How to Configure the Message Command Bot Block

The Message Command bot block recognizes preset commands that, when sent to MS Teams or Slack, return specific information on demand. If you have specific business needs that are not currently addressed by our preset commands, you can create custom commands in this bot block. 

This page discusses how to configure the Message Command block and modify it to create new, business-specific commands. 

What's in this article 

Background Information

Message Command is a trigger-type bot block that recognizes the commands you send to MSPbots on Teams or Slack and returns the required information. MSPbots has a preset list of commands for some bot types, but if you have requirements that are not covered by these, you can set your own commands and configure the Message Command bot block to recognize these custom commands any time you want to use them. 

For example, by setting the Message Command block to in and appending the Attendance-in and Alert blocks, MSPbots can identify the in command you input, automatically store your check-in record in the database, and respond accordingly. 

Recommended revision–something like: For example, if you want to get the tickets for triage on demand and without having to rely on scheduled notifications, you can add the command triage to the commands list so that every time you type triage, MS Teams will return the tickets for triage at the time you sent the command. 

Note: Only MS Teams can accommodate the addition of new commands. Right now, Slack recognizes the commands nt and help only, but will soon allow adding new commands in the new feature releases. 

Relevant applications and user types 

This information applies to MS Teams, Slack, Attendance Manager, NextTicket Manager, and Utilizations apps. Only users with admin permissions can create bot blocks and configure the Message Command block. If you do not have the required permission, contact your administrator for help.

Recommended revised (main) sections below: 

How to configure the Message Command bot block to apply preset commands 

Steps here

How to add a new command to the Message Command bot block configuration 

Steps here

Main Section

1. Log in to the MSPbots app using your Office 365 account. 
2. Navigate to Bots on the left menu then click the New Bot button on the Bots screen.
   
   You can also start creating a bot from a widget on your dashboard. Click the ellipsis button and select Create Bot.
   
3. When the Create a new bot window appears, click on Start From Blank > Message Command.
   
4. Fill in the required fields for creating a bot. 
   
   1. Enter a name in the Bot Name field.
   2. Identify the Role that will have access to the bot.
   3. Add a clear Description of the bot. (Recommended)
   4. Then click the Continute button to open the tab with the details and settings for your new bot.
      
5. Click Design to enter the Message Command pop-up window.
   

   Using the in command as an example, please refer to the other types of message command bots at: How to Configure the Message Command Bot Block.

   
   
   • Message Tool - If you want to trigger the bot by sending commands in Teams, please select teams. And if you want to use Slack, please select slack.
     
     
   • Command - Select the command you want MSPbots to recognize, or enter a custom command. For example, if you want to trigger the attendance bot using the check-in command instead of the in command, you can enter check-in here.
     
     • Please type commands in lowercase.
     • Currently, custom commands are only supported in Teams and not yet available in Slack.
     • In Slack, only the nt command and the help command are currently supported.
     
     
6. Click Finish button.
7. Click on the Message Command block, then click on the  under the block, and finally select Add a Block.
   
8. Click on the generated blank block, and enter Attendance-in into the search bar, and then click on Attendance-in to add the block.
   
9. Click on the Attendance-in block, then click on the  under the block, and finally select Add a Block.
   
10. Click on the generated blank block and enter Alert into the search bar, and then click on Alert to add the block.
    
11. Click the in the upper-right corner of the Message Command block, and then click Edit to make your settings.
    
12. Click Next to configure the Attendance-in block.
    
13. Please customize MSPbots' responses for each of the following scenarios in the Attendance-in pop-up window.
    
    • Clock in - Success
    • Clock in time is outside working hours -or- Clock in time is incorrect
    • Clock in update - Success
    • Wrong command
    • Clock in is done by an invalid account
      
14. Click Next to proceed to the Alert configuration page. Follow the prompts on the page to configure the Alert block according to your preferences.
    
    
15. Click Finish.
16. Click Save in the upper right corner to save your settings.
    
17. As shown in the figure below, when "in" is entered in MSPbots, it will be recognized and responded with the corresponding answer.
    

    Teams Command Template Bots 

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    Order	Template Bots	Message Command	Corresponding Block	Need for Alert Block	Description
    1	TeamsCommand help	hi	Command-Help	Yes	Bot that recognizes "hi" command to return answers related to help information.
    2	TeamsCommand help	hello	Command-Help	Yes	Bot that recognizes "hello" command to return answers related to help information.
    3	TeamsCommand help	help	Command-help	Yes	Bot that recognizes "help" command to return answers related to help information.
    4	TeamsCommand in	in	Attendance-in	Yes	Bot that recognizes "in" command for attendance check-in.
    5	TeamsCommand out	out	Attendance-out	Yes	Bot that recognizes "out" command for attendance get off work.
    6	TeamsCommand break	break	Attendance-break	Yes	Bot that recognizes "break" command for attendance interrupt work.
    7	TeamsCommand lunch	lunch	Attendance-lunch	Yes	Bot that recognizes "lunch" command for attendance  lunchtime.
    8	TeamsCommand onsite	onsite	Attendance-onsite	Yes	Bot that recognizes "onsite" command for attendance check-in.
    9	TeamsCommand back	back	Attendance-back	Yes	Bot that recognizes "back" command for attendance back to work.
    10	TeamsCommand pto	pto	Attendance-pto	Yes	Bot that recognizes "pto" command to handle related leave operations.
    11	TeamsCommand_wfh	wfh	Attendance-wfh	Yes	Bot that recognizes "wfh" command for attendance check-in.
    12	Tech Stats Reviewer	stats\qa	Utilization-stats	Yes	Bot that reports the total working hours, utilization rate, overlapping time entries, ongoing work orders, and pending tasks to the user before the end of each workday.
    13	TeamsCommand nt	nt	NT command message formatting	Yes	When entering the "nt" command, the bot returns data in a custom format.
    14	TeamsCommand reject	reject	Teams Command-reject	No	Bot that recognizes "reject" command to skip the current ticket, which needs to be used in conjunction with the "nt"command.
    15	TeamsCommand unknown	unknown	Teams Command-ChatGPT	Yes	Bot that returns answers from chatGPT. Please connect to the OpenAI integration before using this bot.