Setting up App Push Notifications
To enable you to use push notification in your Actito multi-channel strategy, Actito is directly integrated with our Notificare platform, a push notifications solution recently acquired by Actito.
This section will walk you through the instructions you need to follow to set-up the App push notification channel (on your mobile-based application).
If you only have a website, please follow the Web push set-up guide.
If you want to deploy the push channel on both your website and your app, you need to follow both guides. The set-up can be in parallel or done one after the other.
Smartphone users may browse the mobile version of your website. As long as it is done through a web browser and not an app, this count as the Web channel.
There are 3 steps:
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Step #1: Setting up the platform(s) configuration
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Step #2: Setting up your native app and website
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Step #3: Setting the prompt to get subscriptions
Step #1: Setting up the platform(s) configuration
Depending on the platform used to send push notification (Android/iOS/Huawei app), Actito needs to configure the channel to correctly send push notification through Notificare.
To begin, follow the set-up doc for the relevant platform (see below) to create a Firebase service account (Android), APNS Auth Key (iOS) and/or HMS project (Huawei). The relevant keys or credentials will need to be provided to the Actito team.
If possible, we recommend keeping the same credentials and using the existing Firebase account, APNS key and/or HMS project.
Please provide them to the Actito team and follow the migration guide.
| Platform | What Actito needs for configuration | Resources to help you provide info to Actito | What Actito gives you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android | Service account key (json file) | Android set-up doc | SDK Configuration Files for Android |
| iOS | APNS Auth Key: - .p8 file - Key ID - Bundle ID - Team ID | iOS set-up doc | SDK Configuration Files for iOS |
| Huawei | App ID App secret | HMS set-up doc | - SDK Configuration Files for Huawei - Callback address - HTTPS Certificate (pem format) - Callback User - Callback key |
To share sensitive elements like the SDK files or keys for the Android/Huawei/iOS platforms, we use Actito's Transfer Box.
SDK Configuration Files for the relevant platform will be dropped in the Transfer Box of your Actito license.
Actito will notify when the platform(s) have been configured successfully, to you can move on to step 2.
Step #2 : Setting up your native app
The technical set-up can be summed up in 2 main steps:
1. Retrieve the SDK
Log in to your Actito license and go the transfer box app. You will be able to retrieve the right Software Development Kit (SDK), uploaded by the Actito team according to the type of platform. Then, follow the implementation guides (links below).
2. Implement the SDK
As the process differs greatly between Android and IOS please refer directly to the Notificare documentation depending on the platforms relevant to your apps.
You can follow the Implementation, Device registration and Remote Notifications sections of the implementation guide (with the help of the samples and of the troubleshooting guide if required).
The Configuration file referenced in the "Implementation" section is the SDK file that you retrieved from the transfer box.
If you are using a specific framework to develop your app (such as Cordova, Ionic, Flutter or React) please follow the dedicated guide.
Implementation guides
Native platform
| Platform | Implementation | Troubleshooting | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android | Android implementation | Android troubleshooting | - Samples - Dependency sizes |
| iOS | iOS implementation | iOS troubleshooting | - Samples - Dependency sizes |
Framework
| Platform | Implementation | Troubleshooting | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordova | Cordova implementation | Cordova troubleshooting | Cordova samples |
| Ionic Native | Ionic implementation | Ionic troubleshooting | Ionic samples |
| Flutter | Flutter implementation | Flutter troubleshooting | Flutter samples |
| React native | React implementation | React troubleshooting | React samples |
Baseline functions
As not every app will use all the features offered by the push channel, the SDK is flexible and you can choose which modules are implemented (see the features supported below).
The minimum functions must be implemented:
- Device registration
- Register as a user
- Requesting permission (or 'Authorization options' for iOS)
- Receiving Notifications
The following features are supported in the Actito push notifications module:
Device Registration
- Register as a user
- Override Device Language
Remote Notifications
- Requesting Permission
- Enabling Notifications
- Disabling remote notifications
- Receiving Notifications
We are not supporting the Server Key (legacy) section and the google maps feature.
3. Assign an end-customer ID to a subscribed device
By registering an end-customer ID to the subscribed device, Actito will be able to connect the device to an existing profile into Actito and build a single view around the profile.
The end-customer ID will be defined by your system (ex: your CRM).
The assignation of the end-customer ID to a device will occur when a profile opts in for push notifications and is known to your system (ex: logged into your app), as long as you have properly configured the "Register as a user" function.
The same end-customer ID must be available in the Actito profile table, to be able to connect the profiles across the 3 systems.
Therefore, to choose the proper end-customer ID:
- The data must be available as a key in Actito thanks to the data synchronization between your system and Actito.
- The data must be available on your mobile app (through registration, for instance).
Please use an attribute which is already defined as unique on your Actito profile table.
If you need to add a new unique attribute, this is possible, but be careful because it could have impacts on your data synchronization process between your system and Actito. Ask your Integration Data Expert if necessary.
Step #3: Setting up the prompt to get subscriptions
For mobile apps, the prompt must be managed by using the function for enabling and disabling notifications.
Make sure to correctly implement the "Requesting permission" (Android) or "Authorization options" (iOS) sections of the implementation guide.
Profile reach
Only profiles who update their native app with the version containing the SDK provided at set-up can be targeted by Actito campaigns.