Meet-Me Web Meeting. User Guide

Transcription

1 Meet-Me Web Meeting Web-based Conferencing Controls User Guide Version 2.1

2 This page is intentionally left blank.

3 Table of Contents MEET-ME WEB MEETING... 1 WEB-BASED CONFERENCING CONTROLS... 1 USER GUIDE... 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS... I INTRODUCTION... 1 NAVIGATING THIS USER GUIDE... 2 CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED... 3 System Requirements... 3 Testing your Browser... 3 CHAPTER 2 QUICK START... 5 CHAPTER 3 QUICK TOUR... 9 Starting a Conference... 9 Recording a Conference... 9 Uploading a Presentation Showing Your Desktop and Applications Playing Recordings CHAPTER 4 PREPARING FOR A CONFERENCE CALL Preparing an Audio Conference Invitation Preparing a Web Conference Invitation Operated-Assisted Calls CHAPTER 5 CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT MEET-ME (ON-DEMAND) MEETINGS SCHEDULING A MEETING Advanced Settings Managing Scheduled Meeting Information Viewing Past Meetings Rescheduling and Cloning Past Meetings WEB MEETING MANAGEMENT TOOLS View Reports Manage Recordings Recording Playback Edit Recording Common Issues with Recording Playback Podcast Feed Settings Podcast Subscription Page Adding Recordings to Your Podcast Feed Feedback CHAPTER 6 CONFERENCE CONTROLS CONFERENCE CONTROLS OVERVIEW CHAIRPERSON CONFERENCE CONTROLS SLIDE CONTROLS page i

4 AUDIO CONTROLS...44 RIGHT CLICK FUNCTIONALITY...45 CHAPTER 7 MANAGING YOUR CONFERENCE CALL SETTING CONFERENCE PREFERENCES...45 SHOWING / NOT SHOWING / CONTROLLED BUTTON...46 PRESENTATION MODE...47 Slide Presentation...47 Application Showing...48 Desktop Showing...49 CO-PRESENTING...50 Who is a Co-Presenter?...50 Appointing a Co-Presenter...51 Application Showing among Co-Presenters...52 GRANTING CONTROL...54 What is Granting Control?...54 Granting Control of Applications...54 Granting Control of Your Desktop...58 USING CHAT AND ASKING QUESTIONS...59 Chairperson and Co-Presenter Chat...59 Participant Chat...61 ENDING A CONFERENCE...61 Ending an Audio Conference...61 Ending a Web Conference...61 CHAPTER 8 THE PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE WHO IS A PARTICIPANT?...62 GETTING STARTED AS A PARTICIPANT...62 Joining a Web Conference...62 Joining an Audio Conference...63 PARTICIPANT CONTROLS...63 Phone Controls...63 Web Controls...63 CHAPTER 9 BEST PRACTICES BEST PRACTICES GENERAL...65 BEST PRACTICES AUDIO...65 BEST PRACTICES WEB...65 QUESTION & ANSWER SESSIONS...66 APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF COMMONLY-USED TERMS page ii

5 What s New Here are the latest features added to Web Meeting: Enhanced playback for recordings: A full screen mode Scaling of window to any size window when viewing Visual thumbnail selection for easier identification of specific points in a presentation Improvements to recording functionality: Download recordings in.wav or.mp4 file formats The addition of copyright text to all recordings Expanded attendee registration management: Upload a confirmed participants list Decline a participant who has already been confirmed Resend a meeting confirmation if the participant s original confirmation is lost. Modification to the web conference report: The Meeting Title has been added to recordings for easier identification. Improved Event Call recording with synchronized web content: Operators will setup and start recording with Web Meeting for Event calls. Customers can manage Event recordings using Web Meeting. Internet Broadcast Audio for Event Calls: Participants can listen to Event Calls via their computers rather than telephones. page 1

