What is AnnounceBot?
AnnounceBot is an automated and personalized bot in Microsoft Teams. It helps you onboard new hires and wishes your team members birthdays, work anniversaries, and special occasions.
What can the bot do for me?
Send a personalized onboarding message directly to new hires.
Introduce new hires to your team.
Bulk import birthdates and joining dates using a spreadsheet.
Send early reminders about upcoming birthdays.
Announce birthdays and work anniversaries to your team.
Wish birthdays and work anniversaries to your colleagues in a direct message.
Show upcoming birthdays and work anniversaries.
Sends personalized wishes on major holidays like Christmas, New Year, etc.
Sends birthday wishes to non-MS Teams users (clients, contractors, etc.) via email.
Allows multiple admins to configure the bot.
Does all of my team members have to install the bot?
No.
How do I install AnnounceBot?
Go to Apps -> Search AnnounceBot -> Click the AnnounceBot search result and click Add to a team button -> Select the team name and click the Set up a bot button. After successful installation, you will receive a welcome message from AnnounceBot.
How do I get started with AnnounceBot?
Start by collecting the birthdates and joining dates of users. You can do this using the bulk import feature or request it directly from users.
How do I use AnnounceBot?
How do I set up custom messages for onboarding new users?
Enter the Message command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Select team(s) -> Enter custom messages and click on the Confirm button.
Can I use non-Latin characters in customized messages?
Yes. You can use characters supported in the chat window of MS Teams. Example:
Characters with accents such as á, é, í, ó, and ú, as well as any other writing
system such as Korean (한글) or Thai (อักษรไทย).
How do I bulk import birthdates and joining dates using a spreadsheet?
Enter the ImportDates command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Click the Allow button and download the Excel file -> Open the file and enter the user information -> Upload the updated Excel file using the paperclip icon in the AnnounceBot chat.
How do I request the birthdates and joining dates directly from users instead of
a bulk import using a spreadsheet?
Enter the RequestDates command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Click the
Yes
button on the three cards sent in response.
How do I view the list of users that have provided their birthdates and joining
dates?
Enter the Status command in the AnnounceBot chat window.
How do I view upcoming birthdays and work anniversaries?
Enter the Upcoming command in the AnnounceBot chat window.
How do I use AnnounceBot to send birthday wishes to external users/customers who
are not MS Teams users using their email addresses?
Using the bulk import feature, you can enter details of external users/customers,
and AnnounceBot will send them birthday wishes via email.
How do I set a user as AnnounceBot admin?
Enter the SetAdmin command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Select the team
and click the Confirm button -> Select the user and click the Confirm
button.
How do I send wishes for special occasions as a direct message with a greeting
card?
Enter the Wish command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Select the occasion
and a greeting card -> Write a custom message and select the user(s) -> Click the
Send button.
How do I add custom greeting cards to send wishes on special occasions?
Click the paperclip icon in the AnnounceBot chat window and upload a greeting card
image (JPG, JPEG, or PNG) -> Select the occasion and click the Confirm
button.
How many custom greeting cards can I upload?
Each user can upload up to 4 custom greeting cards for each occasion. All users can
use greeting cards uploaded by the AnnounceBot admin.
How do I send wishes in a direct message and team chat?
By default, wishes get sent in a direct message. To send wishes in team chat,
enter the Settings command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Select the
channel(s)
and the checkboxes next to it -> Click the Confirm button.
How do I set the time to send wishes in a direct message or team chat?
Enter the Settings command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Set the time of
the
day you want to send the wishes (defaults to 8 AM) and click on the Confirm
button.
Troubleshoot
After typing the Help command in the AnnounceBot chat window, it responds,
"There seems to be an issue with your response. Could you please try the Help
command
for my assistance?". How do I proceed ahead?
The above message indicates that the installation was not successful. In this case,
you need to reinstall AnnounceBot. Step 1: Navigate to your team -> Manage team -> Apps tab -> Click on
delete icon
for AnnounceBot. Step 2: Click on the three dots (More added apps) in the toolbar ->
Right-click on
the AnnounceBot icon and select the Uninstallation option. Step 3: Go to Apps -> Search AnnounceBot >> Click the AnnounceBot
search result and click Add to a team button. Step 4: Select the team name and click the Set up a bot
button.
On successful installation, you should receive a welcome message from AnnounceBot.
How can I delete a message sent to a team by AnnounceBot?
Already sent messages cannot get deleted as per MS Teams restrictions.
How can I stop welcome messages, wishes, and wish reminders from getting
sent?
Enter the Settings command in the AnnounceBot chat window -> Select the
Stop
radio
button and click on the Confirm button.
Billing
Can I use AnnounceBot without paying?
Yes. You can use a free version of AnnounceBot for a team of up to 20 users.
Is there a free trial of AnnounceBot premium for a team of more than 20 users?
Yes. You can sign up for a 30-day free trial for unlimited users.
Do I need to enter credit card information to try AnnounceBot premium free for 30 days?
No. You can opt for a 30-day free trial without entering your credit card information.
How much does the AnnounceBot premium subscription cost?
Annual payment: $5.00 user/year
Monthly payment: $0.50 user/month
What is the difference between the free and premium versions of AnnounceBot?
The free version works for a team of up to 20 users. The premium version works for unlimited users
How do I subscribe to the premium version of AnnounceBot?
You can opt for the 30-day free trial of AnnounceBot premium. After the free trial ends, we will prompt you to purchase an AnnounceBot premium subscription.
What payment methods are accepted for the AnnounceBot premium subscription?
We accept Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and Discover.
Do I need to purchase licenses for each user in my organization?
No. You only need to purchase a license for each user in your organization for whom you need to use the AnnounceBot features.
How do I manage the AnnounceBot premium subscription?
Step 1: Log in to MS Teams with the Microsoft account you used to purchase the AnnounceBot premium subscription. Step 2: Go to Apps -> Search AnnounceBot Click the AnnounceBot search result and click the Buy a subscription button. On the Choose a plan page, click the Manage subscription link. Step 3:You will be redirected to Microsoft 365 Admin Centre where you can manage your subscription.