Configure asynchronous engagement and push messaging

Nuance Messaging platform utilizes the push messaging functionality provided by the Google Firebase iOS SDK to facilitate asynchronous (also referred to as "async") communications. Push messages are used to continue an asynchronous messaging conversation between an agent and a customer, where the two parties are not simultaneously connected and communication is intermittent.

Overview of asynchronous engagement

To turn on or continue async conversations, your application must set the isAsyncEngagement property in the engageParameters class to true.

In Nuance Messaging UI Framework, by default, when the SDK retrieves a transcript, it only receives the transcript from the last conversation from the server. To display all of the transcripts from all previous conversations, your application must set asyncMode property in the engageParameters class to all.

Persistent customer ID

In order for a customer to continue an async conversation across different channels, your application must provide the SDK with a persistent customer ID. The same ID (key and value) must be used across different channels to continue the conversation in those channels.

The function below lets you set a persistent customer ID, which must be set before a customer starts a conversation.

ProfileManager.getInstance().addUniqueCustomerID("email", andValue: "test@aaa.com")

Key:Pass the method persistent customer ID type
Value:Pass the method persistent customer ID for the given user

Push notifications

To enable push messages, your application should pass the device registration token using the SDK's Initialize method. However, there is an alternative, detailed below.

The function below lets you pass fcmToken outside of SDK Initialize method. FCM Token must be provide before user starts an engagement.

- (void)setFCMToken:(NSString *)fcmToken

Various notification scenarios

The following scenarios help explain when Nuance async platform sends push notifications:

The customer closes the messaging window
In an async engagement, the agent can still send new messages even after the customer closes the messaging window. These messages are delivered as a push message.
Followup conversation
When an agent marks the current on going conversation as a Follow-up, the agent can retrieve a follow up conversation from HTML AI dashboard and send a follow up message to the customer. This message is sent to the app as a push message.
Messaging session timeout
If a customer puts the app to the background during an ongoing conversation, Nuance Platform detects it as a lost connection. Nuance Platform waits until the timeout expires before it sends those messages as push messages.

Application handling Nuance push messages

Firebase notifications behave differently, depending on the foreground/background state of the receiving app. Refer to the Google Firebase guidelines for more information on how to handle push messages.

Upon receiveing a push message, your applicaiton should parse the data associated with the push message. Data sent along with the push message are agentGroupID, businessUnitID, and businessRuleId.

While constructing engageParameters for launchMessagingViewController, your application must override agentGroupID, businessUnitID, and businessRuleId with the values provided in the push message.

Async confiuration properties

Use the following properties in the MessagingViewProperties class to control the SDK's async capabilities.

Name	Type	Default value	Description
showAsyncAgentExit	bool	false	Sets whether an agent closed engagement message should be displayed.
showAsyncAgentResoved	bool	true	Sets whether an agent resolved conversation message should be displayed.
showAsyncHeader	bool	false	Sets the visibility of the async conversation header.

Use the following properties in the CustomerInformationMessages class to set various information messages.

Name	Type	Default value	Description
agentLeftConversation	string		This property overrides the default agent closed engagement message.
agentResolvedConversation	string		This property overrides the default agent resolved engagement message.

Use the following properties in the MessagingViewProperties class to style Async conversation UI.

Name	Type	Default value	Description
asyncHeaderBorderColor	UIColor	UIColor.black	Sets the header border color.
asyncHeaderBackgroundColor	UIColor	UIColor.green	Sets the header background color.
asyncHeaderBackgroundColor	UIColor	UIColor.green	Sets the header background color.
asyncHeaderBorderWidth	Int	0	Sets the header border width.
asyncHeaderCornerRadius	Int	0	Sets the header corder radius.
asyncHeaderLeftMargin	Int	2	Sets the header left margin.
asyncHeaderRigthMargin	Int	2	Sets the header right margin.
asyncHeaderTopMargin	Int	4	Sets the header top margin.
asyncHeaderBottomMargin	Int	5	Sets the header bottom margin.
asyncHeaderHeight	Int	15	Sets the header height.
asyncHeaderTextFontStyle	UIFont	UIFont(name: "Helvetica", size: 11.0)!	Sets the header font style.
displayQueuedMessagesInAsync	booleam	true	Configures the display of queued message when the engagement is async.

Agent message when minimized

Push notifications are not used when the customer has minimized the messaging window during an on-going conversation and the application is in the forground. Please refer to the section Handling Minimized State in the Nuance Messaging UI Framework.

Note: When the customer puts the application to the background while the chat is minimized, the Messaging Session timeout push notification scenario begins.