6 Introduction The benefits of on-demand (reservation-less) audio conferencing services, like the Allstream Meet-Me service, are widely accepted. Geographically dispersed people can easily and conveniently meet to address any business issue. Audio conferencing saves time and money and improves productivity. A union of audio conferencing and the internet was inevitable and to that end, Allstream provides a valuable web-based enhancement to its Meet-Me service. Web Meeting is a collection of tools that are intended to enhance the audio conference experience and make these meetings even more productive. Web-based controls make managing an audio-only meeting simpler. For visually enhanced meetings, presentation slides can be pushed to participants, complete with annotation tools and desktop sharing. Along with aids for conducting conferences, Web Meeting also offers valuable support tools for pre- and post-meeting activities. Web Meeting Features: Before the Meeting: Easy Scheduling Arrange meetings & send invitations Custom Branding Upload your company logo or custom image to show on every and meeting web page. Custom Registration Capture registrant information that is important to you. Automated s Confirmation & reminder s sent automatically to registrants. Marketing Campaigns Create unique registration links for your marketing campaigns and identify the most effective leads. Pre-Meeting Reports View the number of people registered for your meeting and their individual registration data. Instant Participant Entry Attendees simply click a link in the confirmation or reminder to join the meeting. During the Meeting: Present Slides Upload and show your slide presentation. Share Applications Share your desktop, a web site, any document or software application. Multiple Presenters Share presentation duties with any meeting participant. Integrated Audio Controls Control the audio using pointand-click tools. Eliminate background noise in large meetings by muting all attendees or putting the conference in a listen-only mode. Recording Record both your audio and web conference with a click of a button. Q&A s Make your presentation more interactive by allowing attendees to ask questions. After the Meeting: Post-Meeting URL Direct people to your web site or to another survey page. Post-Meeting s Send thank you s to attendees and attach follow-up documents. For people who could not attend, include a link to the meeting recording or a copy of the presentation. Post-Meeting Reports View detailed reports of registration, campaign, meeting and survey data. Recording Editing Edit recordings to remove sections for a more professional playback. Podcasts Distribute audio and web recordings to a podcast audience. Podcast web page link walks subscribers through the podcast subscription process. page 2

7 Navigating this User Guide This guide provides instructions for using the Web Meeting service and for conducting a successful conference call. Chapter contents are outlined below. New users may wish to start by taking the Quick Tour. Chapter 1 Getting Started Introduces the service, takes you through the set-up and runs a PC compatibility test. A quick start guide gets you conferencing quickly and learning by yourself. Chapter 2 Quick Start Explains how quickly initiate a conference call. Chapter 3 Quick Tour Helps familiarize you with the service by introducing basic conference tools and providing an overview of conference management. Chapter 4 Preparing for a Conference Explains how to schedule and invite participants to conferences. Chapter 5 Conference Management A description of conference management tools with centralized control. Create invitations, view recordings and reports and set podcast feeds. Chapter 6 Conference Controls Learn about the controls available during your conference. Both the chairperson and slide controls are described in this section. Chapter 7 Managing your Conference Instructions for successfully managing a conference: Learn to grant control, show your desktop and appoint a co-presenter. Chat & recording overviews provided. Chapter 8 Participant Experience Learn about the available participant conference controls. Chapter 9 Best Practices Conduct efficient and productive conferences by following some best practices. page 2

8 Chapter 1 Getting Started System Requirements Web Meeting does not require any proprietary client software to be loaded on a user s PC. This simplifies its management and its use. It simply requires a Java-compatible web browser such as, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Navigator or Safari. Most personal computers already have Java installed, as it is a highly popular piece of software used to enhance the browsing experience. In the event that your PC does not have Java installed, you will need to download and install it before using Web Meeting. It is available free of charge. Java requirements for the conference chairperson are different than for a participant. The table below details the requirements for each. Requirements for the Chairperson: Platform Browser Java Windows (98, 2k, XP, Vista, 7) Apple Macintosh Linux (2.4+ kernel) IE, Firefox, Safari, Navigator Version 1.3.1_03 or higher (except 1.4.0_x) Requirements for the Participants: Platform Browser Java Windows (98, 2k, XP, Vista) Apple Macintosh Linux (2.4+ kernel) IE, Firefox, Safari, Navigator Version or higher (except 1.4.0_x) Note: No version of Java 1.4.0_x is supported. Testing your Browser An online test is available to validate the version of Java on your computer. To test your browser and network connection for compatibility, prior to the conference, follow this link: A brief test is automatically executed and if all of the required components are compatible, a feedback screen, similar to the one below, appears. page 3

9 In the above example, the user has Java 1.4.2_06 installed. The green status lights indicate that the installed version is acceptable. If the resulting feedback indicates that an incompatible version of Java is installed, similar to the screenshot below, you are prompted to download the current version. In the above example, the red status lights indicate that the installed version is not acceptable. If you are prompted to install Java, click on the link provided on the test page and follow the instructions or, contact your desktop support group for assistance. NOTE: Other message windows may be displayed. If you have questions regarding the test results, call your desktop support group or Allstream Conference Centre Support at: MEET (6338) page 4

