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Configure an Apple Messages for Business channel

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Applies to: Dynamics 365 Contact Center—embedded, Dynamics 365 Contact Center—standalone, and Dynamics 365 Customer Service

Many customers use the Apple Messages app for their daily communication needs. The Apple Messages app also supports Messages for Business, a way to apply iMessage's richer communication capabilities to engage with businesses. The asynchronous nature of this channel gives customers the convenience of resolving their issues when they find time, in contrast to real-time channels such as Chat for Dynamics 365, where the session ends when the chat window is closed.

Apple Messages for Business supports rich messaging experiences, allowing customers and agents to converse through convenient and engaging interactions. Learn more at Introduction to Messages for Business - Apple Developer.

Important

Apple requires that you complete a mandatory onboarding process before you can configure the Apple Messages for Business channel. To get started, contact Microsoft support.

Prerequisites

Before you configure the Apple Messages for Business channel in Contact Center admin center or Customer Service admin center, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

  1. Register your business with Apple Business Register. Learn more at Apple Business Register

  2. Enable Messages for Business and create a Messages for Business account for your brand. Learn more at Apple Messages for Business Accounts Introduction

  3. Configure the Messaging Service Provider (MSP) using the URL provided for your geo region in the following table.

    Geo location API Endpoint URL
    Asia-Pacific https://dynamics365-omnichannel-apac.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    Australia https://dynamics365-omnichannel-aus.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    Canada https://dynamics365-omnichannel-can.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    Europe https://dynamics365-omnichannel-eur.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    France https://dynamics365-omnichannel-fra.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    Germany https://dynamics365-omnichannel-ger.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    India https://dynamics365-omnichannel-ind.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    Japan https://dynamics365-omnichannel-jpn.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    North America https://dynamics365-omnichannel-nam.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    South America https://dynamics365-omnichannel-sam.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    Switzerland https://dynamics365-omnichannel-che.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    United Arab Emirates https://dynamics365-omnichannel-uae.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness
    United Kingdom https://dynamics365-omnichannel-uk.omnichannelengagementhub.com/applemessagesforbusiness

Configure an Apple Messages for Business channel instance

  1. In the site map of Contact Center admin center or Customer Service admin center, select Channels in Customer Support.

  2. Go to Accounts > Messaging accounts > Manage, and then on the Accounts and channels page, select Add account.

  3. On the Add account page, Channel details section, enter a name, and then select Apple Messages for Business in Channels.

  4. On the Add account page, specify the Apple Messages for Business account ID. To get the account ID, go to your organization's Apple Business Register, open the Messages for Business account, navigate to the Messaging Service Provider configuration and select Test your Messaging Service Provider connection, and then copy the account ID by selecting Copy ID.

    Note

    If your organization uses customer-managed keys, be aware that Apple Messages for Business acount IDs can't be encrypted. Apple Messages for Business account IDs are part of the URLs used by customer devices to start new conversations and might be visible to users. The visibility isn't considered a security concern.

  5. To configure routing and work distribution, either create a workstream or select an existing one.

  6. Select the workstream that you created for the Apple Messages for Business channel, and then on the workstream page, select Set up Apple Messages for Business and do the following steps:

    1. In the Available Apple Messages for Business accounts area, select an account from the list.

    2. On the Language page, select the language to use.

    3. On the Behaviors page, configure the following options:

      • Custom automated messages
      • Post-conversation survey
      • Authentication settings: If you enable authentication, your agents can request that their customers authenticate their identities. You must associate a channel-specific authentication setting. This step may be completed later, after channel setup. Use the OAuth 2.0 OpenID connect flow. Learn more at Authentication settings for Apple Messages for Business.

    4. On the User features page, configure the following options:

      • File attachments: When set to yes for both customer and agent, customers and agents can send and receive file attachments. Learn more at Enable file attachments.
      • Apple Pay: If you enable Apple Pay, your agents can send Apple Pay requests to customers. Each channel instance must have a payment profile associated. This step may be completed later, after channel setup. Learn more at Configure payment profiles.

    5. Review the Summary page, and then select Create. The channel instance is configured.

  7. Configure routing rules. Learn more at Configure work classification

  8. Configure work distribution. Learn more at Work distribution settings

  9. Optionally, you can add a bot. Skip this step if human agents handle your conversations. Learn more at Configure a bot

  10. In Advanced settings, configure the following options based on your business needs:

The following video provides information on how to set up the Apple Messages for Business channel in Dynamics 365 Customer Service.

Configure authentication settings

Configure the authentication settings by performing the steps in Create Apple Messages for Business authentication settings.

Configure payment profiles for Apple Pay

Set up the profile by completing the steps in Configure payment profiles.

Create rich messages

Create rich messages by completing the steps in Create rich messages.

Use rich messages in conversation control

Learn more at Rich messages in the conversation control.

The following video provides information on how to view a conversation on the Apple Messages for Business channel in Dynamics 365 Customer Service.

Create and manage workstreams
Configure automated messages
Configure a post-conversation survey
Skill-based routing
Create message templates
Templates
Delete a configured channel
Support for live chat and asynchronous channels