Telegram Guide: Switching from only tg / onlyTG to TG-Staff — A Complete Migration Playbook for Global Teams

If your team relies on Telegram for customer support, you’ve likely hit the ceiling with only tg (onlyTG). While it served as a decent starter tool, growing teams quickly outgrow its limits—especially when managing multiple bots, multilingual conversations, or compliance-sensitive workflows like wallet address monitoring.

This Telegram guide walks you through a complete migration from onlyTG to TG-Staff, covering data export, staff setup, workflow recreation, and compliance activation. By the end, you’ll have a production-ready customer service hub that scales with your global operations.

Why Teams Are Moving from only tg / onlyTG to TG-Staff

The decision to switch usually comes down to three factors: scalability, language support, and compliance. TG-Staff is built as a B2B SaaS platform for teams that manage Telegram bots at scale, while onlyTG was designed for smaller, simpler setups.

Key Limitations of onlyTG That TG-Staff Solves

• Limited staff seats: onlyTG restricts how many agents can handle conversations simultaneously. TG-Staff offers plans with 3, 5, or 20 staff seats, each with independent login credentials.
• No AI translation: onlyTG lacks built-in translation. TG-Staff provides automatic AI translation (Standard plan) plus Google Professional and DeepL (Pro plan)—critical for global teams.
• Basic diversion links: onlyTG’s diversion capabilities are minimal. TG-Staff’s diversion links (magic links) capture visitor IP, browser info, and URL parameters for attribution—essential for ad campaigns and multi-channel tracking.
• No content moderation: onlyTG doesn’t monitor staff outbound messages. TG-Staff’s Pro plan includes content risk control, including wallet address monitoring—a must for Web3, crypto, and compliance-sensitive teams.

What TG-Staff Brings to the Table

• Real-time two-way chat: Web-based dashboard for agents, Telegram-native experience for users. Supports conversation pinning, tagging, and user profiles.
• Automatic translation: AI, Google, or DeepL—configured per conversation or globally. Daily quotas vary by plan (unlimited on Pro).
• Visual command flow editor: Drag-and-drop builder for welcome messages, menus, and multi-step bot interactions. No coding required.
• Diversion links with attribution: Create unique short URLs for each marketing channel. Capture visitor data before routing to your bot.
• Content risk control: Monitor staff messages for specific keywords—including crypto wallet addresses—with confirmation popups or blocking. Full audit logs for compliance.

Step 1: Export Your Data from onlyTG

Since onlyTG may not offer structured export features, you’ll need to manually back up your data. This step ensures you don’t lose valuable chat history or automation logic.

Exporting Chat History and User Data

• Use onlyTG’s built-in export (if available): Check your onlyTG dashboard for any CSV or JSON export options for chat logs and user profiles.
• Manual backup for key conversations: For critical customer interactions, copy the conversation text into a document or spreadsheet. Focus on unresolved tickets or VIP user threads.
• Telegram’s own export tool: For large volumes, use Telegram’s native export: Settings > Advanced > Export Telegram data. This exports all your chats (including bot conversations) in JSON or HTML format.
• User list extraction: If onlyTG displays user information, screenshot or copy the list. You’ll need Telegram user IDs or usernames for future segmentation.

Backing Up Command Flows and Automation Rules

• Screenshot your existing flows: Open each onlyTG command or auto-reply rule and take screenshots. Note the trigger conditions and response texts.
• Document step-by-step interactions: For multi-step flows (e.g., “Welcome → Menu → Select Option → Response”), write out the exact sequence. These will be recreated in TG-Staff’s visual editor.
• Export menu structures: If your bot has nested menus, create a tree diagram or table showing each level and its options.

Step 2: Set Up Your TG-Staff Account and Projects

Once your data is backed up, it’s time to build your new home. TG-Staff supports multiple bots per account, so you can consolidate all onlyTG projects into one dashboard.

Registering and Linking Your Telegram Bot

1. Create your account: Go to app.tg-staff.com and sign up. Your 3-day free trial starts immediately.
2. Get your bot token: Open Telegram, find @BotFather, and create a new bot (or use an existing one). Copy the API token.
3. Link the bot in TG-Staff: In the control panel, navigate to “Projects” → “Add Project.” Paste your bot token, and TG-Staff will automatically detect your bot’s name, description, and profile photo.
4. Configure project settings: Set your timezone, default language, and session timeout preferences.

Configuring Staff Seats and Roles

• Add staff members: Go to “Staff” → “Invite Staff.” Enter their email addresses or Telegram handles. Each staff member receives a login link to the web dashboard.
• Define project permissions: For each staff member, specify which bots they can access. You can set “All Conversations” or “Assigned Only” to control visibility.
• Role-based access: Assign admin, supervisor, or agent roles. Admins can manage projects and staff; supervisors can monitor conversations; agents handle chats.

Step 3: Migrate Your Customer Service Workflows

This is where the real work begins—and where TG-Staff’s visual editor shines. You’ll recreate your onlyTG logic in a fraction of the time.

Rebuilding Command Flows with the Visual Editor

1. Open the flow editor: In your project dashboard, click “Command Flows” → “Create New Flow.”
2. Map your existing logic: Start with your welcome message. Drag a “Text” node and enter your greeting. Connect it to a “Menu” node with options.
3. Add branching: For each menu option, create a response node. Use “Condition” nodes for yes/no or input-based logic.
4. Test as you build: Use the built-in preview to simulate a user conversation. Verify that each path works correctly.