10 Chapter 2 Quick Start To start conferencing quickly follow the instructions below and learn as you go. 1. When inviting participants, provide them with the following information: Date and time of your conference (include time zone) Audio Conferencing access phone number(s) - Toll-free number: Country-specific, international toll-free number(s) (if required) - Toll number: (if required) Your 7-digit conference Access Code The optional Security Access Code (if required) Meet-Me Web Meeting Lobby page address: Use any scheduling tool (like Outlook) to book meetings and deliver these details to participants. 2. To start the audio portion of your conference: Dial the toll-free number; enter your 7-digit Access Code and Chairperson Pass Code. 3. To start the web portion of your conference: Go to the Meet-Me Web Meeting Lobby page and click on the Chairperson button. page 5

11 4. Enter the toll-free Access Number (without the leading 1 ), your 7-digit Access Code and your Chairperson Pass Code. Click the Login button. 5. If the security certificate below, is displayed. Click on Yes to permanently accept it. 6. When the main screen is displayed, click Open Meeting Controls to initialize the Web Meeting applet. page 6

12 Two browser windows will open. Depending upon your computer s hardware configuration and internet access bandwidth availability, there may a delay of up to 60 seconds before both windows are open. Ensure they are both open before proceeding. The first window to be displayed (see below) is the parent browser. It is imperative that the parent browser window remain active. If it is closed, the conference will be terminated and all participants disconnected. TIP: Minimize the parent browser window to avoid accidentally closing it. The second window is the active browser (see below) and it contains the Conference Controls. Any presentation previously loaded will also be displayed. Note: An Allstream Conferencing Services presentation is preloaded. page 7

13 At this point you can just use the Conference Controls (on the left side) to manage your audio session or if you are also conducting a Web Meeting, click Start Web Conference. You are asked to set an optional security code. Check the box if a security code is desired and follow the prompts. Click Start to initiate your Web Meeting session. Please note that Web Meeting billing commences at this point. 7. To end the Web Meeting session, click on the Stop Web Conference button. page 8

14 Chapter 3 Quick Tour The Quick Tour introduces additional basic elements of the service. This section builds on the Quick Start chapter. By the end of this chapter, you will know how to: Record a conference Upload slides for a presentation Make annotations to slides Show your desktop and applications Manage your recordings Starting a Conference It is helpful to think of the service as two distinct entities audio and web. Both are used to take advantage of their respective and complementary functionality. Follow the steps outlined in the Quick Start section to initiate the audio and web conferences. Recording a Conference Recording a conference is accomplished either via the audio connection or the web-based chairperson conference controls. However, the audio conference must be started before a recording will commence and the web-based audio controls are not accessible until you have logged into the audio portion of your call. To record a conference using the audio connection: Start an audio conference and establish yourself as the chairperson. Press *2 and after the prompt, press 1. Wait until you hear This conference is now being recorded. The default online title, assigned to your recording, is Recording. To record a conference using the web-based controls: Start an audio conference and establish yourself as the chairperson. Check Record on the chairperson control screen and type a name for your recording. (example: Team Meeting Q1. Wait for the voice prompt, This conference is now being recorded. End the recording at anytime by pressing *2 on your phone or by removing the check mark from the Record box. Recordings cannot be paused. To avoid multiple recording set-up charges, do not stop and start the recording. Allow the recording to continue and use the editing tools after. page 9

15 Edited view of conference control panel Uploading a Presentation You may upload a PowerPoint presentation with a maximum file size of 27MB. The slides are converted into jpeg format in order to be displayed. Note: Only Microsoft PowerPoint files or common photo formats (BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG) can be uploaded. A default presentation is preloaded and it can be deleted, prior to uploading another presentation. Otherwise it will just be appended to the uploaded presentation. page 10

16 To upload a PowerPoint presentation: Click Insert at the bottom of the chairperson control screen and browse to your PowerPoint file and click OK. Your slides will be uploaded, converted and displayed as thumbnails near the bottom of the screen. If you wish to retain an existing presentation and append a new one or add new slides, simply click on the slide, in front of which you wish to insert the new slides. If you wish to delete an existing presentation, click on the Delete button and specify if the entire presentation or a particular selection of slides are to be deleted. Once the presentation is loaded, click Preview to review the presentation off-line. Click Slide Show to go into presentation mode. If your Web Meeting session is not already started, you will be prompted to do so. Use the arrow keys to navigate from one slide to the next or use the Go to: drop down box to jump to a specific slide. Use the annotation tools to highlight information: to select a pointer (hover cursor to see pointer selection) to highlight text (hover cursor to select colour) to draw (hover cursor to select colour) page 11

