This article explains how to create, configure, edit, and manage Monitoring Agents, as well as how to set up Slack, Telegram, and custom webhook notifications.
Set Up an Agent
- Go to Integrations→ Monitoring Agents.
- Choose one of the Featured Agents or browse the Agent Library for a pre-built agent, and click + Add Agent.
- Select apps and topic you want the agent to monitor.
- Configure the rules and frequency (if applicable). Each agent has a unique set of rules.
☝️Some agents (New Reviews Spike and Total Rating Change) have a customizable Threshold value – when the number of reviews or ratings reaches this value, we'll send you an agent. - Select the channel where you want to receive the notification.
Email: Enter the email address where you want to receive the notifications.
Slack: Click "Add to Slack" and follow the instructions on the screen to set up a native integration. Check out the Adding a Slack Channel or a Custom Webhook URL section of this article to learn more.
Telegram: Enter the Telegram chat ID. Learn more later in this article: Finding the Telegram Chat ID. - Check that the example looks correct in the Preview, then click Save to complete the agent setup.
Edit an Agent
To make changes to an agent, open the Monitoring Agents page and locate the agent you want to manage. The following actions are available:
- Enable or disable an agent: Use the On/Off toggle. (1)
- Edit an agent: Hover over the agent and click the pencil icon. (2)
- Duplicate an agent: Hover over the agent and click the copy icon. (3)
- Delete an agent: Hover over the agent and click the bin (trash) icon. (4)
Finding the Telegram Chat ID
1. Create a new Telegram chat where you will receive your app's reviews. We recommend creating a separate channel specifically for replying to reviews instead of using an existing channel. This will ensure that an unintended reply is not sent to an end-user.
2. Add @appfollow_reply_bot as a member:
3. Type /start, and you will get the Chat ID:
Adding a Slack Channel or a Custom Webhook URL
Slack channel
During step 3 of the agent setup process, you can select the Slack channel where notifications will be sent:
-
Click “Add to Slack”.
- You will be redirected to a Slack page where you need to select your Slack workspace and the Channel for webhook.
- Choose the Slack channel where you will get the notifications.
- Click “Install AppFollow: Review & Updates Monitor”.
You can create as many Slack channels as you need. You may have several channels for different agents and teams: for instance, product owners will get app updates, and the customer support team will get new reviews.
To learn how to reply to reviews via Slack, check out the following article: Monitoring Agents: Reviews Feed.
Note: If you are setting up an agent using the "Add to Slack" button, please ensure you add our bot to the channel where the agent is set up. This is necessary for the agent to function correctly. To add the bot:
- In Slack, right-click the channel name and select View Details.
- Go to the Integrations tab and click Add apps.
- Search for "AppFollow" and add the bot.
Custom Webhook URL
Alternatively, you can configure a custom webhook URL. When using this option, adding the bot is not required.
To set up a custom webhook, follow these steps:
- In Slack, right-click the channel name and select View Details.
- Go to the Integrations tab and click Add apps.
- Search for Incoming Webhook and install it.
- Configure the settings and copy the Webhook URL.
- Paste the Webhook URL in the agent settings.