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Introduction
Managing Telegram group buy orders through manual spreadsheet updates is time-consuming and prone to errors. This article explores how we automated this process by integrating the Basetao spreadsheetAPI-based solution, dramatically improving efficiency and order accuracy for our Telegram shopping service.
The Problem: Manual Order Management
Before automation, our process involved:
- Manually copying order information from Telegram messages
- Updating spreadsheets with product details, sizes, and colors
- Tracking payment status across multiple platforms
- Communicating order status individually to each customer
This process typically consumed 3-4 hours daily
Solution Design: API Integration Architecture
We developed a system with three core components:
1. Telegram Message Parser
Python script using the Telethon library to monitor specific channels and extract order information using regex patterns:
async for message in client.iter_messages(channel_id):
if re.search(order_pattern, message.text):
order_data = parse_order(message.text)
api_client.submit_order(order_data)2. Basetao Spreadsheet API Integration
Custom middleware that transforms order data into the required format for Basetao's API:
def format_basetao_order(order):
return {
"product_url": order['url'],
"options": {
"size": order['size'],
"color": order['color']
},
"remarks": order['customer_note'],
"price": order['quoted_price']
}3. Status Synchronization System
Automated process that checks order status periodically and updates both spreadsheet and Telegram:
def sync_status():
orders = basetao_api.get_orders()
for order in orders:
if order['status_changed']:
update_spreadsheet(order)
notify_customer(order)Implementation Challenges & Solutions
Data Standardization
Telegram orders came in various formats from different customers. We implemented natural language processing to identify key order components:
- Product links recognition
- Size and color extraction from unstructured text
- Price matching patterns
API Rate Limiting
Basetao's API has strict rate limits. We implemented:
- Request queuing system
- Smart caching of product information
- Batched updates during off-peak hours
Error Handling
To maintain data integrity, we created:
- Automatic retry mechanism for failed requests
- Manual review queue for ambiguous orders
- Comprehensive logging system
Results & Benefits
Performance Metrics
| Metric | Before Automation | After Automation | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time per order | 5-7 minutes | ~30 seconds | 85-90% reduction |
| Order errors | 8-12% | <2% | 75%+ reduction |
| Max orders/day | ~30 | ~200 | 567% increase |
Business Impact
- Scaled operations without increasing staff
- Improved customer satisfaction with faster response times
- Reduced operational costs by approximately 60%
- Enabled real-time order tracking for customers
Conclusion & Future Enhancements
The integration of Telegram order management with Basetao's spreadsheet API has transformed our operations, eliminating manual processes and significantly reducing errors. The automation handles approximately 90% of orders without human intervention.
Future improvements will include:
- Machine learning for better message interpretation
- Multi-platform integration (WeChat, WhatsApp)
- Advanced analytics for order forecasting
- Automated supplier price comparisons
This implementation demonstrates how strategic API integrations can revolutionize traditionally manual processes in e-commerce and group buy operations.