Slack Installation & Configuration User Guide

Owned by Sara Collins
Mar 14, 2024
10 min read

About the Slack Integration

 

This integration between Slack and Verint enables two-way communication between both platforms. Installation and configuration is required on both the customer’s Slack Workspace and the Verint Community

 

 

Key Features: 

  1. Provides a safe and secure connection between Verint and Slack 

  2. Ability to host two-way communication between Slack and Verint

  3. Ability to share forums, blogs, wikis, and ideas right from Verint to any Slack channel

  4. A clean display for any page 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slack Posting Behavior - Bot vs. User

The information below lists out the scoped-out behaviors of messages posted in a Slack channel. This will indicate when a post is made as the Slack Bot vs a Slack User. 

 

Verint to Slack sync 

Commands/Connections App is installed on Slack channel 

 

 

When a reply to the Sync’d forum thread is made:

 

If you are authorized AND joined a specified Slack channel, it will post as the author

 

If you are not authorized AND joined a specified Slack channel, it will post as the Slack Bot

 

If you are not authorized AND not in a specified Slack channel, it will post as the Slack Bot

 

 

When a NEW FORUM THREAD is posted in the Verint Group:

 

If you are authorized AND joined a specified Slack channel, it will post as the author 

 

If you are authorized AND joined a specified Slack channel, it will post as the Slack Bot

 

If you are not authorized AND not in a specified Slack channel, it will post as the Slack Bot

 

Slack Workspace Component Installation and Configuration

NOTE: It is required to install two Bots to perform actions in Slack on behalf of Verint.

  1. Install VerintCommandsBot

 

This bot is represented with the VerintCommandsApp. Here's what you need to do to install this app in your Slack community. 

 

Prerequisites

  1. Access to a commercial Slack Workspace (Pro / Business+ / Enterprise Grid plans)

  2. Admin should have Workspace Owner or Workspace Administrator permissions (Slack Side) 

    1. Customers may already have an (Owner/Manage) identified

 

 

Set up the Bot

  1. In your preferred web browser, Go to api.slack.com

  2. Create a new app by clicking  “Create an app”

  3. Choose the «From an app manifest» option

  4. Choose the Slack Workspace

  5. You will be presented with the option to save a Manifest file. Keep this tab open and continue to the next step below

  6. In your preferred Text Editor, open the provided Manifest file (VerintCommandsApp.manifest.yml) and copy the file’s text, and paste the text into the text editor

    1. As recommended for best practice, before making any further changes, please make a copy of this file and include “original” in the naming convention 

  7. Make any change in the manifest text, updating the following lines: 

    1. Name (like "VerintCommandsApp"), 

    2. Description 

    3. URLs (with correct community domain). 

      1. If you are using restricted access plugin you need to add specific urls with slack extensions to whitelist and it will be added to whitelist

    4. You can also change names and descriptions for the shortcuts:

  8. Select all the text from the manifest file and Copy to your clipboard

  9. In your preferred web browser (resuming from Step 5 above) paste the entire text from the manifest file in overriding what was there before (under the YAML tab). (se_slack_[client]_tbd)

    1. update URL with community link

  10.  

  1. Click the "Next" button. 

  2. Then, review the summary and confirmation of your app configuration, and click the "Create" button.

  1. Go to App settings → OAuth & permissions → click «Install to Workspace» button

  2. On the authorization page, click “Allow” which will install the newly created App on your Workspace

  1. After you authorize and click the allow button,  a page will come up with a Bot User OAuth Token - please copy and paste that token into a separate text editor file and save for future use. 

  2.  Now that the App is installed, confirm permissions as below.  Go to the "OAuth & Permissions" tab, and scroll to the "Scopes -> Bot Token Scopes" block. Confirm all the permissions are the same as you can see on the screenshot below:

 

  1. Install VerintConnectionBot

 

  1. This bot is represented with the VerintConnectionApp. To install this app in your Slack community, please, repeat steps on how to create a new application from the VerintCommandApp "Set up the app" section using the "VerintConnectionsApp.manifest.yml" file.

  2. Now that the App is installed, confirm permissions as below.  Go to the "OAuth & Permissions" tab, and scroll to the "Scopes -> Bot Token Scopes and User Token Scopes" blocks. Confirm all the permissions are the same as you can see on the screenshots below:

 

 

 

Add Apps to a Slack channel

Apps are needed for a Slack channel if you would like to have a full two-way connection between slack and Verint. These are especially helpful if you would like to share from Slack into your Verint community. 

