BoldDesk’s Telegram integration lets you connect a Telegram bot as a chat support channel so customers can reach your team directly from Telegram while agents respond from BoldDesk. In this article, you’ll learn what the integration supports, what you need before you begin (including a bot auth token), and how to add and configure a Telegram account—covering chat behavior (reopen rules, auto‑tagging, AI Agent) and automated messages (welcome, offline, and closure).

Check out this video tutorial for more details.

Key features of BoldDesk’s Telegram integration

• Direct communication: Chat with customers directly on Telegram for fast and easy interactions.
• Real-time engagement: Instantly respond to customer queries, chats, and feedback for a smooth support experience.
• Rich multimedia support: Share messages, images, videos, documents, and other multimedia files effortlessly to keep the communication clear and engaging.
• Group-based assignment: Automatically assign chats to a group or team when users reach out via Telegram.
• Multichannel support: Configure multiple Telegram accounts that can be configured for your helpdesk Telegram integration.

Telegram bots

Telegram bots are unique accounts that allow you to set up a help desk channel without needing an additional business phone number. They streamline customer support, automate responses, and integrate seamlessly with various services, enhancing efficiency and user experience.

Requirements

To set up Telegram integration with BoldDesk, you will need:

• A Telegram account
• A Telegram Bot API token to enable communication between BoldDesk and your Telegram bot. Explore more on How to get a bot auth token.

Connect and manage Telegram accounts with BoldDesk

The following are steps on how to configure Telegram to BoldDesk:

1. Sign in to BoldDesk.

2. Navigate to Admin > Chat > Telegram, then select the Install button to integrate Telegram with BoldDesk if it has not yet been installed.

3. Click Manage to manage Telegram accounts.

   

4. Click Add Account.

   

5. Fill in the required fields:

   • Name: Enter a friendly account name (e.g., your support bot name).

   • Bot Auth Token: Paste your Telegram bot authentication token.

     • Use the How to get a bot auth token? link if needed.

   • Brand: Select the brand from the dropdown.

   • Click Verify & Continue.

     

6. In the Chat tab, configure the following options as needed:

   • Reopen Conversation: Toggle Reopen Conversation to allow messages from the same user (within the configured interval after a conversation is resolved) to reopen the existing chat instead of starting a new one.
   • Auto-tag Conversations: In Auto-tag Conversations, select one or more tags to apply automatically to Telegram conversations.
   • AI Agent: Toggle AI Agent to allow an AI assistant to automatically manage customer inquiries using information from a content source.
   • Click Next.

7. In the Message tab, configure any of the following:

   • Welcome Message: Enable Welcome Message to send an automated reply when customers start a conversation.

   • Offline Message: Enable Offline Message to send an automated message when customers start conversations while you’re offline.

   • Conversation Closure Message: Enable Conversation Closure Message to automatically send a message when a conversation ends.

   • Click Save.

     

How to Route Telegram Conversations to a Group in BoldDesk

In BoldDesk Telegram integration, some older accounts may still display a Group selection in the Telegram account configuration because the account was configured before this option was deprecated. For new Telegram account configurations, this Group option is not shown.

If an existing account still shows the Group option, removing the configured value may prevent you from selecting a group again from the Telegram account configuration.

To route Telegram conversations to a group after this deprecation, use a Chat Workflow:

1. Go to Admin → Chat → Chat Automation → Workflows.

2. Under Conversation Created, click Add Workflow, then select Create from scratch.

3. In the Create New Workflow dialog:

   • Confirm Trigger Type is set to Conversation Created.
   • Enter a Workflow Name.
   • Select the required Brand.
   • Select the required Source as Telegram.
   • (Optional) Add entry conditions using Add a new condition.
   • Click Next to open the workflow designer.

4. In the Workflow Designer, add an assignment step:

   • Add the Set Assignee action block.
   • In Set Assignee, select the target Group Name.
   • Leave Agent Name empty if you want the conversation assigned to the group.

5. Confirm the workflow ends with End Current Workflow.

6. Click Publish & Activate to make the workflow live.

   

BoldDesk supports Telegram conversations only through direct messages sent to your Telegram bot. Telegram group chats are not integrated.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use my personal Telegram account instead of a bot?
   No. BoldDesk requires a Telegram bot for integration. Personal accounts cannot be connected. Bots provide secure API access and allow automation features that personal accounts do not support.

2. Will BoldDesk sync Telegram group messages?
   No. BoldDesk only supports direct messages sent to your Telegram bot. Group chats are not integrated for privacy and security reasons.

3. What happens if a customer replies after a conversation is closed?
   If the Reopen Conversation option is enabled, customers can reopen resolved conversations within the configured interval. Otherwise, a new conversation will be created.

4. Can multiple Telegram accounts be configured in BoldDesk?
   Yes. BoldDesk supports multiple Telegram accounts, each configured separately.

5. Do Telegram conversations create tickets in BoldDesk?
   No. Telegram operates as a Chat channel, not a ticket channel.

6. Is AI Agent mandatory for Telegram accounts?
   No. AI Agent Assistant is optional and can be enabled or disabled per account.

7. How do I enable the “Business Hours” dropdown for my Telegram account?
   In the Telegram account Chat settings, the Business Hours field appears only after you turn ON the AI Agent toggle.

Related Articles

1. Managing Telegram Accounts in BoldDesk
2. How to Link Brands and Groups to a Telegram Account in BoldDesk