Telegram

The Telegram channel enables chatbots and agents to communicate with customers on Telegram. Follow the steps below to set up and manage a Telegram channel in Yola.

Setting Up Telegram in Yola

1. Navigate to Apps

   • Go to Chatbots > Apps.

   • Click on the Create App button.

   • Select Telegram and complete the required fields in the pop-up box.

Prerequisites

• Ensure you have an active Telegram account before proceeding.

• This Telegram account will be set as the administrator during the integration process.

Managing Telegram in Yola

Enabling and Disabling

Toggle the Enable/Disable option in the Apps tab to make the channel live to the public.

Telegram App Settings

Inside the Telegram app, you can manage the following:

1. Basics

   • Enable/Disable: Activate or deactivate the Telegram channel.

   • Name: Edit the channel name within the Yola platform.

   • Language: Set the default language for Telegram customers.

   • Icon: Update the chatbot icon.

   • Delete: Remove the Telegram app.

   Important: If you delete the app, you will need to re-enter the Telegram authentication token to reconfigure it.

2. Configuration

   • Authentication Token: Required to authorise the Telegram channel. See the steps below to create a new bot and retrieve the token.

Creating a Telegram Bot with BotFather

1. Log in to your Telegram account and search for BotFather.

2. Start a chat with BotFather and use the /newbot command.

3. Follow the prompts to:

   • Set a Bot Name: This is the display name shown to customers.

   • Set a Bot Username: Must end in "bot" (e.g., tetris_bot or TetrisBot). Usernames must be 5–32 characters, case insensitive, and use Latin letters, numbers, and underscores.

4. After completing the setup, BotFather will generate an authentication token.

   Important: Keep this token secure. It can be used to control your bot.

5. To regenerate a token (if it is compromised or lost), use the /token command in BotFather.

Integrating the Telegram Bot into Yola

1. Copy the authentication token generated by BotFather.

2. Go to your Telegram channel in Yola’s platform and paste the token into the Authentication Token field.

3. Click the Verify button.

   • Upon successful verification, a link (e.g., t.me/<bot_username>) will be generated.

   • Share this link with your customers to start engaging with your bot.

4. Click Save to save the token.

Additional Telegram Bot Settings

Disabling Group Chats

1. Use the /setjoingroups command in BotFather to disable your bot from being added to group chats:

   • Select your bot and type "Disable".

2. After disabling group chat functionality, return to the Telegram channel in Yola and click Save.

   Reminder: The Telegram channel in Yola will not enable if the bot's Allow Group setting is not disabled.

Viewing and Editing Bots

Use the /mybots command in BotFather to view and manage all bots associated with your Telegram account. Refer to Telegram's official documentation for more commands and options.

Important Notes

• Deleting a Telegram Channel: If you delete the channel in Yola, you will need to reconfigure it by re-entering the authentication token.

• Security Reminder: Keep your bot’s token private to prevent unauthorised access. If compromised, immediately generate a new token using BotFather.

With Telegram integration in Yola, you can seamlessly connect with your customers on their preferred messaging platform.