17 To erase a particular annotation, select the single mark eraser and place the small target circle over the annotation to be erased and click the left mouse button. To erase all annotations, click on the erase-all button. Go back to Slide Presentation by clicking the Restore button (lower right corner). Showing Your Desktop and Applications Web Meeting allows you to show your applications or desktop to meeting participants. Choose Show my applications from the drop down menu next to the Stop Web Conference button. An application selection box appears. Select the application you wish to show; for example, Internet Explorer. Click OK and the application comes to the foreground. page 12

18 Note: A Showing button is displayed in the upper right hand corner of the application you are showing. Other running application will display a Not showing button. More about this feature in found in Chapter 5, Managing Your Conference. Click on the Showing button to reveal a drop-down menu. Choose Present slides and the presentation is placed back into slide viewing mode. Return to the Select Action drop-down menu and choose Show my desktop. A notice is displayed cautioning to close any sensitive documents that are currently open. In desktop showing mode, the application in the foreground will be visible to participants. This mode is essentially equivalent to all of your participants looking over your shoulder at your screen. Care should be exercised. Note that the participant list is automatically grayedout to prevent unintended viewing. To view the participant list, click the Click here to restore participant list link located in the chairperson controls. Click on the Showing button on any application and choose Stop showing or Present slides from the drop-down selections and you are placed back in slide presentation mode. Click the Stop Web Conference button to end the presentation portion of the meeting and close the chairperson controls. Hang up the phone to end the audio portion and any recording that you may have initiated. page 13

19 Playing Recordings The web-based controls allow you to store and manage your recordings. You may access them at any time by logging-in with your access code and pass code. Under Manage Recordings, you can delete, download and play recordings along with other administrative options. To play your recordings, click on Manage Recordings and a list of all stored recordings is displayed. Hover the cursor over a particular meeting to display the drop-down options. page 14

20 To listen to a recording, select it and choose Play Recording from the menu. Adobe Flash is required to play back your recordings. Note: Adobe Flash is required to play recordings and is available as a free download. To download your recording, choose Download from the menu and select whether you want audio & visual or just audio. The recording will need to be unzipped prior playback. Note: If you do not have Flash player, do not know how to unzip folders or want to learn more about recordings, refer to Chapter 7 Recording Management. A per-day, online storage fee applies per recording. Chapter 4 Preparing for a Conference Call is typically used for inviting participants to a meeting. Web Meeting provides a comprehensive set of tools for issuing invitations and scheduling/managing the meeting. Preparing an Audio Conference Invitation Invite participants to your audio conference with the following information: Date and time of your conference (include time zone) Audio Conferencing access phone number(s) - Toll-free number: Country-specific, international toll-free number(s) (if required) - Toll number: (if required) Your 7-digit conference Access Code The optional Security Access Code (if required) As the chairperson, log-in and start the conference before the appointed time. Participants joining the conference, before it has started, are placed in the lobby with music on-hold. Preparing a Web Conference Invitation To invite participants to a web conference the invitation should contain the same information as required for an audio conference, plus: Browser compatibility checking instructions Meet-Me Web Meeting Lobby page address: page 15

21 When logged into the Conference Center, you can click on Create New Invitation to open a screen that will guide you through the invitation creation process. See section 5.2, Scheduling a Meeting, for more information. Operated-Assisted Calls An operator assisted call is a conference that requires the presence of an operator. These calls must be registered with Conference Support Centre well in advance of the meeting. To schedule an operator assisted call, contact the centre at: MEET (6338). Chapter 5 Conference Management To log into the Conference Control Center, go to the Web Meeting start page: Click the Chairperson button. Enter your log-in information and click the Login button. The Conference Control Center allows the chairperson to manage all meetings, recordings and reports. The main page is below. page 16

22 From this page, you can: Open Meeting Controls - Opens the control page and allows a meeting to begin Schedule a Meeting Opens the initial page for scheduling a meeting View Past Meetings Allows you to view a list of all past scheduled and cancelled meetings and perform post-meeting actions Edit On-Demand Registration - Allows you to edit the registration page for Meet-Me (reservation-less) conference participants and for recording downloads Set Time Zone Sets the default time zone. Times on the invitation list are displayed per this setting. Also, invitations default to this time zone. 5.1 Meet-Me (On-Demand) Meetings To conduct a Meet-Me meeting choose On-Demand Meeting from the list of meeting titles and then click on the Open Meeting Controls button. You can edit the registration information, asked of participants when they join the meeting, by choosing Edit On-Demand Registration which displays the Custom Registration page: page 17

