Brightidea for Microsoft Teams

Brightidea can be integrated with Microsoft Teams in a few different ways:

• Capture ideas directly in Microsoft Teams using the app
• Post rich updates to Teams using the Rules Engine
• Embed recordings hosted in Microsoft Stream in idea details

Read on to find out what is right for you and your organization!

Table of Contents

• Brightidea for Teams App
  • Installation
  • Logging into the Teams App
  • Using the Teams App
• Other Ways to Integrate Brightidea with Teams
  • Using Webhooks and Rules to Post to Teams
  • Embedding Microsoft Streams Videos
• Important Things to Know

Brightidea for Teams App

Brightidea offers an official app for Microsoft Teams that can be accessed via search in the app catalog within Teams, or online from Microsoft AppSource.

The Teams app is designed to help you quickly save ideas directly from Teams conversations without leaving the chat. Ideas can be saved from channel messages, replies, or private chats.

With the app you will be able to:

• Capture ideas directly from messages in Teams
• Add idea details and attachments from Teams
• Establish a link from submitted ideas back to original conversations
• Preview ideas from their URLs in Teams chats

Coming soon:

• Admin-only: submit ideas on behalf of other users from their messages
• Admin-only: create accounts for unregistered users via submission process

Installation

• Search the app gallery for "Brightidea" and click the card for app details

• From the app details screen, review the app capabilities and permissions, then click the "Add" button to install the app to your Teams instance

• The app will be installed and the Brightidea bot will immediately send you a welcome message with further guidance

Logging into the Teams App

You must have a Brightidea account to use the main functionality of the app. The first step is to log into your account. 

• If you are not continuing directly from the installation steps above, navigate to the "Chat" tab in Teams, and find the Brightidea bot chat
• From the welcome message, click "Log in"
  • If you can't find this message simply send a chat to the bot, "Log in"

• Now you will be prompted to login into Brightidea and select an affiliate to connect to. If your site has SSO enabled you will be prompted to log in using SSO.

Note:

• Log out at any time by sending a chat to the bot, "Log out"
• Log in at any time by sending a chat to the bot, "Log in"
• View help tips and instructions by sending a chat to the bot, "Help"
• Review the welcome message by sending a chat to the bot, "Welcome"
• App installation may require administrator approval depending on organization policies 

Using the Teams App

The Brightidea app is accessed directly from the message you want to submit as an idea.

• From any message, hover & click the ellipsis button for the menu, then select More Actions > Send to Brightidea

• You will be prompted to select an activity to submit the idea to
  • The list of available activities will be based on your administrative and general access in Brightidea

• Click "Next"

From the submission form:

• Choose from the selected activity's available categories (required)
• Enter a short but descriptive title for the idea (required)
• The description will be automatically pulled from the selected message, and can be edited if needed from this screen (required)
• If the message contains any attachments or images, those will be shown at the bottom of the form and can optionally be included as links on the submission
  • The attachments will still be hosted by Microsoft and thus maintain permission enforcement
  • A link to each attachment will be appended to the idea description

• Click "Submit"
• Once the idea is submitted, a confirmation card will be inserted as a reply to the original message, but will not be automatically sent
  • Click the "Send" button or hit "Enter" to share the confirmation card with team or chat members
  • Hit "Backspace" or "Delete" to remove the confirmation card

In Brightidea:

• Attachments will be listed by their file name and linked in the description of the submitted idea
• The description will also contain a link back to the original Teams chat
• Description can be edited and enhanced, and additional submission questions can be completed

With the app installed, pasting a link to an idea in the "compose message" area will automatically insert a rich preview.

• The card can be removed by clicking the "X" icon

 

 

Other Ways to Integrate Brightidea with Teams

Using Webhooks and Rules to Post to Teams

The "HTTP Request" rule action can be paired with an "Incoming Webhook" connector in Teams to automatically post updates to Teams when certain triggers & conditions are satisfied in Brightidea.

See HTTP Requests with Rules Engine (AKA Outgoing Webhooks) for detailed setup instructions.

For example, you may want to post to a Teams channel when:

• New ideas are submitted
• Ideas are selected for implementation (or any other status)
• Ideas become stale (too long without a status change)
• New comments or votes are received

 

 

 

Embedding Microsoft Streams Videos

Microsoft Stream videos and recordings can be embedded in the idea description.

• In Streams, copy the embed code

 

• In Brightidea, edit the idea description and click the "Video" button in the editor
• Paste the embed code in the popup and click "insert"
• You will see a preview of the video
• Click save

 

See Embedding external videos on View Idea page for more details on this feature. 

 

Important Things to Know

• Coordinating with your Microsoft IT admin(s) will make for a smooth app installation experience 
  • Installation of Teams apps may be disabled by organization policies & permissions
  • Teams apps and related policies are managed by IT admins in the Microsoft Teams admin center 

• In the Teams app, when submitting on behalf of an unregistered user, a new account will be created during the submission process
• It is best to consult Microsoft documentation and support for installing the app for other users