Customize Chat apps

When configuring Chat apps with AppSheet, you can customize the following features in your Chat app:

• First message including the Chat app menu that displays when the Chat app is installed or mentioned in a Google Chat space
• Search command that enables Chat app users to search your Chat app views using simple phrases
  (only available when you use automatic configuration)
• Chat app actions that provide more ways to interact with your Chat app

Customize the first message

When installed or @mentioned in a Google Chat space, the Chat app displays a menu that, by default, provides access to the primary menu views. You can customize the message and views that are displayed in the Chat card menu.

The following provides an example of the first message displayed for a Chat app:

To customize the first message:

1. In the app editor, expand the Customize section on the Chat Setup page.
2. Click First message.
3. Edit the message text, as desired.
4. Under App views sent as a Chat card menu, define the views to include, as follows:
   • Click Add view to add a view to the menu
   • Click  to delete a view
   • Press and hold the handle  and drag to reorder a view

Customize the search command

AppSheet provides a built-in /search command that enables users to search for Chat app views using simple terms or phrases, such as: /search request

By default, the search command is turned on. To turn off the search command, in the Search command section, select More  > Disable.

Customize Chat app actions

Optionally, you can customize Chat app actions to provide more ways to interact with your Chat app. A Chat app action can be:

• An action in Google Chat
  That can be triggered by one of the following:
  • Slash command
    A slash command allows users to access specific features of your Chat app. Any slash commands you’ve added will appear in Chat, so it’s easy for users to learn what they can do. Type / (slash) in the Chat conversation to display the slash commands that are available along with a short description.

    

    For example, you can define slash commands that:
    • Open a Chat app view. For example, entering /form opens a form view in Chat.
    • Trigger an automation process. For example, entering /updaterequest sends a status update request to all project stakeholders.
       
    Slash commands are not required, but strongly encouraged. If not set, users will be able to access app views through the Chat app's initial message
  • Chat app added to a space
    For example, when a user adds your Chat app to a Space, send a welcome message with instructions about how to use the app. 
  • Chat app removed from a space
    For example, when a user removes your Chat app from a Space, send a message to the project stakeholders. 

• An action outside of Google Chat
  For example, a change occurred to a connected data source or a date is reached. You can send a Chat message:
  • When something changes in a connected data source, for example a new item was added to a column name
  • On a particular schedule, for example once a week on Monday mornings
  • When a specific date is reached, for example when a project due date is reached
  • When a condition is met, for example when inventory data hasn't been updated for more than 7 days

Create and configure Chat app actions as described in the following sections.

You can configure your Chat app with as many actions as you’d like – or not to use them at all. If you don’t configure any Chat app actions, your Chat app will still be able to send a welcome card when added to a Chat or space.

Create Chat app actions 

Create Chat app actions from scratch or by starting with one of the recipe templates that are available for commonly used Chat actions. 

To create Chat app actions:

1. In the app editor, expand the Customize section on the Chat Setup page.
2. Click + Add an action and select one of the following recipe templates or Build my own... in the drop-down to build a Chat app action from scratch. 
    

   Recipe template	Description
   Slash command: Open app view	Use a slash command to open an existing app view in  a Chat space.
   Slash command: Run an automation	Use a slash command to trigger a bot configured as a Chat event.
   Message when data changes	Send a message when data changes in your Chat app.
   Message on a schedule	Send a message on a specific schedule.
   Message when added to space	Send a message when your Chat app is added to a space
   Message when removed from space	Send a message when your Chat app is removed from a space.

3. After selecting the recipe template or Build my own, configure the Chat app action. 
4. Click one of the following:
   • Next to proceed to configure the Google Chat API
   • + Add an action to add another Chat app action

Configure Chat app actions

Configure the Chat app action to meet the requirements of your particular use case, as described in the following sections.