23 Input a descriptive title for the participant data you wish to collect and check the Required box if you wish it to be mandatory information. Participants will not be permitted to join the conference unless this field is completed. (Note that the specific contents of the fields are not validated.) Additional fields may be added to gather specific information. Note: This is same registration information requested for access to your online recordings. 5.2 Scheduling a Meeting To schedule a new meeting choose the Schedule a Meeting button. The scheduling page allows you to set-up the basic parameters of your meeting. Keep in mind that you can still edit this information any time prior to the meeting s start. page 18

24 The Meeting Details section is used to set up the basics of the meeting. Meeting Title: Provide a descriptive title. Host(s): List the host(s) of the meeting. From The chairperson s address is the default entry here. Provide an address that invitees can use to request more information about the meeting. Date: Use the calendar to select the date of the meeting. Time: Select the time of the meeting as well as the time zone, if different from the default set on the Conference Center home page. Duration: Provide this information to help participants schedule their time. Meeting Types: - Web & Audio: Select if the meeting uses both web and audio - Audio Only: Select for an audio-only meeting - Web Only: Select for a web-only meeting Audio Type: - On Demand: Select this option if you do not need operator assistance and the meeting will not use more than 96 ports. - Other: Choose this option if your meeting uses over 96 ports or if you need Operator assistance prior to or during the meeting. If you select this option, you will be instructed to call the Conference Center to set-up your meeting. At that time, you will be provided with dial-in numbers depending on your meeting requirements. You can enter up to four of these numbers, for inclusion in meeting communications to participants Dial-in Number(s): Check the boxes to include the Canada/US toll-free number and/or, optionally, the US toll number. If you are inviting international participants and know the countries from where they will be calling, select the country-specific numbers. If you are not sure of the originating countries, check the box to include a link to the list of all international toll-free numbers. Access code: Your access code is automatically included for this meeting. Help Me Choose: This option provides additional information if you are not sure if you require operator assistance. Description: Enter additional information about the meeting. The Registration section of the page lets you control the registration process. When they join the meeting: Choose this option if you do not require registration information before the meeting. Invitees will register when they log into the meeting. Pre-register before the meeting: Choose this option if you want to confirm/deny registrants and track attendance. Invitees must register prior to the meeting. If you choose this option, you can also choose to Automatically Confirm All Registrants (default) or Manually Confirm All Registrants from the scrolling list. Automatic confirmation sends the registration confirmed to participants immediately after they register. Manual confirmation allows you to decide which registrants to confirm page 19

25 and which to decline (Refer to page 30 for instructions on confirming and declining registrants). Notify Me of New Registrations via If you choose to have invitees preregister for the meeting, this option allows you to be notified by as they register. This option is not available if invitees register when they join the meeting. Help Me Choose: This option provides additional information if you are not sure when invitees should register. The Security section of the page allows you to include an additional security password that participants must enter to join this web meeting. Set security pass code for web meeting: Check this box if you want to include an additional security password, unique to this web meeting, and then enter a security pass code. This pass code will automatically be included in the invitation, confirmation and reminder s. Choose the Save and Next button to display the options for sending invitations, editing the registration form, using custom branding, supplying presenter information, send reminder s and post-meeting communications. The displayed options will vary depending upon what selections were made on the Schedule New Meeting page. page 20

26 Send Invitations: Via this feature you can sends an invitation that is automatically generated from the meeting details you have specified. You can preview and edit the invitation to add a custom message before sending. Clicking on Send Invitations displays the form below: If you previously set-up one or more marketing campaigns, you can select a campaign to link to your , to track registration for specific groups. You can send the invitation by entering addresses manually or uploading a commaseparated value (.csv) file. Note: You may enter up to 10,000 addresses. Add to your Calendar: This button adds the meeting to your calendar. Send Update: This link s an update to all confirmed registrants. It also allows you to add files and a custom message. Advanced Settings You can further customize communications for your scheduled meetings and collect information from your participants. Registration Form Choose the Edit link to configure the Registration Form. This displays the Customize Registration Page: page 21

