This article provides a comprehensive guide on integrating Microsoft Teams with Tivian Communicate XI (CXI). It covers the step-by-step process of setting up the integration, adding and removing MS Teams connections in CXI, and managing the MS Teams table in the CXI Site Administration section.
The integration allows users to deliver messages directly to employees through MS Teams channels as part of communication campaigns or ad-hoc messages, enhancing employee engagement where they are already active.
Information
Introduction
Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) is a key platform for collaboration that allows users to connect via chat, channel messaging, and video meetings, to name a few. If your company uses MS Teams you can integrate it with Tivian Communicate XI (CXI) in a few simple steps. Once this is done, you can use the MS Teams channels you are a team member of, to deliver messages directly to your employees as a campaign channel from Communicate Journeys and ad-hoc messages with Communicate Messages. Using MS Teams allows you to reach employees where they already are, to both their computer and/or mobile app.
Integration
To begin, you must be a Site Administrator on the CXI side in order to integrate MS Teams. You will also need to have administrative permissions in MS Teams.
In order to use MS Teams in CXI, you will need to first set up the integration through the MS Teams app.
Note: Tivian recommends you use the MS Teams desktop app instead of the web app to integrate as CXI does not fully support the web version at this time.
Note: You will see these instructions refer to GuideSpark Communicate Cloud (GSCC); GSCC is the legacy name for Tivian Communicate XI, and the GSCC Teams app will work with Tivian Communicate XI.
- Go to the Apps section in the bottom left corner of your MS Teams app.
- Search for GuideSpark.
- Under the GuideSpark Communicate Cloud tile, click on Add. Then, click Add to a Team.
4. Enter the name of the specific channel you want to link it to. Once the search populates the correct channel and team name, click on that channel from the list.
5. Click Set up a connector for that specific channel to connect with CXI.
6. Verify that the connector was created by clicking the three dots next to that specific channel and select Connectors from the drop-down menu. The GuideSpark app should be listed under the list of connectors. Search it if needed.
7. Once you have found it click the Configure button next to the GuideSpark app.
8. Then click Sign in to GuideSpark. This will open a separate page with the GSCC Sign in.
9. Sign in to your account and click Next.
10. Click into the drop-down menu under Select an account and select the GSCC account you want to integrate MS Teams with. The drop-down menu will list all the GSCC accounts you are a site admin for. If you only have one account, it will just show that account.
11. Once you have selected one, click Save.
12. To verify that the integration is successful, go back to the Connectors section for that specific channel, in MS Teams. Click the Configured tab to the left.
13. You should also receive a GSCC-sent confirmation message in the channel you have created the connection for.
14. Go to your CXI account.
15. Go to the Site Administration section.
16. Click the More tab.
You will now see a row with the specific channel you have integrated in the Microsoft Teams setup table, which appears once the integration has been successfully set up. The table will show from left to right:
- Team name
- Channel name
- Connection status
- And the trash icon to delete a specific channel’s CXI connection.
You can start sending MS Teams messages now.
Adding MS Teams connection in CXI
If you would like to set up additional MS Teams channels, follow these steps:
- If a channel had a CXI connector in the past, in MS Teams, you can click on the channel’s three dots to the right and select Connectors.
2. Search for the GuideSpark app and click Configure.
3. Repeat the integration steps by clicking Sign in to GuideSpark.
4. Complete steps 9-13 from the Integration chapter.
5. Select the CXI account from the drop-down menu and click Save.
To verify that the connection is successful, go to Site Administration in CXI, to the More section. In the Microsoft Teams setup, the channel should now show as Connected.
Removing MS Teams connection in CXI
In order to remove the integration for that specific channel, you will need to go to the MS Teams app to do so.
- In MS Teams, click the three dots to the right of the channel and click Connectors.
2. Click on the Configured tab and find the GuideSpark app.
3. Click Manage.
4. Then click the Remove button at the bottom.
5. It will say Removing as it is loading.
6. Once it is removed, it will no longer be listed in the Configured tab, under Connectors for that specific channel.
7. Once the connection has been removed, it will reflect in the Microsoft Teams setup table in CXI. The removed channel will no longer show as an option in Communicate Messages or Communicate Journeys.
Note
Currently, the channel may still show up, even though the connection for that specific channel has been removed. It cannot be selected or used.
MS Teams table in CXI
The MS Teams table in the Site Administration section acts more as a reference for MS Team channel connections with CXI. You can’t add or remove channel connections from the CXI side. You will need to go into the MS Teams app to change MS Teams channel connections.
Statuses
- Connected (When an MS Teams channel has been successfully connected to CXI).
- Connection removed in Microsoft Teams (When an admin has removed a connection from a channel, in the MS Teams app).
Plus icon
Integration with MS Teams needs to happen on the MS Teams side, therefore the plus button in the top-right of the MS Teams table in Site Administration notifies the admin to go to the MS Teams app to start the process to add a channel.
Trash icon
If you select the trash icon you will receive a notification that if you remove a channel from the table, you will no longer be able to use the channel in CXI to send messages but the integration will remain. If you still want to remove it from the table, you can click Confirm. Once the channel has been removed, Owners and Editors can’t elect the channel when creating or editing a message. This is a soft delete.
Note
GuideSpark recommends that if you want to remove a channel, that you first remove the connection in the MS Teams app before removing it from the table in CXI. Otherwise, the connection is still active for that channel with CXI.
Alert icon
There is an alert condition that will show up to the left of a channel when a connection has been removed from MS Teams. For a user to be able to use the connection to send messages again to that specific channel, they would need to set up the connection again in the MS Teams app.
FAQ
What permissions are required to set up the MS Teams integration with CXI?
To set up the integration, you need to be a Site Administrator in CXI and have administrative permissions in MS Teams.
Can I add or remove MS Teams channel connections directly from CXI?
No, you cannot add or remove channel connections directly from CXI. These actions must be performed in the MS Teams app. The MS Teams table in CXI Site Administration serves as a reference for existing connections.
What happens if I remove a channel connection from the MS Teams table in CXI?
Removing a channel from the MS Teams table in CXI is a soft delete. It prevents Owners and Editors from selecting the channel when creating or editing messages, but the integration remains active. It’s recommended to first remove the connection in the MS Teams app before removing it from the CXI table.