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Unlocking Microsoft Teams Extensibility with Messaging Extensions - Action-based Extensions

— Code, Teams — 5 min read

Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration platform that offers a variety of extensibility options for developers. One of the key ways to extend Microsoft Teams functionality is through Messaging Extensions. These extensions enable users to interact with external services and systems directly from within Teams, helping to streamline workflows and enhance productivity. In this post, we will focus specifically on Action-based Extensions and explore how developers can create them to automate tasks, initiate actions, and integrate with third-party services.

What are Action-based Extensions?

Action-based Extensions are a type of Messaging Extension that allows users to trigger specific actions or workflows directly from the Teams message compose area. Unlike Search-based Extensions, which retrieve and display data, Action-based Extensions enable users to interact with third-party applications by taking actions such as creating, updating, or deleting records, sending information to an external service, or starting a workflow.

These actions can be triggered in various contexts within Teams, such as through a menu, buttons, or commands. The goal of Action-based Extensions is to automate tasks and integrate external systems seamlessly within the Teams environment.

How Do Action-based Extensions Work?

Action-based Extensions consist of the following components:

  1. Triggering Action: Users can initiate an action by selecting an item in the Teams chat interface, such as clicking a button or choosing an option from a contextual menu. Alternatively, an action could be triggered by typing a command or keyword into the message compose area.

  2. External Interaction: Once the action is triggered, the extension communicates with an external service or API to perform the requested action. This could involve creating or updating records in a database, sending data to an API, or initiating a workflow.

  3. Response and Feedback: After the action is completed, the extension provides feedback to the user, such as confirming the action was successful, displaying the results, or updating the Teams interface.

For example, a task management Action-based Extension could allow a user to create a new task directly from a chat, which would automatically be added to a task management system like Jira or Microsoft Planner.

Requirements for Creating Action-based Extensions

To create an Action-based Extension, developers need to follow similar steps as with other Messaging Extensions, but with additional configuration for actions and workflows:

  1. Teams Toolkit: Teams Toolkit is the primary tool for building Teams apps, including messaging extensions. It provides templates, debugging support, and tools to help you implement action-based extensions quickly.

  2. API Backend: Action-based Extensions typically require an API or service that performs the requested action. This could be a custom backend, third-party service, or even a Microsoft service like Microsoft Graph. The backend needs to be set up to handle the incoming requests from Teams.

  3. Teams App Registration: The extension must be registered within the Teams environment to be used in a specific tenant. This involves registering your app in the Azure portal, setting up authentication credentials, and configuring your API access.

  4. Manifest and Action Configuration: In the Teams app manifest, you'll need to define the action options that will be available to users. This includes specifying the commands, actions, and any additional parameters or inputs that the user needs to provide.

Use Cases for Action-based Extensions

Action-based Extensions open the door to a variety of use cases that can automate tasks and integrate external services directly into Teams. Here are some examples:

  1. Task Creation and Management: Users can create, update, or complete tasks from within the Teams chat by interacting with a task management system. For example, users can trigger an action to add a new task to a project management tool like Trello, Asana, or Microsoft Planner without leaving Teams.

  2. CRM Integration: Sales or customer service teams can use Action-based Extensions to create new customer records, log interactions, or update information in CRM platforms like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics 365, directly from a Teams message.

  3. Help Desk Support: A support extension could allow users to submit service requests, log tickets, or escalate issues by triggering actions in a ticketing system like ServiceNow or Zendesk, all within the Teams interface.

  4. E-commerce: Sales and support teams could use Action-based Extensions to process orders, check product availability, or send orders to a fulfillment system directly from a Teams conversation, streamlining the e-commerce workflow.

  5. Workflow Automation: Action-based Extensions can trigger workflows in tools like Power Automate, Zapier, or custom business process automation tools. For example, a user could initiate a process that involves sending emails, creating documents, or executing a series of tasks across various applications.

Best Practices for Action-based Extensions

When developing Action-based Extensions for Teams, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:

  1. Simplicity and Clarity: Ensure that the actions you provide are intuitive and easy to understand. Avoid cluttering the interface with too many options and ensure that users can easily understand what each action does.

  2. Error Handling: Implement robust error handling to ensure that users are informed of any issues during the action process. Clear error messages and feedback are essential to improving user experience.

  3. Security and Permissions: Be mindful of security and data privacy when building action-based extensions. Ensure that your backend services are secure, and make sure that users have the necessary permissions to perform the actions they trigger.

  4. Fast Response Times: Action-based Extensions are designed to enhance productivity, so they should provide fast and reliable responses. Ensure that the backend services handling the actions are optimized for quick interactions.

Conclusion

Action-based Extensions offer a powerful way to enhance Microsoft Teams by automating tasks and integrating external services. Whether it's creating tasks, updating records, or triggering workflows, these extensions allow users to perform complex actions directly from within the Teams interface, saving time and improving productivity.

For developers, building Action-based Extensions provides an opportunity to integrate Microsoft Teams with a wide range of external systems, creating seamless workflows that bridge the gap between Teams and third-party applications. Using the Teams Toolkit and the right APIs, developers can create these extensions to suit a variety of use cases, from customer support to task management and beyond.