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How to use the YakChat Bot in a Teams Channel

The YakChat bot allows you to send and receive text messages as Posts in a Teams Channel enabling you to send and receive SMS text messages in the same way as you chat to other members of your team in in a Microsoft Teams channel.

Mention YakChat in a Teams Channel post to get started

After installing into a Teams Channel, YakChat becomes your virtual team member that will send and receive text messages as Posts in the Teams Channel.  

To send a new text, reply to a text and perform other action you need to mention YakChat (using the @ sign) and then select YakChat from the Suggestions menu just like you would mention another member of your team.

Screenshot of YakBot mention

Command menu & available commands

The following list of commands are available when YakChat is used in a Teams Channel:

  • Text
  • Reply
  • Owner
  • Search
  • Signin
  • Signout
  • Help

Note: The default command is Reply so that it is easier to reply to an inbound text message that is displayed as a post – just mention YakChat and type your text message and press send.

These commands are available in the menu that is displayed when YakChat is mentioned.  You can click on the required command or type the command leaving a space between the “YakChat” and the command. 

Screenshot of YakChat Bot menu in a Teams Channel

Send a text [text]

To send a text to a number, select text from the quick menu or type ‘text’ (add a space), type the phone number (add a space) and then type your text message. 

Note:  The phone number must not have any spaces or symbols and uses the default country code set up for your user by default or you can add a country code.

Screenshot of YakBot mention
Screenshot of YakBot in channel sending a text
Screenshot of YakBot in channel sending a text

Then click on the Microsoft Teams Send button to send the text. 

Note: If you are the first person to send a text to this number, YakChat will automatically make you the owner of the converation so that you will be tagged when a reply is received.

Screenshot of YakBot in channel sending a text

Receive a text

New inbound text messages received are posted into the Teams Channel.  Ttext will be posted as a new converation The text will be added to a conversation if one exists for the number that the text is received from YakChat will post any new text To reply to a text within a Teams conversation click on the ‘Reply’ button in the Teams conversation, mention @yakchat (space) and type your text message and click on the Teams Send button to send your reply.  

Note: You can also use the ‘reply’ command that is displayed in the menu but this is not necessary. 

Screenshot of the YakChat bot receiving a text

Reply to a text message in a conversation [reply]

To reply to a text within a Teams conversation click on the ‘Reply’ button in the Teams conversation, mention @yakchat (space) and type your text message and click on the Teams Send button to send your reply.  

Note: You can also use the ‘reply’ command that is displayed in the menu but this is not necessary. 

Screenshot of YakBot in channel replying to a text

Note: You can also use the ‘reply’ command that is displayed in the menu but this is not necessary. 

Query the conversation owner [owner]

Each conversation in a Shared Inbox can have an owner.  To query the owner of the converation, select owner in the command menu or type ‘owner’ and click the send button.

Screenshot of YakChat bot owner command menu

The YakChat bot will reply with the email of the conversation owner.

Screenshot of YakChat bot owner result

Search for a contact and phone number [search]

A contact saved in YakChat can be searched to return the phone number by selecting search in the command menu or type ‘owner’ (add a space) and enter the contact name and click the send button.

Screenshot of YakChat bots search command

The YakChat bot will reply with the contact name(s) and phone numbers that match the search criteria.

Screenshot of YakChat bots search command

Sign in to the YakChat bot [signin]

A Sign in confirmation message should then be displayed. If additional admin consent is required, the bot will respond with the  

Screenshot of YakChat bot signin card when used in a Teams Channel

Enter your Microsoft credentials into the Microsoft popup window to sign in.   

Microsoft credentials pop-up window

An Admin Consent Required card will be displayed if additional consent is required from your Microsoft Azure administrator.  Your administrator will need to click on the Grant Permissions button, sign in and provide consent to connect with the YakChat service.  Once this has been provided it should not be required again.

Screenshot of YakBot in a channel requiring permissions

Sign out of the YakChat bot [signout]

To sign in to the YakChat bot, select signout  in the command menu or type ‘signout’ and click the send button.

Screenshot of YakChat bots signin icommand

The YakChat bot will reply confiming you have successfully signed out..

Screenshot of YakChat bots signin icommand

Help with the YakChat commands [help]

To receive a reminder of the YakChat bot commands select help in the command menu or type ‘help’ and click the send button.

Screenshot of the YakChat bot help menu

The YakChat bot will reply confiming you have successfully signed out..

Screenshot of the YakChat bot help menu
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