Product Update - February 2021

imiconnect v5.5.3 release brings in multiple new features and enhancements to make your platform experience more secure and richer. Here’s a list of the key updates:

• Support for WhatsApp Interactive Message Templates
• QnA and Task Bot nodes that allow you to access bots configured using bot builder within visual flow builder making it easier to configure bots
• Various enhancements for RCS business messaging, Apple Business Chat, Email, SMS, and other channels
• Ability to lock logbooks to avoid changes in logbooks schema, and unintended logbooks access or deletion
• Custom reports builder to build your own reports using logbooks data
• Conditional triggering for incoming SMS messages in Flow Start Node
• Support for SMS templates in visual flow builder
• Audit trail for platform usage
• Email composer updates

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Release Date

The date of release will be communicated separately over an email.

Support for WhatsApp Interactive Message Templates

We’re happy to announce that we are adding support for WhatsApp interactive messages (i.e. template messages with Call-to-Action or Quick Reply buttons) across Messaging API v1, WhatsApp Send Node, Receive Node, and Templates section. Interactive message templates need to be configured and submitted for approval to WhatsApp from the Templates section in imiconnect platform. One approved by WhatsApp these templates can be used to send messages either using messaging APIs or using the 'Template' message type option in WhatsApp send node.

Please refer to the documentation for more information on how to use this feature.

QnA Bot and Task Bot Nodes

Another exciting feature that we are introducing (in Beta) in this release includes the addition of two new nodes – QnA bot and Task bot – that allow users to leverage within flows the QnA (i.e., bots for frequently asked questions) and Task bots (i.e. bots that can handle customer requests and fulfillment tasks) that they have configured using our bot builder. Refer to the documentation for more information on how you can use this feature.

This is an add-on feature available only to clients who have access to both the imiconnect platform and the imiconnect bot builder. Please get in touch with your account manager if you would like to avail this feature.

CarrierID field in RCS Capability Lookup Node

If you already know the carrier/telecom operator details for the customers you want to send RCS messages to, you can now optionally choose to pass the carrierId field in the RCS Capability Lookup node. Providing the carrierId detail can help you improve the throughput of your RCS flows. This is an optional field and will have no effect on your existing RCS flows.

Force Refresh RCS Capability Check

Our RCS gateway caches the RCS capabilities of recipient numbers to maintain high throughput for the lookup process. You can choose to enable/disable this caching feature by setting Force Refresh to true or false. If caching is disabled, the processing of your requests may take longer which is not recommended for high throughput communications.

Ability to specify media file size when sending RCS messages

Some RCS platforms require media file size to be specified when sending RCS messages. We now support the ability to specify media size in messaging API, flows, rules, and templates. The file size detail needs to be provided in ‘byte(s)’. Please refer to the documentation for more details.

Flow Templates for additional use cases

We’ve added a few more flow templates to help you build flows for use cases such as parcel alerts and WhatsApp conversations. The start node configuration for these templates needs to be done as per the guidelines in the documentation.

Support for new functions in Evaluate Node

We have added the following three libraries to support some additional functions within Evaluate node. These libraries can be imported using ‘includeJs(LibraryName)’ tag within Evaluate node.

Please refer to the documentation for more information.

Dynamic Date and Time configuration in Apple Business Chat Node

We’ve added support for the dynamic ‘START DATE’ and ‘TIMEZONE’ configuration option for Date Picker Message type within the ‘Apple Business Chat’ node. You can select the ‘Dynamic’ option in ‘SELECT TIMEZONE’ dropdown and configure the variable name that contains the timezone details. Please refer to the documentation for details of the accepted format for passing timezone details.

Logbook Locking

We have added the option to lock logbooks to allow the creator of the logbook and the tenant owner to prevent unintended editing of logbook schema, and/or viewing, download, and deletion of the logbook by other users. Once a logbook has been locked (a lock icon represents that the logbook is locked), only the creator of the logbook and the tenant owner is allowed to make any changes to its schema, and/or view, download, and delete logbook data/logs. However, the locked logbooks are available for use within flows (i.e., adding data to logbooks) for all platform users.

