Messaging channel connections
Connect messaging accounts to your website so customers can reach your operators through external services.
What it is
Integrations connects external messaging accounts to your INSIDE website. You can have several accounts for the same service, such as more than one WhatsApp number or Facebook Page. Each account has its own connection details and operating options.
Who uses it and why
- Administrators decide which business accounts should receive conversations, which subsite they belong to and how they operate.
- Developers coordinate provider applications, permissions and callback configuration with Powerfront.
- Powerfront connects accounts, changes their settings and investigates connection errors for you.
Where to find it
Powerfront manages accounts in Settings › General Settings › Integrations. Ask Powerfront to add, change, disable or remove an external account.
The separate Settings › Channel menu organises the operator floor. It is not the external account connection screen.
How it works
- Tell Powerfront which service and business account you want to connect.
- Provide the required authorisation through the service's connection process. The details differ by service.
- Powerfront names the account, associates a Subsite where needed and enables the connection.
- Incoming messages reach INSIDE through that account. Replies use the account associated with the conversation.
- Test an incoming message and an operator reply before relying on the connection.
An enabled external account cannot also be registered to another INSIDE website in the same service environment. Ask Powerfront to move the connection if the account belongs on a different website.
Configure it
Ask Powerfront to set the account's Language, Business Hours, Virtual Assistant, Post Chat Survey and Service Levels where the service offers them. Account options apply to that account, even when other accounts use the same messaging service.
For Business Hours, Powerfront selects days and the From and To times. Separate Offline Message (Business Hours) and Offline Message (Non-Business Hours) options let you use different replies when no operator is available. Service-level targets are entered in seconds.
Powerfront can enable Enable Debugging while investigating a problem. Credential fields differ between services, so connection details should be checked against the selected provider.
Settings
| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Account Setup | channel | Not set: no account-specific language; the editor selects Default | Powerfront | Sets the language used for the individual messaging account. |
| Enable Debugging | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Account Setup | channel | Off | Powerfront | Enables additional diagnostic information for the selected account. |
| Business Hours | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Business Hours | channel | Monday to Friday, 00:00 to 23:59 in the new-account editor | Powerfront | Selects the account's business days and time range. |
| Offline Message (Business Hours) | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Business Hours | channel | Not set: no automatic offline reply during business hours | Powerfront | Supplies the account's offline reply during its business hours. |
| Offline Message (Non-Business Hours) | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Business Hours | channel | Not set: no automatic offline reply outside business hours | Powerfront | Supplies the account's offline reply outside its business hours. |
| Business Service Level Target (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Service Levels | channel | Website business target; the new WhatsApp or Messenger account editor uses 0 seconds if no website target is supplied | Powerfront | Sets the account's business response target in seconds. |
| Operator Service Level Target (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Service Levels | channel | Website operator target; the new WhatsApp or Messenger account editor uses 0 seconds if no website target is supplied | Powerfront | Sets the account's operator response target in seconds. |
| WFM Service Level Target (secs) | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Service Levels | channel | Website WFM target; the new WhatsApp or Messenger account editor uses 0 seconds if no website target is supplied | Powerfront | Sets the account's workforce management response target in seconds. |
Fields
| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Account Setup | Yes | Identifies the account in INSIDE. |
| Subsite | Settings › General Settings › Integrations › Account Setup | No | Associates the account with a subsite of the website. |
Limits and good to know
- Disabling an account stops its active registration in INSIDE. It does not delete the external business account.
- Removing an INSIDE connection does not remove the account from the provider.
- Connection health can include errors and suggested remedies. An account without a reported health error has not necessarily passed an end-to-end message test.
- Changing ordinary account options does not require every service to repeat its authorisation process. Credential handling is service-specific.
Depends on and works with
+13 more · used by
- Facebook public thread repliesRequires
Public replies need a connected Page and its authorisation.
