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Configure an Apple Messages for Business channel

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Omnichannel for Customer Service offers a suite of capabilities that extend the power of Dynamics 365 Customer Service Enterprise to enable organizations to instantly connect and engage with their customers across digital messaging channels. An additional license is required to access Omnichannel for Customer Service. For more information, see the Dynamics 365 Customer Service pricing overview and Dynamics 365 Customer Service pricing plan pages.

Many customers use the Apple Messages app for their daily communication needs. The Apple Messages app also supports Messages for Business, a new 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 customer and agents to converse through convenient and engaging interactions. More information: Introduction to Messages for Business - Apple Developer

Prerequisites

Before you configure the Apple Messages for Business channel in Dynamics 365 Omnichannel for Customer Service, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

  1. Register your business with Apple Business Register More information: Apple Business Register

  2. Enable Messages for Business and create a Messages for Business account for your brand. More information: Apple Messages for Business Accounts Introduction

  3. Configure the Messaging Service Provider (MSP) using the correct 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

You can configure an Apple Messages for Business channel instance from the Customer Service admin center or Omnichannel admin center (deprecated) app.

  1. Select one of the following apps, and perform the steps.

    1. In the site map, select Channels in Customer Support.
    2. Go to Accounts > Messaging accounts > Manage, and then on the Accounts and channels page, select Add account.

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

  3. 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 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 cannot be encryped. Apple Messages for Business account IDs are part of the URLs used by customer devices to start new conversations and may be visible to users, but this doesn't present a security concern.

  4. To configure routing and work distribution, you can create a workstream or select an existing one.

  5. Select the workstream that you've created for the Apple Messages for Business channel and 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 will be able to request customer's authenticate their identity. You must associate a channel specific authentication setting. This step may be completed later, after channel setup. There are two flows to choose from: OAuth 2.0 code flow or OAuth 2.0 OpenID connect flow. More information: 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. More information: Enable file attachments.
      • Apple Pay: If you enable Apple Pay, your agents will be able to send Apple Pay requests to customers. Each channel instance must have a Payment Profile associated. This step may be completed later, after channel setup. More information: Payment Profiles.

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

  6. Configure routing rules. More information: Configure work classification

  7. Configure work distribution. More information: Work distribution settings

  8. Optionally, you can add a bot. Skip this step if your conversations are handled by human agents only. More information: Configure a bot

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

Watch this video to learn how to set up the Apple Messages for Business channel in Dynamics 365 Customer Service:

Configure authentication settings

Perform the steps in Create Apple Messages for Business authentication settings to configure authentication settings.

Configure payment profiles for Apple Pay

Perform the steps in Configure payment profiles to configure the profile.

Create rich messages

Perform the steps in Create rich messages to create rich messages

Use rich messages in conversation control

Perform the steps in Rich messages in the conversation control to use the rich messages.

Watch this video to learn how to view a conversation on the Apple Messages for Business channel in Dynamics 365 Customer Service:

See also

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