Ability to build your own reports using logbooks data

We’re happy to announce the Beta launch of a custom reports builder that allows platform users with requisite permissions to build their own reports using logbooks data. This requires ‘BI Reporting for Logbooks’ option to be enabled within Logbooks for making the relevant data available for reporting purposes. This feature is currently in Beta and the process of enabling this feature for a new/updated logbook involves some data configuration to be done by the professional services team before you can start creating the reports.

This is an add-on feature that needs to be enabled at a tenant level and at a user level before you can start using it. Please reach out to your account manager if you would like to avail this feature.

Once this feature has been enabled, custom reports configured or updated by an imiconnect user with editing permissions will be reflected for all the users who have view/edit access to these reports.

"Timezone selection” in the rotation policy of logbooks

In this release, we are adding the ability to select the time zone in the rotation policy section of the logbook configuration. The logbook files are generated as per the cycle duration, time in hours of the selected time zone.

The timezone for the previously configured logbooks will continue to be UTC by default. However, you can change the timezone from the logbook configuration section, if needed.

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Important!

File names will continue to have a UTC timezone even when you select any other timezone. This has been done to avoid any impact on existing configurations.

Ability to trigger the same flow for incoming calls on more than one phone number

In this release, we are introducing the ability to trigger the same flow for incoming calls on more than one phone number by using a routing number option. The mapping of the routing number with the phone numbers that are expected to be dialed by the callers needs to be configured as a one-time activity before you can use this feature. Please refer to the docs for more information.

Audit Trail for Platform Usage

In this release, we are introducing “user audit trail” feature. This allows the tenant owner to view the actions performed by all the users across groups and teams in the last 30 days. You can specify the date/time range, user role, and user actions filters to view audit logs as per your requirements.

This feature needs to be enabled before you can start seeing the details. Please reach out to your account manager if you would like to enable this feature for your tenant.

Notify URL and Callback Data Config for Call User Node

With this release, you will be able to optionally configure a Nofity URL and Callback Data within the Call User node to receive notifications about every call status. We will send all notifications for call status including Offered, Accepted, Answered, Dropped, Rejected, Released, Disconnected, Trombone connect, and Trombone release.

Reports for Answering Machine Detection

We have updated the reports for the voice channel to show the counts of calls answered by answering machines and by humans. These changes are relevant only to the client tenants that have the AMD option enabled and are using it. Currently, this feature is not supported in some of the regions.

Support for SMS Templates in Flows Builder

SMS templates configured using ‘Tools->Templates’ section can now be used within Send SMS node. This allows you to configure the message template once and use it within multiple Send Nodes across flows. We also offer the option to configure variables within SMS templates. Please refer to the imiconnect documentation to know more details about this feature.

Support for uploading various file types in Media Manager

We now allow you to upload various new file types within the media manager such as images (jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, webm), videos (avi, mov, mkv, mp4), gifs, audio (.aac,.mp3,.wav), and docs (pdf). This list is representative. Please refer to the documentation for the updated list of file type formats.

Enhanced support for OAuth 2.0 in custom integration node

With this release, we have added support for OAuth 2.0 using grant type as ‘authorization code’ and client authentication type as ‘Basic auth in header’ in custom integration node.

Ability to reserve keywords at a number level and configure actions to be triggered on receiving SMS with that keyword

We have added the option to reserve keywords such as STOP, INFO, etc. at a number level from Assets->Numbers section and configure the URL to be called when you receive an SMS with the reserved keyword. Once you add a keyword as a reserve keyword, you can no longer use that keyword as the trigger for a Rule or a Flow within imiconnect.

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Important!

When a reserved keyword is received as the SMS message, even if you are having a conversation with a customer using a flow, only the URL configured against the reserved keyword will be called, and the flow won’t receive this message. Please refer to the documentation for more information.

Support for sending thumbnail URIs for media content in RCS Business Messaging

Messaging API v2 and RCS Message Node now support sending Thumbnail URls for media content used in file, rich card, and carousel message types. Although these are not mandatory, some service providers require them to display the message correctly on the end-user client.

