Telegram

Telegram delivery uses a bot and a chat ID. There is no webhook URL.

1. Create the bot

1. Message @BotFather in Telegram.
2. Send /newbot, then follow the prompts for a name and a username.
3. Copy the token it gives you. It is a numeric bot ID, a colon, then a long secret.

2. Get the chat ID

Add the bot to the group or channel that should receive alerts, then find the chat's numeric ID.

For a group:

1. Add the bot to the group.
2. Send any message in the group.
3. Open https://api.telegram.org/bot<your-token>/getUpdates in a browser.
4. Read result[].message.chat.id. A group ID is negative, for example -1001234567890.

For a channel: add the bot as an administrator with permission to post, then use the same getUpdates call after posting in the channel.

For a direct message: message the bot first, then read the positive chat.id from getUpdates.

The bot has to be messaged first

Telegram will not let a bot start a conversation. Until somebody messages the group or the bot, getUpdates is empty and delivery fails.

3. Create the contact point

Insights → Alerting → Contact points → New contact point, type Telegram.

Field	Notes
Bot token	The token from BotFather
Chat ID	The numeric ID, including the leading minus for a group
Message	Optional. Takes a template

Then Test.

Common failures

Delivery attempt says	Cause
401 Unauthorized	The token is wrong, or the bot was deleted in BotFather
400 chat not found	The chat ID is wrong, or the leading minus was dropped from a group ID
403 bot was kicked	The bot was removed from the group
403 bot is not a member	Add the bot to the group or channel
400 not enough rights	In a channel, the bot needs administrator rights to post
no bot token setting, no chat ID setting	A field is empty

Notes

The token is the bot's full identity. Anyone holding it can read and post everywhere the bot is a member, so use a bot dedicated to alerting.