Channel Setup

Overview

DOLU.ai supports six communication channels to connect with your customers: WhatsApp Business, Instagram, Telegram, Email, SMS, and the Web Widget. Each channel feeds into the unified AI inbox, so your AI Brain can handle conversations regardless of where they originate. This guide walks you through connecting each channel step by step.

How to Access

Dashboard → Settings → Channels

From the left sidebar, click Settings, then select Channels. You will see a card for each available channel showing its current connection status (Connected, Disconnected, or Pending).

WhatsApp Business API

Prerequisites

• A verified Facebook Business Manager account
• A dedicated phone number not already registered with WhatsApp
• WhatsApp Business API access (applied through Meta)

Connection Steps

1. Navigate to Settings > Channels > WhatsApp.
2. Click Connect WhatsApp.
3. You will be redirected to Meta's OAuth flow. Log in with your Facebook Business Manager credentials.
4. Select the WhatsApp Business Account you want to connect.
5. Choose or register a phone number for the API.
6. Meta will send a verification code via SMS to the selected number. Enter it to confirm.
7. Once verified, you will be returned to DOLU.ai. The WhatsApp card will show Connected with a green indicator.
8. Configure your welcome message and business hours auto-reply in the WhatsApp channel settings.

Message Templates

WhatsApp requires pre-approved message templates for outbound conversations. Go to Settings > Channels > WhatsApp > Templates to create and submit templates for Meta approval. Templates typically take 24-48 hours to be reviewed.

Instagram Direct Messages

Prerequisites

• An Instagram Business or Creator account
• The Instagram account must be linked to a Facebook Page
• Facebook Business Manager access

Connection Steps

1. Navigate to Settings > Channels > Instagram.
2. Click Connect Instagram.
3. Authenticate via Facebook OAuth and grant DOLU.ai permission to manage Instagram messages.
4. Select the Instagram Business account from the dropdown list.
5. Confirm the connection. The Instagram card will update to Connected.
6. Test by sending a DM to your Instagram account; it should appear in the DOLU.ai inbox within seconds.

Telegram Bot

Prerequisites

• A Telegram account
• A Telegram Bot token (created via BotFather)

Connection Steps

1. Open Telegram and start a chat with @BotFather.
2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts to name your bot.
3. BotFather will give you an API Token (e.g., 123456789:ABCdefGhIJKlmNoPQRsTUVwxyz).
4. In DOLU.ai, navigate to Settings > Channels > Telegram.
5. Click Connect Telegram.
6. Paste your Bot API Token into the field.
7. Click Verify & Save. DOLU.ai will register a webhook with Telegram.
8. The Telegram card will show Connected. All messages sent to your bot will now appear in the unified inbox.

Email (SMTP/IMAP)

Prerequisites

• An email address dedicated to customer support (e.g., [email protected])
• SMTP and IMAP server credentials from your email provider

Connection Steps

1. Navigate to Settings > Channels > Email.
2. Click Connect Email.
3. Fill in the IMAP settings for incoming mail:
   • IMAP Server: e.g., imap.gmail.com
   • Port: 993 (SSL) or 143 (STARTTLS)
   • Username: your full email address
   • Password: your email password or app-specific password
4. Fill in the SMTP settings for outgoing mail:
   • SMTP Server: e.g., smtp.gmail.com
   • Port: 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
   • Username: your full email address
   • Password: same as above
5. Click Test Connection. DOLU.ai will attempt to connect to both servers.
6. If the test passes, click Save. The Email card will show Connected.
7. Set a From Name (e.g., "Acme Support") and Reply-To address if different from the connected email.

Gmail-Specific Notes

If using Gmail, you must either enable "Less secure app access" (not recommended) or generate an App Password under your Google Account security settings. If your organization uses Google Workspace, your admin may need to allow IMAP access.

SMS Provider

Supported Providers

DOLU.ai integrates with the following SMS gateways:

• Twilio (global)
• Netgsm (Turkey)
• Iletimerkezi (Turkey)

Connection Steps (Twilio Example)

1. Navigate to Settings > Channels > SMS.
2. Select Twilio from the provider dropdown.
3. Enter your Account SID and Auth Token (found in the Twilio Console dashboard).
4. Enter the Twilio Phone Number you want to use for sending.
5. Click Verify & Save. DOLU.ai will register a webhook for incoming messages.
6. Send a test SMS to your Twilio number to confirm messages arrive in the inbox.