RCS Carrier and Service Provider Information in Usage Reports

RCS carrier and service provider information will be displayed in monthly usage reports. These will help reconcile the usage of RCS taking into account the different methods of billing used across operators.

Support for Transferring DTMF Key Press Details after the Call Patch

We’ve added the option to:
• transfer keys pressed after the call-patch by A-party to B-party or
• transfer keys pressed after the call-patch by A-party to B-party as well as keys pressed by B-Party to A-Party

If the announcement loop option for playing a message to B-Party is enabled, these key presses will be transferred only after the loop has been exited. Please refer to the docs for more information.

Observations are, we support only Party-A to Party-B DTMF transfer and Both, but not and/or vice versa.

Support for SMS extra params in Messaging API v2

We’ve added the option to pass extra parameters for SMS channel within Messaging API v2. This is similar to the ability to send extra parameters with Send SMS node. Please refer to the documentation to know more about how you can use this feature.

TPS Control for Event Scheduler

We now support the ability to configure the transaction per second (TPS) limit for various messaging/event API invocation schedules configured through the event scheduler. This feature needs to be enabled by sending a request to your account manager. Alternatively, you can reach out to the support team. The TPS limit can be configured between 1 to 20 at a schedule level. Overall, this is subject to a maximum of the messaging API and event API TPS limits of your imiconnect account.

Configure Notification Settings for Event Scheduler

In the last release, we added support for various types of error notification emails within the event scheduler. With this release, you can select the notification categories you would like to receive an alert for. The notification selection can be done while configuring a new schedule.

Email Send Node Enhancements

We’ve added the following options to the Email send node:

Ability to configure URLs for sending various file types as email attachments (refer to the documentation for attachment size limits, and details of supported attachment types)
Ability to configure fallback text to be rendered instead of HTML emails for scenarios where the email client may not accept HTML emails. This improves the overall deliverability of emails.

Click tracking feature to track any customer clicks on the links embedded within email body. These click receipts can be sent to your application in real-time by configuring outbound webhooks.
This feature is currently in beta.

Character Limit for Email Subject Line

We’ve revised the character limit for Email Subject Lines in email templates to 998 characters. While the limit has been revised, we recommend you keep the subject lines length as per the email best practices.

Configuration Limit for Apple Business Chat List Picker

We earlier had an upper limit of 10 for configuring options for Apple Business Chat List Picker Template. This limit has now been removed for addressing some edge cases. We recommend you to follow the Apple Business Chat best practices and guidelines for ensuring a good customer experience.

Integration with Cisco ECE v12.5

We have updated the Cisco Enterprise Chat and Email (ECE) integration to support integration with Cisco ECE v12.5. Please refer to the docs for more information.

Email Composer

We’re happy to announce that we’ve updated the email composer as part of this release. The new version gives access to many new features such as:

• Ability to add custom CSS
• Support for Gmail Annotation
• Copy option for conditional block
• Subscript, superscript, and strike-through in TinyMCE palate
• Flexi blocks for improved drag and drop email configuration experience.

Alongside these changes, some of the blocks are being deprecated, such as:
All blocks under image accordion

• All blocks under Image & Text accordion
• Text block and Button block under Text & Button accordion
• Social-Follow block under ‘Other’ accordion.

Please refer to the docs for more information.

Support for multiple service keys and JWT tokens to enable rotation

We’ve added the option to create a second service key and/or JWT authentication credentials for each service in addition to the one in use to make it easy for you to change authentication credentials on a regular schedule as per the security best practices.

Please refer to the documentation for more information on how you can rotate service keys/JWT credentials using this feature.

Conditional triggering for incoming SMS messages in Flow Start Node

We have added the option to conditionally trigger a flow on receiving an incoming message (on a given short/long code) in case one or more live sessions are already waiting to receive a message with a matching keyword for the same MSISDN (i.e. customer’s number).

This allows you to stop triggering a new flow when an existing flow is waiting to receive a message from a customer on a given short/long code already.

If you’re using this feature, you need to analyze the impact of conditional triggering in various flows within a service in combination. Please refer to the documentation for information on best practices for using the feature.

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Important!