27 A default message will be displayed on the Registration Form. You may replace it with a customized message of your choice. You may also choose to elicit additional information from your participants, when they register, by selecting from the list of standard questions or by creating custom questions. You may also choose if a response is mandatory. Standard Questions: Check the Include box next to each question that is to appear on the Meeting Registration Page. Check the Required box for each question that must be answered in order to register. Name and are always required. Custom Questions: The custom questions you create are shown here. Each custom question has an Edit and Delete button so you can modify or remove it. - Add Custom Question: This allows you to create a custom question. page 22

28 Question Name: Type in the question you wish to appear on the Meeting Registration Page. Check the Required box if you want to mandate a response. Type: Select the type of question you want to add. Value: For Radio Button, Check Box, Drop-down Menu and List Menu Types, enter one or more response values. For example, for a Radio Button question, values might be Yes, No and Not Sure. Use the Add button to add values. Choose the Preview link to view the Registration Form. TIP: Always preview your pages to ensure the information is correct and the appearance is acceptable. Registration Confirmation For meetings set up for pre-registration, preview and edit the Registration Confirmation , that is sent to each registrant after their registration is confirmed, by clicking on the Edit link to display the Confirmation Edit page: Custom Message: A default message will be displayed in the Registration Confirmed . You can either remove it or replace it with a custom message. Files Available for Download: You can also attach up to 5 files to the Registration Confirmed for confirmed registrants to download. This is an example of a Registration Confirmation page 23

29 Registration Declined For meetings set up for pre-registration and manual confirmation of registrants, you may preview and edit the Registration Declined that is sent to registrants if their registration is declined. Choose Edit to display the Registration Declined page. page 24

30 Custom Message: A default message will be displayed in the Registration Declined . You can either remove it or replace it with a custom message. Files Available for Download: You can also attach up to 5 files to the Registration Declined for declined registrants to download. Branding and Presenters A custom header image (brand) may be setup for the registration page and participant s. Bios and pictures of the presenters may also be included. To edit the branding and presenter information, choose either the Edit Branding or Edit Presenters link. By default, your meeting registration page and s have a header with the Allstream Meet-Me Web Meeting logo. You may replace it with a custom header. Header Image: Use the Choose File button to browse to your header image. The file must be no larger than 1 MB and must be a.jpg,.gif, or.png file. The displayed image is 575 pixels wide by 200 pixels high. If your image s dimensions are different than this, it will be scaled proportionately. Header Alignment: Select left, right or center alignment for header positioning. Header Web Link: Enter the address of a web page where you want participants to be directed when they click on the header. The Add Presenter section of the page allows you to include information and pictures for this meeting s presenters. Presenter Name: Enter the name of the presenter. page 25

31 Presenter Bio: Enter a short bio for the presenter. Presenter Photo: Use the Choose File button to browse to a picture of the presenter. The image must be no larger than 1 MB and must be a.jpg,.gif, or.png file. The displayed image is 100 pixels wide by 120 pixels high. If the picture s dimensions are different than this, it will be scaled proportionately. Add Presenter: Choose this option to add information for other presenters. Add a Reminder You may edit and preview the Reminder that is sent to all confirmed registrants. Choose the Edit link to display the Reminder Edit page. A reminder will not be sent if you do not configure it through this screen. When should this be sent? By default, a reminder will be sent to all confirmed registrants 24 hours before the meeting. You can specify a different date and time for the reminder to be sent. Custom Message: A default message will be displayed in the Reminder . You can either remove it or replace it with a custom message. Files Available for Download: You can also attach up to 5 files to the Reminder for confirmed registrants to download. page 26

32 Post-Meeting You can preview and edit a Post- Meeting to send to all confirmed registrants for the meeting. Choose the Edit link to display the Post-Meeting Edit page. Custom Message: A default message will be displayed in the Post-Meeting . You can either remove it or replace it with a custom message. Add Recordings: You can choose any existing recordings in your chairperson account to include in this . Files Available for Download: You can also attach up to 5 files to the Post-Meeting for participants to download. Post-Meeting to Attendees For web-only or web & audio meetings, you can preview and edit a Post-Meeting to Attendees that is sent to all registrants who attended the meeting. The content is similar to the Post-Meeting page. Post-Meeting to No-Shows For web-only or web & audio meetings set up for pre-registration, you can preview and edit a Post-Meeting to No-Shows that is sent to all confirmed registrants who did not attend the meeting. The content is similar to the Post-Meeting page. Post-Meeting Survey Page You can preview and edit the Post-Meeting Survey Page that attendees see at the conclusion of the web portion of the meeting. Choose the Edit link to display the Post- Meeting Survey Page Edit page: page 27

