Google Chat
Configure a Google Chat space and webhook to receive procurement opportunity notifications as they are collated by POB.
Last Updated: 27 May 2022 • Page Author: Jillur Quddus
Overview
Google Chat is an instant messaging and collaboration platform developed by Google. This page provides instructions on how to create a Google Chat space and configure a webhook in order to receive procurement opportunity notifications from POB.
For further information regarding Google Chat, please visit https://workspace.google.com/intl/en_uk/products/chat/.
Setup
Space
Please either create a new Google Chat space or select an existing one in order to receive procurement opportunity notifications from POB. For the purposes of these instructions, we shall assume that your chosen Google Chat space is named POB.
It is recommended to enable threaded replies in your chosen Google Chat space. That way, conversation and collaboration between your business development teams can be associated to specific opportunities thus making it easier to keep track of opportunities that your business is interested in pursuing.
Webhook
In order for your chosen Google Chat space to receive procurement opportunity notifications from POB, we must create a new webhook associated with that space. To do this, please follow the instructions below assuming that you have the permission to manage webhooks in your chosen Google Chat space (if you do not have permission, then please contact your chosen Google Chat space owner or Google Workspace administrator to create the new webhook for you):
Navigate to https://chat.google.com.
Select your chosen Google Chat space (for example
POB).Select "Manage webhooks" from the space menu.
Enter a name for the new webhook (for example
pob) and optionally provide a URL to the webhook avatar (for example https://avatars.slack-edge.com/2021-07-19/2282480381718_db5803e467659a04f9c5_192.png). Then press "Save".Make a note of the newly created Webhook URL. This will be similar to
https://chat.googleapis.com/v1/spaces/ABC123/messages?key=abc&token=123.
Integration
The final step is to update POB's Application Configuration with your newly created Webhook URL. To do this, create the relevant secret in your chosen secrets management service (for example HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager or Azure Key Vault). Then open src/main/resources/application.yml in the pob-configuration Maven module in your preferred text editor or IDE, enable the native Google Chat publisher and finally enter a placeholder variable corresponding to the name of your Webhook URL secret, as follows:
Do NOT enter the Webhook URL directly in application.yml as plaintext as this could expose your Google Chat space to unwanted or malicious communications.
Deployment
You are now ready to deploy POB to your chosen target environment (for example a self-managed environment, or to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure cloud computing platforms respectively). Once successfully deployed, your chosen Google Chat space will now automatically receive procurement opportunity notifications from POB as illustrated in the following screenshot:
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