Introduction of this feature in the platform doesn’t change the functioning of your previously configured flows. However, if you configure some new flows and use this feature, it may impact the functioning of existing flows (in case the concerned flows use the same number for SMS messages) based on your configurations.

Usage Reports

Usage Reports for Logbooks

We have added logbook usage detail in the monthly usage reports. You can view the details of the number of logbook files generated, file sizes, and the number of records at a logbook level under ‘Logbooks Usage’ section. For tenants that have BI reporting enabled, usage details of logbooks with BI reporting enabled is shown separately. Logbooks usage detail is also added to the “Usage XLS” file in a separate tab.

Usage reports for Answering Machine Detection

We have added Answering Machine Detection usage stats in the monthly usage report to show the number of calls that have used the answering machine detection feature. AMD usage details are also available in the Itemised billing report at an individual call level.

Usage reports for RCS sessions

You can now view the count of RCS messaging sessions in the usage report on a monthly basis. The session length is set to 600 seconds. Please reach out to the support team in case you want to use this feature because this feature needs to be enabled on request for specific tenants and is not available by default.

Apart from this ‘Usage XLS’ file will now have RCS Carrier and Service Provider details as well.

Refer to the docs for more.

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Important!

Some of the usage details will be shown from the date of product release hence the data may be partially available for the month of product release.

Push and In-app related changes

SDK Updates

We’re releasing the following SDKs as part of the imiconnect v5.5.3 release:

• Android SDK v2.14.2
• iOS SDK v2.14.3
• Cordova SDK v2.2.2
• Android UI SDK v1.2.2
• iOS UI SDK v1.2.2.

Here’s a list of changes we have made since the last update.

Support for Android 11

We’ve updated our Android SDKs to support compatibility with Android 11. You will need to use
imiconnect Android SDK v2.14.2 and Android UI SDK v1.2.2 onwards to leverage Android 11 features.

Support for iOS 14

We’ve updated our iOS SDKs to ensure compatibility with iOS 14. You will need to use
imiconnect iOS SDK v2.14.3 and iOS UI SDK v1.2.2 onwards to leverage iOS 14 features.

Support for method swizzling in iOS SDK

Additionally, we’ve added the capability to support method swizzling for ‘app delegate’ and ‘notification centre delegates’ in the iOS SDK. Method swizzling is the ability to change the functionality of an existing selector/method at runtime.

Option to defer SDK initialization

imiconnect Android SDK, iOS SDK, and Cordova SDK now offer the option to defer SDK initialization. This can help app developers to optimize the app start-up time.

Option to initialize Android SDK asynchronously

We now support asynchronous initialization of Android SDK.

Support for Configuring Hint Message for Inline Reply in Push Notifications

We now offer the ability to configure a Hint Message for inline reply in push notifications on Android and Cordova.

Enforcing single device registration per customer for mobile and web apps using imiconnect SDKs

Starting this release, we’re adding the option to enforce the ability to restrict a customer to register for your mobile or web apps on one device only at any point in time. This feature can be enabled at an app asset level from mobile/web app asset configuration screen.

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Important!

The ability to enforce single device registration is not enabled by default. Please reach out to the support team if you’d like to use this feature.

Additional Notes

We will be phasing out the voice flow builder (the separate flow builder for voice flows) as part of the next release of imiconnect because we have added support for the voice channel within the main flow builder. The new voice nodes need to be enabled by sending an email to operations teams. We recommend you to not build any new voice flow using the old voice flow builder as you would be required to migrate your flows after this change. Please reach out to the support team if you need any additional information about it.

• You can now see the detail of the imiconnect product version you are on by clicking the ‘>>’ symbol at the left bottom corner of the navigation bar.
• We have removed User-Agent information from the outbound webhook header
• Keeping in view the restrictions around WeChat usage in certain geographies, you will now see a warning in the Send node for WeChat that ‘WeChat usage is subject to regulatory guidelines.’ Also, the app asset configuration for the WeChat channel may no longer be available on your tenant by default.
• We’ve introduced a new error code for the Email channel i.e. 7536 – Exception while parsing the email template, unable to fetch template content.

Change Log