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Nappai Documentation

Google Chat Messages

This component connects your Nappai workflows to Google Chat, allowing you to automate conversations and manage message data. It acts as a central control point that lets you send new messages, look up existing ones, reply in threads, send direct messages, update past messages, or remove them as needed.

How it Works

When you set this component up, it securely connects to Google’s messaging service using your saved credentials. Depending on the action you choose (like sending a message or retrieving chat history), the component automatically formats your request, sends it to Google Chat, and waits for a response. Once processed, it passes back the results—such as the new message ID, timestamps, or full content—so you can easily use that information in the next steps of your workflow.

Connection & Credentials

This component requires configuring a credential in the Nappai panel before interacting with the external service:

  1. Go to the Credentials section in your Nappai panel.
  2. Create a new credential of the type specified for this component and fill in the required fields (API Keys, tokens, etc.).
  3. In your workflow, select the saved credential in the Credential input field of this node.

Inputs

The following fields are available to configure this component. Each field may be visible in different operations:

  • Operation: Determines what action the component should perform, such as sending a message, retrieving data, or deleting a thread.

    • Visible in: Dynamically adapts based on the selected operation

  • Space: Select a Google Chat space where the action will take place.

    • Visible in: All operations

  • Message Text: Content of the message to send or update.

    • Visible in: Send, Update

  • Message ID: Resource name of the message (e.g. spaces/AAAA/messages/BBBB) used to target a specific message.

    • Visible in: Reply, Update, Delete

  • Message Count: Number of messages to retrieve when looking up chat history.

    • Visible in: Retrieve/Get

  • Recipient Email: Email of the user to send a direct message to.

    • Visible in: Direct Message (DM)

  • Thread ID: Thread resource name for the reply (e.g. spaces/AAAA/threads/CCCC) to ensure messages appear in the correct conversation chain.

    • Visible in: Reply, Direct Message

  • Attachments: Attachments to include with the message.

    • Visible in: Send, Reply, Direct Message

Outputs

This component returns a single structured output called Data, which contains the complete result returned by Google Chat after processing your request. You can connect this output to other components to store the message details, display them in a dashboard, or use them to trigger follow-up actions.

Output Data Example (JSON)json

{ “message_id”: “spaces/SPACE123/messages/MSG456”, “sender”: “user@company.com”, “timestamp”: “2024-05-20T14:30:00Z”, “text”: “Project update: Phase 1 is complete.”, “format”: “PLAIN_TEXT”, “status”: “success” }

Connectivity

This component is typically connected to notification, data storage, or AI processing nodes to continue the workflow after a chat message is sent or retrieved. For example, you can connect a file processing node before it to automatically send updates when a task finishes, or connect the output to a logging or analytics node to track communication history and response times.

Usage Example

Suppose you want to automatically notify your team when a report finishes processing. You can connect a file generator component to this component, set the Operation to send, choose your team’s Space, type your update message, and the component will deliver the notice directly to Google Chat. You can then connect the Data output to a spreadsheet or logging node to keep a permanent record of the sent message and its timestamp.

Tips and Best Practices

  • Always verify the Space or Thread ID to ensure messages land in the correct conversation.
  • Use the Message ID field when you need to update or reply to a specific message rather than starting a new thread.
  • When sending messages with formatting or interactive cards, verify the text matches Google Chat’s expected structure.
  • Keep your credentials updated regularly to avoid authentication interruptions in automated workflows.
  • Use meaningful message text and clear subject lines to help recipients quickly understand the purpose of automated alerts.

Security Considerations

  • This component uses secure API authentication. Never share your credential details with unauthorized users or external services.
  • Messages sent through this component are subject to Google Chat’s privacy and data retention policies. Review your organization’s data handling guidelines before automating sensitive communications.
  • Avoid storing confidential information in message text fields; use this component primarily for operational updates, notifications, or non-sensitive workflow triggers.