Definition

The Post Message in a Chat or a Channel action allows you to send messages directly to a Microsoft Teams chat or a channel from within your Zenphi automation flow. This action supports multiple message formats, including plain text, rich text, and HTML, enabling you to customize the content for different audiences. Its key capabilities include targeting specific chats or channels, formatting messages, and providing a direct link to the posted message for reference or further automation.

Example Use Cases

Team Announcements Automatically post company-wide or team-specific announcements in a designated channel whenever a new update is available.
Project Status Updates Send automated project progress messages to project-specific channels or group chats to keep stakeholders informed in real-time.
Task Completion Notifications Notify team members in a chat or channel when a task is completed in another system (e.g., SharePoint, Jira, Asana).
Approval Requests Send formatted approval requests to a manager or team chat with rich text or HTML for clarity and actionable buttons.
Event Reminders Automatically post reminders for upcoming meetings, deadlines, or events to relevant channels or individual chats.
Error or Alert Notifications Send automated alerts to a specific chat or channel when a process fails or requires immediate attention.

Inputs

Connection Establishes the link between Zenphi and your Microsoft Teams account. This allows the action to post messages on behalf of the authenticated user. Make sure the connection has permission to send messages in the target chat or channel.
Post in Determines whether the message will be sent in a Chat or a Channel. Depending on this choice, additional fields appear:
- If “Channel” is selected:
  - Team ID – Select the team where the message should be posted. Once connected, all available teams are listed. You can also enter the Team ID directly, either as a static value (hardcoded) or dynamically using the token picker (chain icon) from a previous action.
  - Channel ID – Select the specific channel within the team. Channels are listed after connecting, or you can provide the Channel ID directly via static input or token picker.
- If “Chat” is selected:
  - Chat ID – Select the chat where the message will be posted. After connection, available chats are shown, or you can provide the Chat ID directly (hardcoded or token picker).
Message Format Choose how the message content will appear in Teams. Options include:
- Rich Text – Supports bold, italic, links, and basic formatting.
- HTML – Allows advanced formatting using HTML tags.
- Plain Text – Sends the message as unformatted text.
Message The content to be sent in the chat or channel. You can:
- Enter the text manually.
- Use the token picker (chain icon) to dynamically pull content from previous actions in the flow, such as project updates, form submissions, or notifications.

Outputs

Message ID The unique identifier of the message that was posted. Each message has a distinct ID within its chat or channel. Note that IDs are unique only within the context of the chat, channel, or reply-to-message, and may be duplicated across other chats or channels. Use this ID for tracking, referencing, or updating the message later.
Team ID The unique identifier of the team where the message was posted. This is returned only if the message was sent in a channel. It can be used in subsequent actions to reference the same team or to perform further automation related to that team.
Channel ID The unique identifier of the channel where the message was posted. This field is returned only if the message was sent in a channel, and is useful for tracking, replying to messages, or posting follow-ups programmatically.
Web URL A direct hyperlink to the posted message in Microsoft Teams. This allows users to quickly navigate to the exact message in Teams, useful for notifications, dashboards, or sending links in other applications.

Example Situation

Suppose you want to notify your team immediately whenever a client sends an important email. You can use an Email Arrival trigger in Zenphi to automate this.

Setup:

Trigger: Choose the Email Arrival trigger for your company inbox (e.g., [email protected]).
- Optionally, add a filter for specific subjects or senders, like “New Client Request.”
Action: Add the “Post Message in a Chat or a Channel” action:
- Post in: Channel
- Team ID & Channel ID: Select the team and channel where the notification should appear.
- Message Format: Rich Text (so you can include links, bold text, etc.)
- Message: Use tokens from the email trigger to dynamically include content:
  
  "New client request received from [Sender Name]. Subject: [Email Subject]. Check the full email here."
Run: When the trigger detects a new email matching the criteria, the flow automatically posts a message in the selected Microsoft Teams channel.

Benefit: Your team is instantly notified of incoming client emails without manually checking the inbox, ensuring quick responses and efficient workflow.

Best Practices

Confirm Message Destination
- Verify whether the message should go to a chat or a channel to avoid sending it to the wrong recipients.
- For channels, double-check the Team ID and Channel ID before posting.
Use Dynamic Content Carefully
- Leverage token pickers to dynamically populate message content (e.g., task names, URLs, or user names).
- Avoid hardcoding sensitive or frequently changing information to maintain flexibility and security.
Select the Appropriate Message Format
- Rich Text: Ideal for highlighting content with bold, italics, bullets, or links.
- HTML: Suitable for advanced formatting and embedding links.
- Plain Text: Best for simple messages to ensure compatibility across all devices.
Batch and Throttle Messages
- When sending multiple messages in loops or bulk operations, consider adding delays or batching to prevent throttling errors in Microsoft Teams.
Check Permissions and Access
- Ensure all recipients (chat members or channel members) have access to view the content.
- For private channels or one-on-one chats, confirm that membership is correct to prevent delivery failures.
Monitor and Log Message Outputs
- Capture Message ID, Team ID, Channel ID, and Web URL for auditing, tracking, or referencing messages in subsequent flow steps.
Keep Messages Clear and Concise
- Limit message length for readability and to reduce rendering issues.
- Avoid excessive formatting that may not display consistently across all Teams clients.
Use Conditional Posting for Targeted Messaging
- Add conditions to send messages only for specific events, priorities, or criteria to prevent unnecessary notifications.