A push notification is a message that you send to your app users from the push notification node in the program builder or using our API.
To send push notifications, you need to complete some set up steps to configure a profile and ready your app to work with Dotdigital.
Before you start
Things you need to know:
Some code must be added to your app. Learn more in Setting up mobile push notifications.
We recommend your app developers help you with these steps.
Push notification profile
A push notification profile lets Dotdigital know how to communicate with your app using Apple's APNS and Google's FCM push systems, as well as how to authorise a user for push.
You only need one profile set up to send push notifications to both Android and iOS devices.
Create a push notification profile
To create a push notification profile:
Go to Connect > Digital marketing channels.
Select Push Notification, and then NEW PROFILE.
On the New profile page, enter the name of your app.
Under Authentication, make a note of the values that are pre-populated in each field.
You must use these values to create a JSON Web Token (JWT) in your app and pass that token to our SDK to authorise the user for push.
Now you need to configure your app’s push systems. Depending on the operating systems you built your app for, enter your FCM details and your APNS credentials.
Learn more under Enter your FCM details. and Enter your APNS credentials.
Once this is done, return to Dotdigital to complete the setup.
Select SAVE.
You now see a value in the API space ID field. Make a note of this, and use it to initialise an SDK.
Enter your FCM details (Android)
Our Android SDK uses Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) to send push notifications to your Android app users. You must enter some details about your Firebase project.
Learn more in Google’s documentation.
Top tip
Make this task easier by using two browser tabs. One for Dotdigital and one for the Firebase console, so you can switch quickly between the two.
Open the Firebase console.
If you don't have a Firebase project, you must create one. To learn more, check out the Firebase documentation.In the Firebase console, select the cog icon, then select Project settings.
Select the General tab, and copy your package name.
In Dotdigital, under the heading App system: Android, enter your package name.
Return to the Firebase console. Select the Cloud Messaging tab, and copy your Server key.
Return to Dotdigital, and under the heading App system: Android, enter your Server key.
Select SAVE.
Enter your APNS details (Apple)
Our iOS SDK uses the Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) to send push notifications to your contacts. Therefore, you must configure your APNS token details for us to send pushes to your app.
We use APNS tokens rather than APNS Certificates, as the tokens do not expire annually. You can find instructions for creating an APNS token in the Apple Developer Portal.
If you don't have an app ID with the Push Notifications service enabled, you must create one.
Top tip
Make this task easier by using two browser tabs. One for Dotdigital and one for the Apple Developer Portal, so you can switch quickly between the two.
In your Apple Developer Portal, go to Certificates, IDs & Profiles.
Select Keys > All, and then select the + button to create a new key.
Enter an appropriate name for the key, ensure the Apple Push Notifications service (APNs) option is selected, and then select Create key.
Download the key (.p8 file) and store it securely; also, copy the Key ID.
In Dotdigital, under the heading App system: iOS, for Private key, select Choose file and upload your APNS Key file (.p8).
For Key ID, enter the value of your APNS key's ID.
For Team ID, enter the value of your team ID.
Select SAVE.
Find your API space ID
You use the API space ID to initialise our mobile SDKs. The API space ID is displayed at the bottom of your push notification profile page.
Delete or disable a push notification profile
Before you start
Things you need to know:
You can't delete or disable a profile that's in use in an active program.
Deleting a profile deletes all usage statistics for that profile.
Disabling a profile stops users from selecting the profile in a push notification node until you enable the profile again.
To delete a push notification profile:
Go to Connect > Digital marketing channels.
Select the checkbox next to the name of the profile.
Select Delete.
To disable a push notification profile:
Go to Connect > Digital marketing channels.
Select the name of the profile.
Select Disabled next to the Status field.