To add the app to a Slack channel: 

  1. Open Slack and go to your Workspace

  2. Identify a channel, click the Channel name at the top of the screen or click on the avatar list in the top right of a channel, and go to the Integrations tab

  3. Click the "Add an app" button → choose both previously-installed apps (VerintConnectionApp and VerintCommandApp) either by searching or if they are already within your workspace you can select them from a list in Slack. Then click each app’s "Add" button.

 

This installation is done per channel. Repeat for other channels as needed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verint Community Component Installation and Configuration

Set up a Verint User Account for a Verint System User

In Slack, the Apps above act on behalf of Slack to perform actions. In Verint, this role is simply performed by a Verint user account.

 

  1. Administration -> Membership -> Add Member

    1. NOTE: We recommend using a naming convention such as “Verint Slack Bot” when naming the Verint System User. 

    2. NOTE: Please ensure that the system account has proper permissions (group owner but could be configured as needed) at the group level with the Slack integration

    3. NOTE: Make note of the username you choose

Install the Slack Integration Plugin

For Verint Hosted clients, a custom plugin needs to be installed by Verint Support via a Support ticket. To create a Verint support ticket, visit http://community.telligent.com  

 

NOTE: Typical 2 day turn around on Verint Tickets

 

  1. Provide a link to the plugin files product_telligent_slack_integration-1.0.7998.21707.zip for Verint Support to install

 

Configure the Slack Integration Plugin

For Verint Hosted clients, a custom plugin needs to be installed by Verint Support via a Support ticket.

 

  1. After Verint Support validates the installation, go to Administration -> Extensions -> Slack Integration Extensions Group

 

  • Default Username for Posting in Slack - The name of the default bot when posting from Verint to Slack. 

  • Slack Base URL - The base URL underneath the post from Slack within the Verint community.

  • Slack Share URL Emoji - A URL to an image to be used as an emoji when sharing from Verint into a Slack channel

  1. Go to "Slack Connection Feature" tabs to set up settings for the Slack Connection.

NOTE: Local Bot Username MUST match the Verint User Account for the Slack Bot exactly 

 

All empty fields will need to be filled in, to do so: To get the data for the Slack settings, go to https://api.slack.com/apps → go to Verint Connections App Page → go to the Basic Information tab → go to App Credentials block.

  • Client ID - copy/paste into Slack Client ID

  • Client Secret - copy/paste into Slack Client Secret

  • Slack Scopes - Keep the default

  • Signing Secret - This will be taken from the OAuth Tokens for Your Workspace

    • Navigate to api.slack.com

    • Click on your app 

    • On the left-hand side click on OAuth & Permissions

    • Scroll Down and Copy and Select the Bot User OAuth Token

    • Paste it into the Slack Bot Token field

 

  • Verification Token - copy/paste into Slack Verification Token

 

To get the data for the Slack settings, go to https://api.slack.com/apps → go to Verint Commands App Page → go to the Basic Information tab → go to App Credentials block.

  1. Go to the "Slack Commands Feature" tabs to set up settings for Slack Commands integration.

  1. Client ID - copy/paste into Slack Client ID

  2. Client Secret - copy/paste into Slack Client Secret

  3. Slack Scopes - Keep the default

  4. Signing Secret - This will be taken from the OAuth Tokens for Your Workspace

    1. Navigate to api.slack.com

    2. Click on your app 

    3. On the left-hand side click on OAuth & Permissions

    4. Scroll Down and Copy and Select the Bot User OAuth Token

    5. Paste it into the Slack Bot Token field

 

  1. Verification Token - copy/paste into Slack Verification Token

  2. Max Send Search Response Results - How Many search response results will be shown within the configuration

  3. Max Group Search Results - How many group search results will be shown within the connection configuration

  4. Max Text Body Length - Maximum text body length allowed within the search when connecting Slack to Verint

 

Adding Slack URLs to Verint Whitelist Pages

You want to ensure the following URLs are added within the Whitelist pages within the Verint community. 

