The issue you are encountering with Google Chat adding extra encoding (the W(20653) string) in URLs likely stems from how session tokens or stateful parameters are being handled by Acumatica and how Google Chat interprets and encodes certain characters in URLs when pasted.
Here’s a breakdown of the problem and possible solutions:
Problem Breakdown:
W(20653) is a session identifier (or token) that Acumatica appends to URLs to maintain state between user requests.- When you paste these URLs into Google Chat, it appears that the special characters, like parentheses, are being URL-encoded. Specifically, the
( becomes %28 and the ) becomes %29. - This leads to malformed URLs when clicked, causing 404 errors since the URL is not interpreted correctly by Acumatica.
Why This Happens:
- URL Encoding in Google Chat: Google Chat is likely applying URL encoding when interpreting URLs to ensure they are safe for transmission over the web. This encoding of special characters can break URLs that depend on specific session tokens, as is the case with Acumatica.
- Session Tokens in Acumatica: Acumatica uses the
(W(20653)) portion in the URL to manage session states. When this gets mangled by Google Chat, Acumatica no longer recognizes the session, resulting in a 404 error.
Possible Solutions:
1. Use URL Shorteners
- Solution: Use a URL shortener (e.g., Bit.ly, TinyURL, etc.) to shorten the Acumatica links before sharing them in Google Chat. Shortened URLs are less likely to be encoded or altered since the special characters would be hidden behind the shortened URL.
- How: Copy the Acumatica URL, shorten it using a URL shortening service, and paste the shortened URL into Google Chat. This would bypass the encoding issue entirely.
2. Remove the Session Tokens Manually
3. Disable Session Token in Acumatica (if possible)
- Solution: If session tokens are not critical for your workflows, you could explore disabling them in Acumatica's configuration, though this may have broader implications for security and state management.
- How: This would involve working with your Acumatica admin to see if session tokens like
(W(20653)) can be disabled or reconfigured in a way that doesn’t alter the URLs as much.
4. Send Links with Plain Text Formatting
- Solution: If Google Chat has an option to send URLs as plain text without applying any encoding, try that. For example, wrapping the URL in backticks (`) or using a code block feature (if supported by Google Chat) might stop the platform from encoding the parentheses.
- How: Try using a code block (usually
``` in Markdown format) or wrap the URL in backticks (`). This could prevent Google Chat from auto-formatting the URL.
5. Check Google Chat URL Settings
- Solution: Explore any available settings within Google Chat that might control how URLs are handled or formatted. If there are options to disable automatic hyperlinking or URL encoding, this could solve the issue.
- How: While Google Chat is fairly minimal in its settings, you may want to look into Workspace Admin settings for link sharing policies or encoding options.
6. Use Another Communication Platform
- Solution: If Google Chat continues to be problematic with URL handling, consider switching to another communication tool that handles URLs without encoding them, like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or even internal email. These platforms might offer more control over how URLs are shared and displayed.
Conclusion:
The most straightforward fix would likely be to either strip the session tokens from the URL manually or use a URL shortener before sharing the links in Google Chat. Both methods should prevent Google Chat from encoding the URLs in a way that breaks their functionality in Acumatica.
If the problem persists and you need more granular control over URL sharing, exploring other communication tools or settings within Acumatica and Google Chat might be necessary.
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