BlackBerry Connect app configuration settings

Server Configuration tab

Description

Connect Server host

Type the FQDN of the computers that host the BlackBerry Connect service. If you have multiple servers, separate the names using commas, not spaces. For example, domain01.example.com:8080,domain02.example.com:8080 or https://domain01.example.com:8082,https://domain02.example.com:8082.

For more information, see Configure BlackBerry Connect app settings in BlackBerry UEM

Platform

Select the instant messaging platform in your environment.

BEMS no longer supports Skype for Business Online. For information about instant messaging platform compatibility, see the BEMS Compatibility Matrix.

Allow clients to connect using WebSockets

If you select this option, the BlackBerry Connect app uses websockets to communicate with the BEMS-Connect service. By default, this setting is enabled.

Proxy Office 365 Modern Authentication requests (Android only)

Select this option to force all Office 365 Modern Authentication requests to go through the BlackBerry Proxy instead of connecting directly to the Internet. By default, this setting is disabled.

Select this option if your environment is configured for Modern Authentication and has a conditional access policy set.

If the check box is cleared, the users receive an error message when they try to authenticate.

App Settings tab

Description

Allow launching links in consumer browser apps

If you select this option, the local device browser application starts when you tap a web address within a BlackBerry Connect contact, conversation, or email message. By default, this setting is enabled.

Allow launching addresses in consumer map apps

If you select this option, the device’s map application is used when tapping an address within a BlackBerry Connect contact, conversation, or email message. By default, this setting is enabled.

Allow emojis to be used and displayed in Connect

If you select this option, users can use and display emojis in the BlackBerry Connect app. By default, this setting is enabled.

Allow profile images to be used and displayed in Connect
If you select this option, users can view profile pictures when they send and receive instant messaging messages. By default, this setting is enabled.
Note: Profile images are not supported for users in a Cisco Jabber environment.

Allow users to perform app diagnostics

If you select this option, users can generate a diagnostics report and then email the results to the administrator. By default, this setting is disabled.

Allow users to create a New Group Discussion

If you select this option, users can create new group discussions. By default, this setting is enabled. Note: Persistent chat is not supported in Skype for Business 2019.

If the check box is cleared, the "New Group Discussion" option is hidden in the The Chats icon > The New Chat icon drop-down list.

If the check box is selected and you didn't set a category for the group discussion, users receive an error message that specifies that the action was unsuccessful. For more information about setting the default persistent chat category, see Specify the default persistent chat category for users.

Select level of detail in Message notifications

If you select this option, users can view the sender name, a preview of the message, or both when they receive instant messaging invitations and instant message notifications. By default, this setting is disabled.

Available settings:
  • No details in notification: Users see the default message notifications, "You have received a new message" and "You have received an invitation," in the instant messaging preview.
  • Sender only: Users see the sender's name in clear text with the default message notification in the instant messaging preview.
  • Sender and Message: Users see the sender's name and a preview of the instant message in the instant messaging preview.

The default setting is "No details in notification."

Data Leakage Prevention Watermark

If you select the "Enable DLP Watermark" option, a watermark is added to all BlackBerry Connect screens. The watermark shows the user's username and current date and time. Note: If users print a file, the watermarks are not displayed in the output.

Set 'Away' Settings

You can set the default period of inactivity (in minutes) before the users' presence status changes to “Away”. Enter 0 (zero) to never change users' presence status to “Away”. By default, this feature is enabled and users’ status changes to “Away” after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Optionally, you can clear the Allow users to override default 'Away' value in App Settings check box to restrict users from modifying the Set as ‘Away’ setting in the BlackBerry Connect app Settings. By default, users can select a time in the app Settings.

Other Settings

Enter an email address into the "User Feedback Email Address" field to automatically send feedback to the specified email address when users submit feedback and diagnostic report results. Separate multiple email addresses with a comma or semicolon. Note: Users can delete the prepopulated email addresses in the CC field before they send their feedback or diagnostic reports.

Disclaimer tab

Description

Display Disclaimer

If you select this option and specify disclaimer text, the disclaimer appears when a user creates or receives a new instant message in the BlackBerry Connect app. Disclaimers appear in the top of the instant messaging window on the device and can be a maximum of 250 characters. By default, this setting is disabled.

File Transfer tab

Description

Sending and downloading files in chats
By default,
  • Users that are enabled for persistent chat can send and download files from a persistent chat group discussion. Note: Persistent chat is not supported in Skype for Business 2019.
  • Users in one-to-one chats can send and receive files in the chat. This feature requires BlackBerry Connect and BEMS to be configured with one of the following instant messaging servers:
    • Skype for Business 2015 and 2019 on-premises using trusted application mode
    • Microsoft Lync Server 2013
    This feature is not supported in a Cisco Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence service environment.

