twilio account.
      Twilio generates an authorization token when you create a Twilio account.
      For example: Enter: d2377c436100cd1edd0836cf5feab23d
    5. Click Submit.
      Result: The page displays your WhatsApp account information including its name, number, account SID, and account token.
  7. In the Webhook for Twilio WhatsApp section, select and copy the generated webhook URL for WhatsApp.
    For example: Copy the following URL to the clipboard: https://incoming.sample.pega.digital/twilio-whatsapp
  8. Define the webhook URL for the WhatsApp numbers in your Twilio account by performing the following steps:
    1. Log in to your Twilio account.
    2. Click the More icon, and then click Programmable SMS WhatsApp Senders.
    3. In the displayed list, select a WhatsApp number, and then click Configure.
    4. In the Twilio Senders for WhatsApp window, in the Senders Configuration section in the A Message Comes In field, paste the webhook URL that you copied in step 7.
      This action ensures that when your phone number receives inbound messages from WhatsApp Messenger, Twilio forwards the messages to the IVA channel.
    5. To add additional WhatsApp numbers for your Twilio account to the webhook URL, repeat steps 8.c through 8.d.
    6. Click Close.
  9. The system displays the WhatsApp connection in the Connections section of Digital Messaging Manager.
  10. Close the window, and then in your Digital Messaging interface, click Save.

Setting up SMS

Before you begin:
  • Create a Twilio account for the mobile phone number that you plan to use with your self-service application on Pega Customer Service. Twilio will generate a unique identifier and authorization token for your Twilio account. For more information, refer to the Twilio portal.
  1. In the navigation pane of App Studio, click Channels.
  2. In the Current channel interfaces section, click the icon that represents your existing Digital Messaging interface.
  3. In your Digital Messaging interface, click the Channel tab, and then click Manage connections.
    Note: Make sure you have set up the right Template Operator and Base URL.
  4. In the DIGITAL MESSAGING MANAGER window, click Add Connectionand then click SMS icon in the Add a connection section.
  5. On the SMS Accounts page, click Add New Twilio Number.
    This action ensures that you give permission to your Twilio SMS account to send and receive messages on behalf of the IVA channel.
  6. In the Add New Twilio Number window, perform the following steps: in the
    1. In the Name field, enter a name for your Twilio account.
    2. In the Number (Please include country code) field, enter the phone number, including the country code, for your Twilio account.
    3. In the Account ID field, enter the identifier for your Twilio account.
      Twilio generates a unique identifier when you create a Twilio account.
    4. In the Auth Token field, enter the authorization token for your Twilio account.
      Twilio generates an authorization token when you create a Twilio account.
    5. Click Submit.
  7. On the SMS Accounts page, highlight and copy the generated webhook URL for Twilio.
  8. Access your account on the Twilio portal, click Manage Numbers, and then click Active Numbers.
  9. In the Messaging section, in the field next to the A Message Comes In webhook section, paste the webhook URL that you copied in step 7.
    This action ensures that when your Twilio phone number receives inbound SMS messages, Twilio forwards the messages to the IVA channel.
  10. The system displays the SMS connection in the Connections section of Digital Messaging Manager.
  11. Close the window, and then in your Digital Messaging interface, click Save.

Setting up Facebook

Before you begin:
  • Create a Facebook page for your Facebook application. For more information, refer to the Facebook developer portal.
  1. In the navigation pane of App Studio, click Channels.
  2. In the Current channel interfaces section, click the icon that represents your existing Digital Messaging interface.
  3. In your Digital Messaging interface, click the Channel tab, and then click Manage connections.
    Note: Make sure you have set up the right Template Operator and Base URL.
  4. In the DIGITAL MESSAGING MANAGER window, click Add Connectionand then click Facebook icon in the Add a connection section. The system displays the Facebook login page.
  5. Log into your Facebook account with your credentials.
  6. In the displayed window, click Continue as <YOUR NAME>.
  7. In the page selection window for your Facebook page application, select the check box for the Facebook page that you will use with your Pega Platform application, and then click Next.
  8. Review the permissions for your Facebook page, and then click Done.
    Result: The window displays the information that your Facebook page is now linked to your Digital Messaging channel. Click Ok to continue.
  9. The system shows a message Authorization successful for <Facebook page> and displays the page as a Facebook connection in the Connections section of digital messaging manager.
  10. Close the window, and then in your Digital Messaging interface, click Save.

Tags

Pega Customer Service 8.6

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