- Instagram messages and story repliesRequires
Instagram messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- LINE messaging channel setupRequires
LINE messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- WeChat messaging channel setupRequires
WeChat messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- KakaoTalk messaging conversationsRequires
KakaoTalk messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Viber messaging channel setupRequires
Viber messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Vonage connection for ViberConfigured by
Powerfront manages connection credentials and provider selection.
- Apple Messages conversationsRequires
Apple Messages conversations need a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Apple Messages payments and sign-in setupConfigured by
Powerfront manages the account's OAuth and merchant connection details.
- Legacy Google Business Messages connectionRequires
The legacy Google Business Messages connection needs an authorised business account.
- Legacy Twitter direct messagesRequires
Twitter messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Social messaging and SMS reportsConfigured by
Messaging account service-level targets determine the response thresholds used in social reporting.
- Business hours and schedulingConfigured by
Messaging account records contain the business-hour and offline-message settings for those accounts.
View all connections as a list
This feature uses
- SubsitesConfigured by
An account can be associated with a subsite.
- Website and regional settingsConfigured by
The website timezone determines when messaging account business hours apply.
- Business hours and schedulingConfigured by
Messaging accounts have business-hour options.
- Service levels and response timersEnhances
Service levels measure account response times against the configured targets.
- Webhooks and message statusRequires
Receiving messages through a connected service requires its incoming callbacks.
- Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channelsEnhances
Accounts can select Virtual Assistant tasks.
- Post-chat surveys in messaging channelsEnhances
Accounts can enable post-chat surveys.
Used by
- Service levels and response timersConfigured by
Messaging account settings can supply platform-specific service-level targets.
- Virtual Assistant task setupConfigured by
Messaging account settings choose the tasks started when operators are available or unavailable.
- Messaging conversationsConfigured by
Messaging account records select the business account and subsite used for conversations.
- Webhooks and message statusConfigured by
Connected messaging account records determine which business account incoming callbacks belong to.
- Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channelsConfigured by
Messaging account settings select the tasks started when operators are available or unavailable.
- Post-chat surveys in messaging channelsConfigured by
Messaging account settings select the survey and control delivery, expiry and whether surveys are enabled.
- WhatsApp channel setupRequires
Powerfront connects and manages the WhatsApp account.
- Facebook Messenger channel setupRequires
Powerfront connects and manages the Page account.
- Facebook public thread repliesRequires
Public replies need a connected Page and its authorisation.
- Instagram messages and story repliesRequires
Instagram messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- LINE messaging channel setupRequires
LINE messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- WeChat messaging channel setupRequires
WeChat messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- KakaoTalk messaging conversationsRequires
KakaoTalk messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Viber messaging channel setupRequires
Viber messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Vonage connection for ViberConfigured by
Powerfront manages connection credentials and provider selection.
- Apple Messages conversationsRequires
Apple Messages conversations need a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Apple Messages payments and sign-in setupConfigured by
Powerfront manages the account's OAuth and merchant connection details.
- Legacy Google Business Messages connectionRequires
The legacy Google Business Messages connection needs an authorised business account.
- Legacy Twitter direct messagesRequires
Twitter messaging needs a connected business account and its authorisation.
- Social messaging and SMS reportsConfigured by
Messaging account service-level targets determine the response thresholds used in social reporting.
- Business hours and schedulingConfigured by
Messaging account records contain the business-hour and offline-message settings for those accounts.
FAQ and troubleshooting
Why can I not edit the connection settings?
Powerfront manages Integrations in this release. Ask Powerfront to make the change for you.
Can two websites receive messages for the same account?
INSIDE rejects an enabled account already registered to another website in the same service environment. Powerfront must resolve the existing connection before moving it.
The account looks healthy. Why are messages missing?
A lack of reported errors does not prove that messages can travel in both directions. Give Powerfront the account, service and time of a test message so they can check authorisation and callbacks.
Does deleting a connection delete our Facebook Page or WhatsApp number?
No. It removes the connection from INSIDE. The external account remains with its provider.