Microsoft Teams

Enable an AI chat interface within your Microsoft Teams workspace, allowing team members to interact with your ept AI chatbot directly in Teams channels and chats.

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Overview

The Microsoft Teams integration enables your ept AI chatbot to:

Provide AI chat functionality within Teams channels and chats
Respond to user queries using your configured knowledge base
Maintain conversation context within Teams threads
Offer 24/7 AI assistance to your team members

Important: This integration does not grant AI access to Teams' message history or internal knowledge. It only enables real-time AI chat conversations within Teams.

Prerequisites

Before setting up the Teams integration, ensure you have:

Microsoft 365 Account: Active Microsoft 365 subscription
Teams Admin Access: Ability to create and manage Teams apps
Azure App Registration: Access to Azure portal for app registration
ept AI Setup: Your ept AI chatbot configured and ready
Knowledge Base: Team documentation loaded into ept AI

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Register Azure Application

Create App Registration:
- Go to Azure Portal > App Registrations
- Click "New registration"
- Enter app name: "ept AI Teams Chat"
- Select supported account types
- Click "Register"
Configure API Permissions:
- Navigate to API Permissions
- Add the following permissions:
  - ChatMessage.Send - Send messages as the app
  - ChannelMessage.Read.All - Read channel messages
  - ChatMessage.Read.All - Read chat messages
  - User.Read.All - Read user information
Generate Client Secret:
- Navigate to Certificates & secrets
- Create new client secret
- Copy the secret value (you won't see it again)

Step 2: Create Teams App

Create Teams App Package:
- Use Teams Toolkit or create manifest manually
- Configure bot settings and permissions
- Package the app for deployment
Install in Teams:
- Upload app package to your Teams tenant
- Install in relevant teams and channels
- Configure bot permissions

Step 3: Create Teams Integration in ept AI

Access Integration Settings:
- Log into your ept AI dashboard
- Navigate to Configuration > Integrations
- Click "Create Integration"
- Select "Microsoft Teams" from the available integrations

Configure OAuth Connection:

Azure App ID: your-azure-app-id
Client Secret: your-client-secret
Tenant ID: your-tenant-id

Authorize Connection:
- Click "Connect to Teams"
- Complete the OAuth authorization flow
- Grant necessary permissions to ept AI

Step 4: Configure Teams Channel

Create Channel:
- Navigate to Configuration > Channels
- Click "Create Channel"
- Configure the channel:
  - Channel Name: "Teams AI Chat"
  - Channel Type: Select "Microsoft Teams"
  - Integration: Select the Teams integration you created
  - Knowledge Source Configuration: Choose your team knowledge base

Configure Channel Settings:

{
  "teams_channel_config": {
    "integration_id": "teams_integration_123",
    "knowledge_source": "team-ksc",
    "responseMode": "thread", // "thread" or "channel"
    "mentionRequired": true, // Only respond when mentioned
    "triggerWords": ["@ept-ai", "@assistant", "@help"],
    "allowedChannels": ["general", "help", "ai-chat"],
    "excludedChannels": ["private-stuff"],
    "maxResponseLength": 2000
  }
}

Use Cases

Team AI Assistant

Provide instant AI assistance to your team:

Answer questions about company policies and procedures
Share documentation and resources
Provide onboarding assistance for new team members
Help with common workflows and processes

Channel-Specific AI Chat

Enable AI chat in different channels for specific purposes:

#ai-chat: Dedicated channel for AI interactions
#help: AI assistance for technical support
#general: Company-wide AI assistance
Private Chats: Private AI conversations

Real-Time Support

Offer immediate AI support to team members:

Quick answers to common questions
Process guidance and workflow assistance
Resource sharing and documentation access
Training and onboarding support

Configuration Options

Response Modes

Configure how the AI responds in Teams:

{
  "response_modes": {
    "thread": {
      "description": "Respond in a thread to the original message",
      "benefits": "Keeps conversations organized, reduces channel noise",
      "useCase": "Detailed discussions and troubleshooting"
    },
    "channel": {
      "description": "Respond directly in the channel",
      "benefits": "Visible to all channel members, promotes collaboration",
      "useCase": "General announcements and shared information"
    }
  }
}

Trigger Configuration

Control when the AI responds:

