Channels — overview
What a channel is and how it works in AI Textura
Messengers via aggregators
WhatsApp, Instagram, VK, Avito
amoCRM
Telegram messages inside a CRM deal card
Bitrix24
Telegram via Bitrix24 open channels
Telegram bot
The fastest and free way to connect your AI employee to customers. You will need a bot token issued by @BotFather.Step 1. Create a bot in Telegram
Find @BotFather
Open Telegram and search for @BotFather — the official Telegram bot with a blue checkmark.
Set the name and username
- Name — any display name (e.g., “JawaBerry Glamping”).
- Username — one Latin word, may contain
_, must end withbot(e.g.,JawaBerry_Glamping_bot).
Step 2. Connect the bot in AI Textura
Open the Channel section
Go to AI Employees → select the agent → Channel tab → Connect new sub-tab.
Fill in the settings
- Channel type: Personal (one-on-one) or Group (for group chats). See below.
- Platform: already selected — Telegram.
- Channel name: any name convenient for you.
- Bot token: paste the token from BotFather.
Step 3. Customize the bot’s appearance (recommended)
Go back to Telegram → @BotFather → My Bots → select your bot → Edit Bot:- Description — a short description (up to 512 characters). Shown when the bot is opened for the first time.
- About — a very short line, visible in the bot’s profile.
- Photo — add a logo or photo for recognition.
Channel types: Personal and Group
When you create a Telegram channel, AI Textura asks for the channel type:| Type | When to choose | Specifics |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | The bot replies to each customer in a personal chat (one-to-one). The most common scenario for support and sales. | Each chat is a separate customer. The customer profile is maintained individually. |
| Group | The bot operates inside a Telegram group chat (e.g., a company team chat or group support). | The bot sees messages from every participant. Privacy Mode must be disabled for the bot. |
Additional channel settings
After connecting, open the Telegram channel in the Connected tab — several important toggles are available there.AI inline buttons
The agent can build quick-select buttons on the fly in its reply — for example, “Yes / No,” “Booking / Menu / Contacts,” or answer options for a clarifying question.- When to enable: if you want to speed up the conversation and reduce how much the customer has to type.
- When to disable: if the bot has open-ended conversations without clear scenarios — the buttons would just get in the way.
Message buffer
If the customer types one thought across several consecutive messages, the buffer makes the bot wait and reply once the customer is done.- Buffer time — 3-5 seconds is recommended.
- Without the buffer, the bot replies to the first message without waiting for the rest.
Auto-clear history
Chat messages are automatically deleted on a schedule — saving space and helping you comply with customer data privacy policies.- When to enable: if your company policy or local regulations don’t allow long conversation retention.
- When to disable: if you analyze chats manually, train your FAQ from history, or run long-running deals that need full context.
Active / Free / other toggle settings
The shared channel settings (Active, Free, Channel type) are described on the overview page — see Channels → Connected channel settings.Personal Telegram account
If you want the AI employee to respond on behalf of your personal Telegram account (rather than a separate bot), this is also possible.Connect a Telegram bot
First create and connect a bot using the steps above — it is required for the system to work.
Bot vs Personal account
| Telegram bot | Personal account | |
|---|---|---|
| What the customer sees | A separate bot with a username | Your personal profile |
| Requires Premium | No | Yes |
| Setup | AI Textura only | AI Textura + Telegram |
| Group chats | Supported | Not supported |
| Recommended for | Most tasks | Personal customer communication |
Voice messages
Telegram is the only channel that supports voice messages. If a customer sends a voice message, the AI:- automatically transcribes it,
- replies with text,
- and can voice the reply if text-to-speech is enabled in the employee settings.
FAQ
Can I change the channel type (Personal / Group) after connecting?
Can I change the channel type (Personal / Group) after connecting?
No. The type is chosen once at creation. To change it, disconnect the channel and reconnect with the new type.
The bot doesn't respond in a group — what should I check?
The bot doesn't respond in a group — what should I check?
The most common reason is Privacy Mode being enabled in @BotFather. Open @BotFather → My Bots → your bot → Bot Settings → Group Privacy → Turn off. After this, the bot will start seeing group members’ messages.
Inline buttons don't always appear — why?
Inline buttons don't always appear — why?
Can I recover the conversation after auto-clear?
Can I recover the conversation after auto-clear?
No. Auto-clear deletes messages permanently. If you need to keep critical dialog data, configure customer profile fields in the agent or set up a CRM integration so important information is recorded automatically.