  • /slack.community.search

  • /slack.community.ask

  • /slack.interactivity

  • /slack.interactivity.options

  • /slack.oauth.callback

  • /slack.events

  • /slack.proxy.image

  • /slack.binary

 

To add these URLs:

  1. Hover over the pencil icon

  2. Click on administration 

  3. Click on extensions

  4. Scroll down and find Telligent Services: Restricted Access for Telligent Community 

  5. Under the options tab and under whitelist pages enter in the Slack URLs

  6. Once you are done click save and you can exit out of the administration panel

 

 

 

Connect Slack Channel to Verint Group/ Forum

PLEASE NOTE: Before you complete this task you will want to first authorize yourself in the Slack AUthorization Widget

  1. Navigate to the administration panel

  2. Hover over the pencil icon

  3. Click on administration

  4. Search for Slack Sync Configuration Extension and select it

  5. Click on the “+sync” button

  1. Please search for the desired group within Verint

  2. Then search for the specific forum application with the selected group for the slack channel to sync with

  3. Lastly, search for a channel within Slack you would like to sync with the group and specific forum application.

  4. Please ensure both syncs are enabled and then press save. 

  5. Please repeat as needed for each applicable connection.

 

To Control How Many Syncs Are Displayed - Please Follow these Steps: 

  1. Navigate to Slack Integration Extensions Group in the administration panel 

  2. Click on the Slack Connection Feature tab

  3. Scroll down to Max Slack Sync List Results

  1. Update it to Display as many syncs as desired and then press save

Install and Configure Widgets

 

The Slack integration is represented with three widgets "Slack4Verint - Share in Slack", "Slack4Verint - Slack Channel", and “Slack4Verint - Authorize in Slack”. 

 

Slack4Verint - Slack Channel widget

This widget displays activity from the chosen channel and allows users to post messages in a selected Slack channel through this widget.

 

To Install the Widgets: 

  1. Click on the pencil icon

  2. Click on administration

  3. Click on interface

  4. Click on widget studio

  5. Click on the cloud icon to import the widgets XML file 

 

  1. Select the appropriate file

  2. Upload and then publish all changes 

 

To Configure The Widget WIthin The Administration Panel

  1. Within widget studio search for or find the “Slack4Verint - Slack Channel” widget 

  2. You can set up main settings and add translations to the main widget elements (Resources tab).

 

 

 

Slack4Verint - Share in Slack

This widget allows users to share their content to a chosen Slack channel. 

 

 

To Install the Widget: 

  1. Click on the pencil icon

  2. Click on administration

  3. Click on interface

  4. Click on widget studio

  5. Click on the cloud icon to import the widgets XML file 

 

  1. Select the appropriate file

  2. Upload and then publish all changes 

To Configure The Widget WIthin The Administration Panel

  1. Within widget studio search for or find the “Slack4Verint - Share in Slack” widget 

  2. You can set up main settings and add translations to the main widget elements (Resources tab).

 

 

 

Slack4Verint - Authorize in Slack

This widget allows users to authorize in Slack from the Verint community.  

 

 

To Install the Widget: 

  1. Click on the pencil icon

  2. Click on administration

  3. Click on interface

  4. Click on widget studio

  5. Click on the cloud icon to import the widgets XML file 

 

  1. Select the appropriate file

  2. Upload and then publish all changes 

 

 

Now that all steps are complete, please enable the Slack Integration Plugin and then click save. Please see the image below. 

 

Configuration of Slack Widgets

 

Slack4Verint - Share in Slack

NOTE: This is only available for configuration and to be used on a piece of contents page. 

  1. Navigate to an application page within a specific group or groups 

  2. Hover over the pencil icon

  3. Click on manage (application name) theme 

  4. Click on edit this page

  5. Search for Slack4Verint - Share in Slack

  6. Select and drag it where you would like on the page 

 

Slack4Verint - Slack Channel

  1. Navigate to an application page within a specific group or groups 

  2. Hover over the pencil icon

  3. Click on manage (application name) theme 

  4. Click on edit this page

  5. Search for Slack4Verint - Slack Channel

  6. Select and drag it where you would like on the page 

  7. Click on the Configuration Icon and Search and Select the Channel You Would Like to Display

 

Slack4Verint - Authorize in Slack

  1. Navigate to an application page within a specific group or groups 

  2. Hover over the pencil icon

  3. Click on manage (application name) theme 

  4. Click on edit this page

  5. Search for Slack4Verint - Authorize in Slack

  6. Select and drag it where you would like on the page 

  7. Publish Your Page

 

 

 

 

Support

Need support or want to talk to us?  Please send an email to:

support@socialedgeoncuslting.com