How to Publish an Assistant in Microsoft Teams

A Tenjin Assistant can be uploaded as a Microsoft Teams app, allowing users to communicate with the assistant in the same way they would message other users within Teams, using direct chat, Teams meeting, and group chat.

For this to work, a configuration file, known as a manifest file, needs to be generated and uploaded to Microsoft Teams; either by an individual or a central IT team.

This article will show you how to:

• Add a Microsoft Teams channel to your assistant
• Generate the Manifest file
• Set the properties of the Teams app
• Registering the Tenjin assistant as a Teams app

Add the Teams Channel to Your Assistant

1. To generate the Teams channel for your assistant, press the Channels button from your Tenjin Assistant page.
2. Click the Add Channel button in the top-right within Channels.
3. Within the Teams Channel section, click Add Channel.

Generating the Manifest File

1. Once the Teams channel has been added, click the Microsoft Teams Manifest button.

Set the Properties of the Teams App

A form is displayed allowing you to set the properties of the Teams app, including the name and description that will be presented to your users in Teams. Some of the information entered will also be shown in the application's about screen.

The first half of the screen is the mandatory assistant information, such as colour, name, and description. The majority of this will be pre-populated with the information previously entered for the assistant.

The second half of the form is for the developer's details and technical integrations of the Teams app.

Additional Functionality for the Teams App

Custom Tabs

Custom tabs allow web content to be exposed within the Tenjin Teams app. This content will be the same for all users and can include (for example) a tab to your company's website or internal portal. As shown above, these custom tabs will appear next to the assistant's name alongside Team's default tabs.

Include Workspace

Add a tab to the assistant, giving easy access to the workspace functionality, including Expert Assist. If enabled, a link to the Tenjin Workspace will appear in the same way custom tabs appear, as described above.

Allow File Uploads

If you would like your users to upload files, and you have configured your assistant to manage file uploads, you can enable this functionality within Teams, meaning the file attachment icon will appear.

Commands

A list of commands that your assistant will suggest to users, helping them by starting a new conversation or guiding them if they need more help.

Registering the Tenjin Assistant as a Teams App

For testing purposes, the app can be registered on an individual basis by manually uploading the app within Teams.

1. In Teams, select Apps from the sidebar.
   
2. Select Upload a custom app.
3. Select your Manifest file.
4. Selecting Add will default to adding your bot to your personal chat.
5. Selecting the drop-down list beside the Add button allows you to choose from the other options.
   

To make the assistant available to more users, the manifest file will need to be registered by those responsible for the application management of Teams within your organization; this would usually be your IT team.