33 Check the box at the top of this page if you want attendees to be sent to another web page instead of the Post-Meeting Survey Page. Custom Message: A default message will be displayed on the Post-Meeting survey page. You can either remove it or replace it with a custom message Post-Meeting Survey Form: Choose standard questions for the Post-Meeting Survey or create your own by selecting the Add Custom Question button. Files Available for Download: You can also attach up to 5 files to the Post-Meeting Survey Page for attendees to download. Meeting Archive Page You can preview and edit the Meeting Archive Page that is displayed when someone attempts to register for, or log into a meeting that has already taken place. The content is similar to the Post-Meeting page. Meeting Promotion Tools You can promote meetings and track registrations from various marketing campaigns. Marketing Campaigns: Marketing campaigns allow you to generate unique registration links that can be used in various campaigns to drive attendance to your meeting. The links allow you to track which campaigns are driving the most attendance. To create unique registration links, select the Manage link to display the Create Campaign form. page 28

34 Campaign Name: Enter a campaign name. Names must contain only letters, numbers, spaces and periods. Special characters are not allowed. Click the Generate URL button to create a unique URL for this campaign. Repeat for each campaign you wish to create and track. A default campaign name is automatically created for each scheduled meeting. - Campaign URLs: Campaign names and associated URLs are displayed here. Copy the URLs as needed to use in your campaign banner ads, web pages, s, blogs, etc. Managing Scheduled Meeting Information Once a meeting has been scheduled, you can view, edit, and clone the meeting information. Go to the Conference Center Home Page, and click on the View, Edit, or Clone link of the meeting you want to mange. The View link displays the following page: page 29

35 Open Meeting Controls: Opens the chairperson controls and allows you to begin the web portion of your meeting. Edit Meeting: Edit any of the information you have created for the meeting. Cancel Meeting: Cancel and send cancellation s to all confirmed registrants. Send Invitations: Send additional invitations. Add to your Calendar: Adds the meeting to your calendar. Send Update: Sends an update to all confirmed registrants. It also allows you to add files and a custom message. The Meeting Details section of the page displays the basic details of the meeting. The Registration Link shown in this section is the URL of the actual registration page for this meeting. You can copy this URL into any , web page, blog, etc. to send viewers straight to the registration web page for this meeting The Registration Summary section of the page allows you to track participants, get registration reports, confirm and decline registrants, and track marketing campaigns. Invitee list: View and download a.csv file of the addresses for all invitees and when they were invited. Registration Reports: View and download a.csv file showing the status of each registrant along with the information they gave during the registration process. Pending List: This option is displayed if you manually confirm registrants and allows you to decide which registrants you want to confirm or decline. Decline List: This option is displayed if you manually confirm registrants and shows the registration information for the registrants you have declined. Campaign Report: You can view and download a.csv file showing statistics for each marketing campaign. View Campaign URLs: This displays a list of all campaign names and their associated URLs. You can copy these URLs into banner ads, blog posts, s and web pages to track how many registrants you get from each location. Viewing Past Meetings You can view past meetings and cancelled meetings by clicking on the View Past Meetings link on the Conference Center main page. page 30

36 This displays the Past Meetings page. Clicking on the Details link for a meeting in the list displays information about that meeting and provides options for post-meeting actions. The Reschedule buttons and Clone links allow you to reuse past meeting information. The Meeting Details section of the page displays the basic information for this Meeting. The Post-Meeting Actions section of the page allows you to edit s and surveys for attendees after the meeting is concluded. These are the same s and surveys shown in the Advanced Settings when you schedule or edit an upcoming meeting. The Reports Section of the page has links to various registration and post-meeting reports. Registration Reports: The reports in this section are essentially the same as those described in viewing a scheduled meeting. Web Conference Reports: For web-only and web & audio meetings, additional reports are generated. - Web Participants: All attendees and their responses to the Post-Meeting Survey. - Chat: A log of the chat that occurred during the meeting. - Post-Meeting Survey Report: The results from the Post-Meeting Survey. page 31

