Skip to content

Setting Up Authorization using Basic Auth

When basic authorization is used for a task, the XO Platform automatically prompts the user for login credentials to access the web application or web service, as shown in the following illustration.

Login

After the end-user is authorized, the settings are saved using the following naming syntax:

{{ First Name }} {{ Last Name }} {{ Bot Name }} {{ Account # }} {{ Sequence # }}

For example, John Smith’s Twitter Account #1.

The XO Platform can access the web application or web service for all future task requests using this account. In addition, the end-user can reuse the account for other tasks for the same Virtual Assistant.

You need to have an account with the external application which you want to authorize the XO Platform for.

Configuring Basic Authorization

To define Basic Authorization for your assistant, follow these steps:

  1. Open the VA for which you want to configure the Basic Authorization profile.
  2. From the left menus, click App Settings, then select Dev Tools > Authorization Profiles.
  3. Click New to open the New Authorization Mechanism dialog.
    New Auth mechanism - Add

  4. In the Authorization Type drop-down list, select Basic Auth.

  5. In the Name field, enter the name for your Basic Auth type.
    Auth Name and Type

  6. Enter the Description for the profile and select the API endpoint Method. You can select either GET or POST method.
    Description and Endpoint Method

    Note

    By default, the GET method is selected for the existing bots.
    
  7. Click Save.

Defining Tenancy

If required, in the Subdomain section, select Yes if the base URL for a web application or user interface uses a tenant name in the URL. For example, kore is the tenant organization for a web service using tenants as www.kore.someCompany.com.

In the following example configuration, the tenancy URL contains the {tenant} organization placeholder.

Defining Tenancy

Adding Form Fields

If the default username and password fields do not meet your needs for authorization input, you can add custom fields displayed to the end-user by adding authorization IDP form fields. You can use these form fields. For example, if PIN code is required in the authorization process, in addition to the Username and Password form fields.

Adding Form Fields

Defining Configuration Fields

The following table describes the fields used to define an authorization IDP form field.

FIELD NAME DESCRIPTION
Field Title Specify the name of the field displayed to the end-user in the authorization dialog.
Field Key The value that represents the end-user input value to the authorizing service.
Help Hint The help text displayed in the field to describe what should be entered into the field.
Field Type When Advanced Options is selected, specify the type of field displayed in the end-user interface to collect the user input assigned as the value for the Field Key, one of:
  • Textbox
  • Password
Mandatory When Advanced Options is selected, select if the end-user must define this field to complete the authorization.
Data Type When Advanced Options is selected, specify the type of data expected as input from the end-user, for example, String.
Visibility When Advanced Options is selected, specify if the authorization field should be visible, hidden, or displayed as read-only.

Adding Authorization Fields

By default, authorization fields are configured as part of the header of the request message. If your request requires additional authorization fields or the expected authorization is not part of the header, for example, social security number or PIN, click Add Authorization Fields and then define the required fields.

Adding Authorization Fields

  1. In the Field Type field, you can select one of the following depending on where in the request message and the type of authorization fields that are required.

    1. Header – The VA looks for the authorization fields in the request header.
    2. Payload – The VA looks for the authorization fields in the request body content.
    3. Query String – The VA looks for the authorization fields as a query in the request body.
    4. Path Param – The VA looks for the authorization fields in the request URL path.
  2. In the Field Key field, enter the name of the field for the selected Field Type.

  3. In the Field Value field, enter the value for the Field Key specified.
  4. Click Done. The new authorization field is added in the Authorization Fields section.

Authorization Check URL

In the Authorization Check URL field, optionally define a URL that can be used to test the authorization settings from the XO Platform before you deploy the assistant with the authorization mechanism. You can use dynamic fields, path parameter fields, query fields, and so forth, to define the test URL.

For example

https://kore.someCompany.com/sap/opu/odata/sap/{{authfield1}}/?$format=json

or

https://{tenant}.service-now.com/api/now/v1/table/incident

For more information, see Using Session and Context Variables in Tasks.

Click Save to save the authorization settings and close the New Authorization Mechanism dialog.

Testing the Authorization

Once you save the authorization settings, you can test your authorization definition when you click Test from the Authorization Profile page.

Auth profile - Test

To configure testing for Basic Auth, please follow the steps below:

  1. In the Auth Check URL field, verify or enter the URL to test the authorization configuration.
  2. If your assistant uses subdomains, the Tenancy field is displayed and you must specify the tenant.
  3. Enter your User Name and Password for the web service.
  4. Select the content type expected for the URL in the Content-Type field.
  5. Select the Method for testing the URL, You can select either the GET or POST method .
  6. Click Test to begin the authorization test.

Testing the Authorization

When the validation of authorization is complete, the Test Authorization dialog closes and you can see the results of the validation, either success or failure.

If the authorization fails, the Auth Test Failed message is displayed along with the Headers and Response tabs.

Auth test failed