Connect Telegram Bot (Token Flow)

Summary

This setup guide covers the exact bot connection flow in Telestars and the minimum actions required to activate a new bot safely. For operators, this page should be used as a decision surface, not only as a UI form. Always pair page actions with downstream validation in the relevant live workflow.

What this page is for

• Connect new bots to workspace operations.
• Avoid invalid token onboarding errors.
• Establish first live handshake with Telegram.

Before you start

• Get a valid token from BotFather.
• Prepare a bot display name for internal clarity.
• Ensure account has permission to manage bots.

Step-by-step workflow

1. Open /dashboard/bots.
2. Fill Bot name (optional but recommended).
3. Paste Telegram token.
4. Click Connect and wait for 'Bot registered successfully'.
5. Open the bot in Telegram and send /start.
6. Refresh bot list and confirm new bot appears.

Key states and error handling

• Validation error: 'Enter a Telegram bot token'.
• Generic connect failure: 'Unable to connect bot'.
• Connected bot appears in list with management controls.

Best practices

• Use naming conventions across all bots.
• Connect one bot at a time to simplify troubleshooting.
• Immediately test /start after connection.

Troubleshooting

• If connect fails, regenerate token in BotFather and retry.
• If bot does not appear, refresh list and verify workspace context.
• If /start has no effect, verify bot username and token pair.
• If issue persists after one clean retry, capture exact toast/banner text, selected bot, and timestamp before escalation.

UI reference (what each control does)

• Bot name is a workspace label used by operators; token validity is handled by backend verification.
• Connect action creates the bot record and triggers availability in other modules.
• AI toggle is constrained by plan, wallet, and business connection prerequisites.
• Rename is inline and should be committed only after checking bot identity.
• Delete is permanent and should be treated as irreversible operational cleanup.
• Wallet readiness for non-admin paths is tied to funded state and minimum thresholds.
• Business connection health directly impacts downstream Fan Inbox usage.
• Toast messages are the fastest failure classifier during onboarding incidents.

Operator checklist (before shipping changes)

• Validate token source before connect (BotFather-issued token only).
• Send /start in Telegram immediately after connection to complete handshake.
• Set an unambiguous bot display name for multi-bot workspaces.
• Check business connection and plan status before enabling AI.
• Do not delete a bot still used by active scripts or welcome flows.
• Record high-impact bot lifecycle changes in your internal changelog.

Real-world scenario

A bot appears connected but AI cannot be enabled. The operator checks wallet readiness, confirms plan state, and validates business connection. After prerequisites are fixed, AI toggle succeeds and inbox behavior normalizes.

1. Identify the exact scope (bot, period, module) before any change.
2. Apply one targeted correction based on observed UI state and messages.
3. Validate outcome in the live operational flow linked to this page.
4. Document the final state so future incidents can be solved faster.