Sending files

By default, users can send and download files up to 20 MB.

You can set whether files must include a file extension when users send them to persistent chat group discussion or in a one-to-one chat.

Available settings:
  • Block sending files with extensions
  • Only allow sending files with extension: Specify the file extensions that cannot be sent. If you do not specify file extensions, users can send all file types.
The default value is "Block sending files with extensions."
Important: Consider the following scenarios:
  • You use the default setting. No additional action is required. Users can send files without extensions to group discussions.

    When users try to send a file with a blocked extension, an error message indicating that the file cannot be uploaded because the extension is blocked by an IT Policy is displayed.

  • You allow users to send files with specific extensions (for example, .png, .doc, .pdf, and .txt) to a group discussion and chats. You must specify the extensions that users can send. If the extensions are not specified, all files are blocked, including files without extensions.

    When users try to send a file with a blocked extension, an error message indicating that the file cannot be uploaded because the extension is blocked by an IT Policy is displayed.

Downloading files

You can set whether files must include a file extension to allow users to download the files from the persistent chat group discussion or in a one-to-one chat.

Available settings:
  • Block downloading files with extensions
  • Only allow downloading files with extension: Specify the file extensions that users can download. If you do not specify file extensions, users can download all file types.
The default value is "Block downloading files with extensions."
Important: Consider the following scenarios:
  • You use the default setting. No additional action is required. Users can download files without extensions from group discussions and in chats.

    When users try to send a file with a blocked extension, an error message indicating that the file cannot be downloaded because the extension is blocked by an IT Policy is displayed.

  • You allow users to download files with specific extensions (for example, .png, .doc, .pdf, and .txt) from a group discussion and in chats. You must specify the extensions that users can download. If the extensions are not specified, all file downloads are blocked, including files without extensions.

    When users try to send a file with a blocked extension, an error message indicating that the file cannot be downloaded because the extension is blocked by an IT Policy is displayed.

File transfer interoperability

Camera and device photo gallery permissions

When users are enabled for persistent chat or one-to-one chats, they can take and send photos from the device photo gallery to the persistent chat discussion group that they are a member of and in one-to-one chat sessions. You can allow users import and export to third-party applications.

Available settings:
  • Allow access to camera and device photo gallery
  • Allow access to camera only
  • No access to camera or device photo gallery
The default value is "Allow access to the camera and device photo gallery."

File transfer privileges

Select the "Enable exporting to 3rd-party native apps (iOS only)" to specify whether to allow the transfer of files to third-party native apps on the user's device. You can allow and disallow specific apps by app ID and app share extensions. If your environment includes iOS devices that run iOS 14 or later, add both the app ID and app share extension for a specific app to make sure that BlackBerry Connect for iOS contains the necessary information to compare the app against the blacklists or whitelists configured in BlackBerry UEM. If the necessary information is not included, users running iOS14 and later might be unable to transfer a file and receive an error message. By default, this setting is disabled.

Available settings
  • Block exporting only to these apps
  • Allow exporting only to these apps

Select the "Enable Importing from 3rd-party native app (iOS only)" option to allow the import of files from third-party native apps on the user's device. You can allow and disallow specific apps by app ID and app share extensions.

Available settings:
  • Block importing only from these apps
  • Allow importing only from these apps

Conversation History tab

Description

Enable conversation history on the device

You can allow users import and export to third-party applications. Users can search their conversation history on the device. By default, this setting is enabled. This setting doesn't apply to the conversation history for persistent chat group discussions.

Purge chat messages older than <number of days>

If you select this option, older conversation messages are removed from the device after the specified number of days. You can select the number of days before instant messages are removed from the device.

This setting doesn't apply to the conversation history for persistent chat group discussions.

Performance reporting is available only in the BlackBerry UEM console. By default, this feature is disabled.

Performance Reporting tab

Description

Enable Performance Reporting

Specify whether to monitor the performance of the BlackBerry Connect app.

HTTP Connection Error

Specify whether to report HTTP connection errors between BlackBerry Connect and the specified application servers.

HTTP Response Time

Specify whether to report HTTP responses that are taking longer than the specified time. Enter the application server addresses to monitor.

HTTP Status Code

Specify whether to report a specified HTTP status code. Enter the application server addresses to monitor.

Don't send reports for duration (in seconds)Specify the amount of time to wait before sending another report.