Sinch Conversation API

Sinch Conversation API is the gateway to all social channels your business is using.

For more details, such as channel offering, see Sinch Conversation API.

Sinch Contact Pro integrates with Sinch Conversation API out-of-the-box in the API's default Conversations processing mode. Different channels support different features but all channels support the following:

  • text-based messaging
  • metadata, which is stored in Sinch Contact Pro as attached data

    Metadata must be in key-value format. For the correct format, see Saving Extra Data.

    When adding the key-value pair, use metadata instead of message_metadata. However, for backward compatibility reasons message_metadata works as well. For more information, see Inbound message in Conversation API.

  • showing customer display name if one exists

    For example, for WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram the customer name is shown instead of an ID. If the display name is not found, the ID is shown; WhatsApp has a phone number, Facebook and Instagram has an ID.

  • ending a conversation that is initialized via Conversation API if end conversation event is used. Note that the end event should not contain additional data such as attached data.



The following functionality has been verified with the channels:

  • WhatsApp

    Text based messages, rich content, URLs, location sharing, voice message from customer to agent, WhatsApp opt-in and WhatsApp templates

    In addition to creating a sinchconversation messing service and configuring a queue:
    • Give agents rights to view customer consents (the type is Customer Consent)
    • Create WhatsApp templates
    • Give agents rights to view the reply template folder where your WhatsApp templates are
  • Facebook

    Text based messages and rich content

  • SMS

    Text-based messaging

  • Instagram

    Text based messages, rich content, URLs, and, customer display name

  • Telegram

    Text based messages, rich content, and URLs

  • Viber and Viber-bot

    Text based messages, rich content, and URLs

  • LINE

    Text based messages, rich content, and URLs

  • Sinch Chat

    Text based messages, rich content, and URLs

  • WeChat

    Text based messages, rich content, and URLs

  • MMS

    Text based messages and rich content. Note that if the message has no rich content, Sinch Conversation API changes the channel to SMS whereas in Sinch Contact Pro the channel must remain the same. Therefore for this to work, you need middleware.

  • XMS (in practice MMS)

    Not yet supported in Sinch Conversation API

    Text based messages and rich content. The channel remains the same regardless of message content.

Note: Showing links and other HTML type of content to customers may vary per channel.

For configuration, see Configuring Sinch Conversation API.

Rich Content via Conversation API

Rich content is a key of conversational messaging. Content such as images and documents can be added to mobile originated (MO) messages and mobile terminated (MT) messages:

  • MO messages

    A customer sends an image for example via WhatsApp. The WhatsApp service generates a public URL from the data and passes it over to Conversation API and Sinch Contact Pro which downloads the image to an internal share and the file is available for an agent to view.

  • MT messages

    An agent sends an image to a customer. Sinch Contact Pro creates a public URL which is passed to WhatsApp and used by the WhatsApp service to download the file to WhatsApp servers. To define how long the Sinch Contact Pro public URL is accessible, go to System Services > Chat Settings > File Location Settings > Retention Time for Public Attachments.