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Microsoft Teams as an inbound channel

Microsoft Teams is a business platform that combines a project collaboration chat, a teamwork hub, notes and attachments within a single workspace.

Do the following to enable Microsoft Teams as an inbound channel:

  1. Create a channel in JAICP.
  2. Configure the Azure Bot Service.
  3. Configure the channel in JAICP.
  4. Test the bot.

Creating a channel in JAICP​

Go to JAICP and click Channels → Inbound → Connect channel in the dashboard. Under Others, select Azure Bot.

Fill out the fields:

  • Name —specify a name for the channel or keep the default one.
  • Access token — leave the field blank.
  • Microsoft App ID — leave the field blank.
  • Password — leave the field blank.
  • Branch — specify the project branch you want to deploy into the channel (master by default). You can also select a Git tag or enter a specific commit hash.
  • Agent — select an agent channel or leave blank.
  • Deployment — select Automatic (whenever any change made to the project is saved) or Manual (using the Deploy button in the channel description line).
caution
You have to deploy a script before starting the bot. At this stage, the system builds the bot, checks the script syntax, and performs tests.

Click Create. Click Get webhook under the name of the newly created channel to copy it to the clipboard. You will need the webhook copied to configure the Azure Bot Service.

Azure Bot Service​

tip
The Azure Bot Service is used to connect the bot in Microsoft Teams to JAICP.

Sign up and authenticate in the Microsoft Azure service. Select Azure services → Bot Services.

Click Add in the upper panel and select Bot Channels Registration. Click Create.

Fill out the fields:

  • Bot handle — unique identifier for your bot.
  • Subscription — select a subscription option.
  • Resource group — select an existing or create a new group.
  • Location — select a location.
  • Messaging endpoint — paste the webhook you copied at the JAICP channel creation step.
tip
The rest of the fields are optional; you can fill them out if required.

Click Create.

Return to the Microsoft Azure home page. Click the name of the newly created bot in the Recent resources section → click Settings in the left menu.

Copy the value from the Microsoft App ID here. You will need this value when you configure the channel in JAICP.

Click Manage next to Microsoft App ID. Then click New client secret.

Fill out the fields:

  • Description — description of your secret.
  • Expires — validity period of your secret. The secret will need to be re-issued after this period expires.

Copy the key from the Value field. You will need this value when you configure the channel in JAICP.

Configuring the channel in JAICP​

Go to JAICP. Click next to the name of the newly created channel → click Edit channel. You are now in the channel settings.

Here, paste the values for the Microsoft App ID and Password fields you copied at the Azure Bot Service configuration step.

Click Save.

Testing a bot​

Open the bot dialog window in the connected messenger and send a welcome/activating phrase to it according to your script. Then a dialog with your bot should start.