Facebook

Important! Social Networking Account integration with NetForum is deprecated. Build: 2014.01

Before your entity will allow customers to post Facebook updates from eWeb, you must first create a Facebook app that will integrate Facebook with your netFORUM entity. This is a simple process and quickly accomplished.

The overall workflow for integrating Facebook with your entity is as follows:

1. Contact Abila Support to set the EnableEwebSocialIntegration system option needed for social networking integration.
2. Once social networking integration has been enabled, create the Facebook app following the steps outlined on this page including linking the app with netFORUM through the FacebookAppKey and FacebookAppSecret system options once completed.
3. Set-up appropriate posting messaging for when customers post events, merchandise purchasing, and so forth in Inventory Setup.

Creating the Facebook App

To create a Facebook app for integration with netFORUM, complete the following steps:

1. Goto the URL https://developers.facebook.com.
2. Click the Apps button in the top navigation bar and seen below.
3. Log-in to your Facebook account
4. Allow Developer permission to access your basic account information.
5. Click the +Create New App button in the upper right corner of your screen. The New App window appears.

   • App Name: Enter a descriptive app name. It may not contain a Facebook trademark or have a name that can be confused with an app built by Facebook.

   • Locale: Choose the country where your entity resides; most likely the US.

   • Click the checkbox to agree to Facebook Terms and then click the Continue button to proceed.

   Your newly created app appears with the Basic information page highlighted.

Setting the Site URL

Two important URL settings must be completed and saved in your newly created app so that it will integrate correctly with your netFORUM entity and allow posting to Facebook. They are: Site URL and Deauthorization Callback. Both must point to your live netFORUM eWeb URLs.

To update your Site URL setting, complete the following steps:

1. Click the Website hyperlink on the Basic information page to expand the section.

   • Site URL: Launch eWeb and copy the URL from the address bar in your browser window. Remove all text from the word “eWeb” and beyond. For example, if your eWeb URL is https://netforum.avectra.com/eWeb/StartPage.aspx?Site=Avectra, your Site URL will be https://netforum.avectra.com as seen in the image above.

   • You do not need to enter a Site Domain at this time. It will be removed by the app(as seen above) once it is saved.

   • Click the Save Changes button to continue.

Setting the Deauthorization Callback

Facebook users are always provided the opportunity to deauthorize an application/site from posting status updates to their accounts. As a result, your app must provide this deauthorization as well.

To create deauthorization functionality, complete the following steps:

1. Click the Advanced hyperlink on the Basic information page, seen below.
2. The Advanced information page will appear, a partial of which is seen below.
3. The Deauthorize Callback URL is the exact same as your Site URL with one exception: Replace the text StartPage.aspx? with the text eweb/SocialSharing.aspx
4. As a result, the Site URL https://netforum.avectra.com/StartPage.aspx?Site=AVTRA would become https://netforum.avectra.com/eweb/SocialSharing.aspx for the Deauthorization URL.
5. Once again, click Save Changes to save your entries. Note: Do not modify any other settings save the Deauthorize Callback field on this screen at this time.

Linking the Facebook App with netFORUM System Options

Once you have finalized the settings in your app, you are ready to port some information back into netFORUM to finalize your Facebook integration. Specifically, you need to enter your App ID into the FacebookAppKey system option and the App Secret into the FacebookAppSecret system option in netFORUM.

Both are found on top of the Basic information page (click the Basic hyperlink in the left navigation bar), and are seen below.

Click the Save button to finish your Facebook integration with netFORUM.

Your customers may now use the Social Networks buttons in netFORUM to post status updates on Facebook.