Sunshine Conversations and Zendesk Messaging give you access to the most popular social messaging channels, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and many more. Knowing how exhausting it is to look after all the channels, Ultimate has built integrations with both Sunshine Conversations and Zendesk so your Ultimate virtual agents can work seamlessly everywhere.
This article walks you through all the steps to connect your Ultimate virtual agent to Sunshine Conversations. The topics are:
  • Requirements
  • Step 1:  Create an API Key
  • Step 2: Configure Group Integration Parameters in the Ultimate Dashboard
  • Step 3: Authorize connection between Ultimate and Sunshine
  • Step 4: Test your virtual agent
    • FAQ
  • Connecting via the Smooch Dashboard
    • Step 1: Create a new app in Sunshine Conversations
    • Step 2: Connect the Sunshine app to your Zendesk instance

Requirements

  • Admin access to the virtual agent in the Ultimate Dashboard 
  • Zendesk subscription
  • Zendesk Agent Workspace
  • A Sunshine Conversations license

Step 1:  Create an API Key

In the Zendesk Admin Center, go to Apps and integrations > APIs > Conversations API

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If you do not see this, contact Zendesk to add this to your configuration, or you may have access to the smooch dashboard, in which case follow the instructions here.

  • Create a new API key for the Ultimate bot
  • Give your API key a name
  • A page will be displayed with and copy the App ID, Key ID, and Secret - save these

Step 2: Configure Group Integration Parameters in the Ultimate Dashboard

You'll need to add Sunshine Conversations as the CRM integration first before configuring integration parameters for authorization. 

Note: We have added Sunshine Group routing. It's a new feature that allows routing to different virtual agents in our Dashboard in order to accommodate different customer inquiries in different channels. 

Therefore we recommend using this for all our customers using Zendesk Messaging and Sunshine Conversations even if you have only one virtual agent at the moment. 

To add Sunshine Conversations as the CRM integration:
  1. Go to Settings > CRM Integration
  2. Click Add CRM Integration 
  3. Select Sunshine Group > Create Group 
    • For the field Transfer group, enter the group ID of the agent group in Zendesk. Click here to find out how to locate the group ID.
    • Avatar URL is an image that can be used as a profile image for your avatar within the chat area. The Sunshine Conversations API behind the feature is the postMessage endpoint. As stated by the documentation, the avatarUrl must be in either JPG, PNG, or GIF format. 
      Note - this is only visible on Sunshine conversations currently and is not shown in Zendesk.

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To configure group integration parameters:

  1. In Settings > CRM Integration
  2. Click Group Integration Parameters. A new page will open.
  3. Obtain the information on this page from the app created in Step 1 in Sunshine Conversations. The information here is needed to authorize the connection between Ultimate and Sunshine.   

To obtain group integration parameters from Sunshine Conversations: 

  1. Click the app created in Step 1 and go to Settings

  2. Copy the following app parameters to enter in Ultimate's Dashboard:

    • App ID

    • Key ID

    • Secret Key

      • Note - Click Create new API key if you don't see any

  3. Click Save.

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Step 3: Authorize connection between Ultimate and Sunshine

This step is only needed if you use Sunshine Conversations with Zendesk. If you use other platforms other than Zendesk, skip this step and contact us.

  1. Keep the Ultimate Dashboard as is
  2. Open and log in to Sunshine Conversations in a different tab

  3. In the Ultimate Dashboard, under Authorization, click Authorize Sunshine Conversations

    • A new page will open

      • If prompted, enter your Zendesk subdomain and sign in with your Zendesk account.

      • If authorizing via the smooch dashboard select the app created in Step 1

    • This is complete when you see the button in the Ultimate Dashboard changes to Unauthorize Sunshine Conversations

This only has to be done once if you have more than one Ultimate virtual agent.

You’re now connected and Ultimate is the default responder on the Switchboard.

Step 4: Test your virtual agent

Time to open up your Sunshine widget, talk to the bot, and see if all is working well! 

Not sure where the widget is? Here's the documentation from Sunshine on how to add it to your webpage. We strongly suggest speaking to your website developer or manager and sharing the document with them. 

If you have other channels, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Instagram, have a look at Sunshine Conversations' documentation on how to integrate with different channels. Once there, you can get the details on each of the channels via the side menu.  

Note - If you want to customize the virtual agent's avatar image, please provide an image meeting the following requirements to your CSM - we can then set this up for you.

  • png, jpg or gif
  • at least 128x128 in size
  • equal dimensions height and width (or Sunshine Conversations will stretch it to fit)

FAQ

How to Edit Integration Parameters post-setup

You may notice that when you try to edit an activated integration it is not possible to save the changes. This is a safety feature to ensure live integrations don't get changed by accident. 

It is possible to make changes though, but first, you need to turn off the automation toggle.

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Once this is turned off, the unauthorized Sunshine Conversations button will be clickable and this can then be deactivated. From here edits can be made and you repeat the process described above.

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Connecting via the Smooch Dashboard

Step 1: Create a new app in Sunshine Conversations

Login to Sunshine Conversations via https://app.smooch.io/login and create a new app. 

  • If you already have an app in Sunshine Conversations connected to your Zendesk instance, continue to Step 4.
  • If you use Zendesk but don't have an app in Sunshine Conversations already, continue to Step 2.
  • If you use other platforms other than Zendesk, skip Step 4 or contact us.

Step 2: Connect the Sunshine app to your Zendesk instance

This step is crucial for Ultimate to work and can only be done by Sunshine Conversations or Zendesk.

Ask your account manager at Sunshine Conversations or Zendesk to add your Zendesk account to the app created in Step 1 in Sunshine Conversations. If this is completed, you will see Zendesk listed as a connected integration once you clicked into the app in Sunshine Conversations. 

After these steps continue from step 3 as mentioned above

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