Web Widget (Embed Code)

The DOLU.ai Sales Widget can be embedded on any website to provide live chat powered by your AI Brain.

Setup Steps

1. Navigate to Settings > Channels > Widget.
2. Customize the widget appearance:
   • Primary color: Match your brand color
   • Position: Bottom-right or bottom-left
   • Welcome message: The first message visitors see
   • Avatar: Upload a custom avatar or use the DOLU.ai default
   • Language: Select the default widget language
3. Click Generate Embed Code.
4. Copy the generated <script> tag.
5. Paste it into your website's HTML, just before the closing </body> tag.
6. Save and publish your website. The widget will appear on all pages where the script is included.

Widget Embed Code Example

<script
  src="https://cdn.dolu.ai/widget.js"
  data-tenant-id="YOUR_TENANT_ID"
  data-lang="en"
  data-color="#6366f1"
  async>
</script>

Tips & Best Practices

Use Dedicated Accounts

Create separate email addresses and phone numbers for your DOLU.ai channels. This keeps business communications organized and avoids mixing personal and professional messages.

Test Each Channel After Connecting

After connecting any channel, send a test message from a personal account to confirm messages arrive in the DOLU.ai inbox and that the AI Brain responds correctly.

Set Business Hours Per Channel

Configure working hours for each channel under Settings > Channels > [Channel] > Business Hours. Outside these hours, the AI Brain will send an auto-reply informing customers of your availability.

Monitor Channel Health

Check the Channels page weekly. If a channel shows a yellow warning icon, it may need re-authentication (common with Instagram and WhatsApp after token expiry).

Troubleshooting

WhatsApp shows "Disconnected"

• Your Meta access token may have expired. Go to Settings > Channels > WhatsApp and click Reconnect.
• Verify your Facebook Business Manager account is still in good standing.
• Check that the phone number has not been banned by WhatsApp.

Instagram messages not appearing

• Confirm your Instagram account is a Business or Creator account (personal accounts are not supported).
• Re-authenticate the Facebook/Instagram connection.
• Check that your Facebook Page is still linked to the Instagram account.

Telegram bot not receiving messages

• Verify the API token is correct and has not been revoked via BotFather.
• Ensure no other service has registered a competing webhook for the same bot token.
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting the Telegram channel.

Email connection test fails

• Double-check IMAP/SMTP server addresses and ports.
• If using Gmail, ensure you have an App Password configured.
• Confirm your firewall or email provider is not blocking external IMAP/SMTP connections.

SMS messages not being delivered

• Verify your Twilio/Netgsm account has sufficient balance.
• Check that the sender phone number is approved for the destination country.
• Look at the SMS provider's logs for specific error codes.

Widget not showing on website

• Confirm the embed <script> tag is placed before </body>.
• Check the browser console for JavaScript errors.
• Verify your tenant ID in the embed code is correct.
• Disable ad-blockers or privacy extensions that might block third-party scripts.

FAQ

Q: Can I connect multiple WhatsApp numbers? A: Currently, DOLU.ai supports one WhatsApp Business number per tenant. Multi-number support is on the roadmap.

Q: Do I need a separate plan for each channel? A: No. All channels are included in every DOLU.ai plan. Simply connect the channels you need.

Q: Will the AI Brain work on all channels automatically? A: Yes. Once a channel is connected, the AI Brain processes incoming messages across all channels using the same knowledge base and conversation context.

Q: Can I disable a channel without deleting its configuration? A: Yes. Each channel card has a toggle switch. Turning it off pauses the channel without removing your credentials.

Q: How quickly do messages arrive in the inbox? A: WhatsApp, Telegram, and Widget messages arrive in real-time (under 2 seconds). Email depends on your IMAP polling interval (default: every 60 seconds). SMS delivery depends on the provider but is typically under 5 seconds.

Q: Is message history preserved if I disconnect and reconnect a channel? A: Yes. All previous conversations are retained in the DOLU.ai database. Reconnecting a channel resumes from where you left off.