Example flow structure:

Step	Node Type	Content
1	Welcome	”Hello! How can we help you today?“
2	Menu	1. Sales Inquiry 2. Technical Support 3. Account Issues
3	Condition	If user types “1” → route to Sales Flow
4	Response	”You’ll be connected to a sales agent shortly.”

Setting Up Session Diversion and Diversion Links

• Configure session routing: In “Project Settings” → “Diversion,” choose between:
  • Round-robin: Sessions are distributed evenly across all available staff.
  • Online-first: Sessions go to online staff first; if all are offline, falls back to round-robin.
• Define staff scope: Set the project’s “Staff Range” to “All Staff” or “Specified Staff” to control who can receive sessions.
• Create diversion links: Go to “Diversion Links” → “Create Link.” Enter a name (e.g., “Facebook Ad Campaign”) and generate a short URL like https://app.tg-staff.com/abc123. This link captures visitor IP, browser info, and any URL parameters you append.
• Use in marketing: Replace your onlyTG diversion links with TG-Staff’s magic links in ads, social media bios, and email campaigns.

Step 4: Activate Content Moderation and Compliance Features

For Web3, crypto, or security-conscious teams, TG-Staff’s content risk control is a game-changer. The Pro plan includes wallet address monitoring—something onlyTG doesn’t offer.

Setting Up Wallet Address Monitoring

1. Create a risk word group: Go to “Content Risk Control” → “Risk Word Groups” → “Create Group.” Name it (e.g., “Wallet Addresses”).
2. Add wallet addresses or patterns: Enter specific TRC20, ERC20, or BTC addresses. You can also use address fragments (e.g., T9yD14 for TRC20) to catch partial matches.
3. Configure action: Choose “Block” (message is not sent) or “Confirm” (staff sees a popup asking to confirm before sending).
4. Link to projects: Associate this risk word group with specific projects. Only staff messages in those projects will be monitored.
5. Test the rule: Have a staff member send the blocked address in a test conversation. Verify the popup or block works as expected.

Auditing Staff Messages

• View triggered events: Go to “Content Risk Control” → “Audit Log.” You’ll see a list of all triggered events, including the staff member, session, exact message, risk word matched, and timestamp.
• Filter by date or staff: Use filters to narrow down events for compliance reporting.
• Export logs: Download the audit log as CSV for external audits or internal reviews.

Step 5: Test and Go Live

Before cutting over completely, run a parallel test with a small team. This ensures everything works smoothly and your staff is comfortable with the new interface.

Testing with a Pilot Group

• Select 2–3 staff members: Have them handle live conversations for 24 hours using TG-Staff. Ensure they test:
  • Session transfer between agents
  • Private notes (Pro plan feature for internal collaboration)
  • Translation quality (both directions)
  • Diversion links from different devices and browsers
• Monitor the dashboard: Check that all conversations are recorded, user profiles are populated, and statistics are updating.
• Gather feedback: Ask your pilot group about usability, response time, and any missing features. Adjust project settings accordingly.

Updating Your Bot’s Public Links and Commands

• Replace diversion links: Update all marketing URLs, social media bios, and email signatures to point to TG-Staff’s magic links.
• Update bot commands: In TG-Staff’s control panel, edit your bot’s welcome message, menu commands, and description directly—no need to visit @BotFather.
• Set up bulk messaging (optional): If you have a user list from onlyTG, use TG-Staff’s bulk messaging feature to notify users about the new support system.

Frequently Asked Questions

问：Can I import my onlyTG chat history into TG-Staff?

答： TG-Staff does not currently offer a direct import from onlyTG. We recommend manually exporting chat logs from onlyTG (via its built-in export or Telegram’s data export tool) and then uploading them as reference files. For ongoing conversations, start fresh in TG-Staff—your new sessions will be fully recorded in the dashboard.

问：How long does the migration from onlyTG to TG-Staff take?

答： For a small team (3–5 staff, 1–2 bots), the migration typically takes 1–2 hours: 30 minutes for account setup, 30 minutes for workflow recreation, and 30 minutes for testing. Larger teams with multiple bots and complex flows may need half a day. The visual flow editor significantly reduces recreation time compared to coding custom solutions.

问：Does TG-Staff support multiple languages for customer service?

答： Yes. TG-Staff offers automatic translation in the Standard plan (AI-based) and Pro plan (Google Professional, DeepL Professional). Each plan has daily quotas—Pro provides unlimited translation. This is a key advantage over many onlyTG setups, which lack built-in multilingual support entirely.

问：What happens to my onlyTG subscription after migration?

答： You should cancel your onlyTG subscription directly through their platform. TG-Staff offers a 3-day free trial, and you can subscribe via Stripe (credit card) or USDT (TRC20) on a 30/90/180/360-day cycle. Your TG-Staff account remains active as long as your subscription is current. See the official pricing page for current rates.

问：Can I monitor staff sending wallet addresses in TG-Staff?

答： Yes—this is a Pro plan feature. You can create risk word groups containing specific wallet addresses (e.g., TRC20/ERC20/BTC) or address fragments. When a staff message matches, it triggers a confirmation popup or blocks the send. All events are logged for audit. This is particularly valuable for Web3, crypto exchanges, and NFT projects that need to prevent accidental or unauthorized sharing of payment addresses.

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Ready to upgrade your Telegram customer service? Start your 3-day free trial at app.tg-staff.com, or contact our support bot @tgstaff_robot for migration assistance. Full documentation is available at docs.tg-staff.com.