Create a Collaboration Action for Slack

Using the Administration UI, you can set up or create different collaboration actions.

Let's see how to set up a collaboration action to start an internal conversation in a help desk request with a user in Slack. You can also define which attributes of the business object can be shared with Slack as part of the internal conversation.

Note:

This example is for starting an internal conversation in help desk request. You can also use any other suitable action names different from those given in the examples. For this example:

A child action would be to create a Reply to Help Desk Request button. It's a child of the first message received in Slack from Help Desk.
Further, a child of the Reply to Help Desk Request child action would be to create a Submit Reply action. When a Slack user enters a message and clicks Submit Reply, the message goes to Help Desk.

These two child actions have been described in the two subsequent topics.

To set up a collaboration action using the Administration UI:

Sign in as an administrator.
Navigate to the Setup and Maintenance work area and open the Tasks panel tab.
Search for and click the Manage Collaboration Actions task.

The All Collaboration Actions page opens in a new tab.
Click Create Collaboration Action.
In the Action Details region, specify the following details:
1. Action Name: Specify a name. For example: Start Internal Conversation in SR.
2. The Action field is automatically populated.
3. Description: Add a suitable description.
4. Action Code: Specify an action code of your choice. For example: start-collab-on-SR.
5. Business Object: Select the business object on which you're creating the collaboration action. For example, Help Desk Request, Opportunity, Lead, and so on.
6. Action Type: From this drop-down list, select Start a Collaboration Conversation.
Note:
For this Start a Collaboration Conversation action, the following fields aren't required: Action Method, Display Sequence, and User Interface Component.
Click Next.
In the Request Details region, specify the following details:
1. Request Content Type: This field is automatically populated.
2. Request End Point: Enter the following end point: /crmRestApi/resources/latest/hrHelpDeskRequests?q=SrId=[[SrId], or /crmRestApi/resources/latest/internalServiceRequests?q=SrId=[[SrId]
  
  The /crmRestApi/resources/latest/hrHelpDeskRequests or /crmRestApi/resources/latest/internalServiceRequestspart is automatically populated in the field. To facilitate querying the Help Desk object using the primary key field, you're appending the following at the end: ?q*Srid*[[Srid]]
3. Request Payload: You can skip this field.
Click Next.
In the Response Details region, specify the following details:
1. Response Visibility: From this drop-down list, select Public.
2. Response Type: From this drop-down list, select Action Attributes.
3. Response Content Type: This field is automatically populated.
4. Response Payload: You can skip this field.
Click Next.

In the Add Action Attribute region, you must add some help desk request attributes that you would like to share with Slack users when starting an internal conversation.

Click Add Attribute.

In the Add Action Attribute dialog box, enter the following details:

Note:

See the table at the end of this step for some specific details that you must set for some attributes.

Attribute Name: Select a name from the drop-down list.
Display Name: Specify a suitable display name.
Data Type: Select the appropriate value from the drop-down list.
Default Value: Specify a default value.
User Interface Component: This field can have the following values: List, Text Area, or Text Box. The default value is Text Box.
Display Sequence: Specify a high or low number depending on where you want the UI component to be displayed. For example: You can specify a higher number such as 12 if you want it to be displayed lower down on the page.
Business Object Identifier: If it's a field that's used for identifying a record, then you must select this switch.

Note:
Let's say a to and fro message thread about a particular request exists between Slack and Help Desk. Then the linking of the messages is done through this field. You can select help desk request ID or help desk request number as the Business Object Identifier, because they both uniquely identify as a help desk request.
Included in Request: If information is being sent from Slack to Help Desk, then select this switch.
Included in Response: If you're sending a response message from Help Desk to Slack, then select this switch.
End Point: This field is applicable only if you select the User Interface Component as List.
Option Label: This field is applicable only if you select the User Interface Component as List.
Option Value: This field is applicable only if you select the User Interface Component as List.
Deep Link: If required, provide a deep link that uniquely identifies the help desk request. For example: Link to help desk request number that shows up in the Slack UI: crmUI/helpdesk/vp/edit-hrhd?srNumber=[[SrNumber]] or crmUI/helpdesk/vp/edit-isr?srNumber=[[SrNumber]]. If you want one of the other attributes to be a link, you can add the deep link to the help desk request by editing that attribute. For example, you can add the deep link to the help desk request for the title attribute.

Here's a list of some specific details that you must set for the following common action attributes:

Action Attribute	Required Details
SrId	Select the Business Object Identifier switch.
SrNumber	Select the Include in Response switch.
SrNumber	Provide the following deep link in the Deep Link field: `crmUI/helpdesk/vp/edit-hrhd?srNumber=[[SrNumber]] or crmUI/helpdesk/vp/edit-isr?srNumber=[[SrNumber]]`
Title	Select the Included in Response switch.
Problem Description	Select the Included in Response switch.

Click Save.