{
  "trigger_config": {
    "mentionRequired": true,
    "triggerWords": ["@ept-ai", "@assistant", "@help"],
    "autoRespond": false,
    "allowedUsers": ["user1", "user2"],
    "excludedUsers": ["bot1", "bot2"]
  }
}

Channel Access Control

Manage which channels the AI can access:

{
  "channel_access": {
    "allowedChannels": ["general", "help", "ai-chat"],
    "excludedChannels": ["private-stuff", "confidential"],
    "publicChannelsOnly": true,
    "requireInvitation": false
  }
}

Example Usage

Channel Chat

User: @ept-ai What's our company's remote work policy?
AI: Our remote work policy allows flexible work arrangements. Employees can work remotely up to 3 days per week. You can find the complete policy in the employee handbook. Would you like me to help you with the request process?

Private Chat

User: Can you help me understand the new project management process?
AI: I'd be happy to help! The new project management process involves these phases: 1) Initiation, 2) Planning, 3) Execution, 4) Monitoring, 5) Closure. Which phase would you like to know more about?

Thread Conversation

User: @ept-ai How do I request time off?
AI: To request time off, follow these steps: 1) Log into the HR portal, 2) Click "Time Off Request", 3) Select your dates and type, 4) Submit for approval. Do you need help with any specific step?

Best Practices

Chat Management

Start with a dedicated #ai-chat channel for testing
Use clear trigger words like @ept-ai or @assistant
Set appropriate response modes for different channels
Monitor usage and gather feedback from team members

Response Quality

Train the AI on your team's specific terminology and processes
Include company-specific knowledge and documentation
Configure appropriate escalation paths for complex queries
Monitor and optimize response accuracy

Security and Privacy

Use Azure AD authentication for secure access
Respect Teams privacy settings and channel permissions
Don't access private channels without explicit permission
Follow Microsoft security guidelines and best practices

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Authentication Errors

Verify Azure app configuration and credentials
Check API permissions and scopes
Ensure app is properly registered in Azure
Test authentication outside of ept AI

Teams App Issues

Verify Teams app package is correctly configured
Check bot installation and permissions
Ensure app is properly deployed to Teams
Test with Teams' app testing tools

Response Problems

Check channel permissions and bot access
Verify mention requirements and trigger words
Test with simple messages first
Review Microsoft Graph API rate limits

Error Codes

Error Code	Description	Solution
401	Unauthorized	Check Azure credentials and permissions
403	Forbidden	Verify API permissions and scopes
404	Not Found	Check Teams app installation and channel access
429	Rate Limited	Implement rate limiting and retry logic

Support Resources

Monitoring & Analytics

Key Metrics

Chat Volume: Number of AI conversations per day/week
Response Time: Average time to respond to queries
User Engagement: Number of unique users interacting with AI
Channel Usage: Most active channels for AI interactions

Dashboard Views

Configure your ept AI dashboard to show:

Teams integration status
Recent chat activity
Response time analytics
User engagement metrics

Advanced Configuration

Custom Commands

Set up custom commands for specific functions:

{
  "custom_commands": {
    "/help": "Show available commands and features",
    "/docs": "Search and share documentation",
    "/process": "Explain specific processes",
    "/contact": "Get contact information for team members"
  }
}

Integration with Microsoft 365

Connect Teams AI chat with:

SharePoint for document access
OneDrive for file sharing
Outlook for calendar integration
Microsoft Graph for additional data

Next Steps

After setting up your Teams AI chat:

Test the Integration: Try different types of queries and responses
Monitor Performance: Track usage patterns and response quality
Gather Feedback: Collect team feedback to improve responses
Scale Gradually: Expand to additional channels based on usage

For additional support or custom Teams configurations, contact our integration team.

Overview​

Prerequisites​

Setup Instructions​

Step 1: Register Azure Application​

Step 2: Create Teams App​

Step 3: Create Teams Integration in ept AI​

Step 4: Configure Teams Channel​

Use Cases​

Team AI Assistant​

Channel-Specific AI Chat​

Real-Time Support​

Configuration Options​

Response Modes​

Trigger Configuration​

Channel Access Control​

Example Usage​

Channel Chat​

Private Chat​

Thread Conversation​

Best Practices​

Chat Management​

Response Quality​

Security and Privacy​

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Error Codes​

Support Resources​

Monitoring & Analytics​

Key Metrics​

Dashboard Views​

Advanced Configuration​

Custom Commands​

Integration with Microsoft 365​

Next Steps​