37 Rescheduling and Cloning Past Meetings Any scheduled, past, or cancelled meeting can be cloned and used as the basis for creating a new meeting. A cloned meeting is copied and added to the list of scheduled meetings. All information is copied over except date/time and your invitees. To clone a meeting, click on the Clone link for the meeting in either the list of scheduled meetings on the Conference Center home page or the list of past meetings. Past meetings can also be rescheduled, allowing you to repeat the meeting at a later date. When you reschedule a meeting, the meeting is moved to the list of scheduled meetings. To reschedule a meeting, click on the Reschedule button for the meeting in the list of past meetings. A form is displayed for you to enter a new date and time, and you have the option of notifying all past registrants that the meeting has been rescheduled. 5.3 Web Meeting Management Tools View Reports You may view your meeting, event, recordings and audio reports from this menu item. You can also manage your opt-out list for events. Meetings Allows you to see all of your past meetings, the chat and the registration information of the participants. Events Allows you to see all of your past events and any associated reports that belong to that event. Recordings Allows you to see all of the recordings you have conducted on your account Audio Participant Reports list the audio participants login and exit time and can be downloaded to a text or.csv file. page 32

38 Manage Recordings As the chairperson, you may access your recordings at any time using your access code and pass code. Recordings can be accessed in two different ways. You may access them during your conference through the chairperson controls or you may access your recordings through your website. If you move your mouse cursor over one of the recordings, a menu will appear with several options. The menu is displayed below. Play Recording: This plays the recording. (For more information on playback, see the section titled Recording Playback within this chapter). Download: This option allows you to download the audio portion or audio and visual. Recording: This option opens a new Outlook message and allows you to send the recording link. Show Recording Link: Displays the recording link that can be copied to any . Edit Registration: This feature enables customization of the registration information required by participants before they view the recording. Rename Recording: Changes the name of the recording. Recording Report: Generates a report for the selected recording listing playback and listener information. The reports can be saved as a text or.csv file. Passcode: Set a password on the recording to ensure privacy. Edit Recording: Allows you to edit a recording for a more-polished presentation. Delete Recording: Deletes the selected recording. page 33

39 Recording Playback You may playback recordings through Manage Recordings or you may download them onto your computer and play them. Playback requires Adobe Flash that can be downloaded at no charge from To play a recording from the Manage Recordings screen, hover the cursor over the recording and choose Play from the drop down menu. You will be prompted to register before you can view the recording. Click Submit after completing the form and the playback commences. The video portion is synchronized with the audio. This allows you to fast forward or rewind while keeping the slides in sync with the audio. Note: If you are experiencing problems with playback, please refer to the section titled Common Issues with Recording Playback within this chapter. To download a recording to your computer, choose the recording to download from the recording management screen and click Download from the drop-down menu. Choose whether you wish to download the audio only or audio & visual and select a destination. page 34

40 When the download is complete, you will have a compressed folder with the recording in your selected destination. You must extract the folder before attempting playback. Right click on the file and choose Extract All. Choose a destination location and click Next. Open the folder to display its contents. Three files will be visible. Click on the Index.html file to play the recording. The file uses the resources in the Lib folder for playback. Tip: Once this file is downloaded onto your computer you may transfer it to a CD or place a link to it on your own website. Edit Recording You can perform minor editing on your recordings by creating cut points that allow you to remove portions of the recording in order to preserve the more relevant portions. This makes for a more succinct and ultimately, more-listenable, recording. From the drop-down menu, click on Edit Recording to bring up the following window: Play your recording, pausing when necessary to enter the Start and End counter times, for the portions you want to remove. When you click on the Add Cut Point button, your selection will be added to the Cut Points list. Once you have entered all of the desired edits, click on the Make Cuts button to process your changes. Keep in mind that each time you click on Make Cuts, all of the Cut Points that were added to the Cut Points list, are linked together and so, if you wish to restore any one of the cut points, you will need to restore all of the cut points that were in the page 35

41 same list. You may wish to avoid this situation by clicking on Make Cuts each time you add a single cut point. This will, however, extend the overall editing time. Once initiated, the processing of the edits may take several minutes to complete. A small status window will be displayed. If you wish to subsequently restore some of the edits or return to the original recording, click View Past Cuts (under the Make Cuts button). The Past Cuts screen is displayed as shown below. Click Undo to reverse a specific cut point (or series of cut points) or click Revert to Original to restore the original recording. Click on the Close button to return to the Recording Editor window. Click the Exit button to return to the Manage Recordings screen. Note: You can revert to the original recording any time (even after saving changes) as long as the recording is hosted online. Common Issues with Recording Playback There are several issues that can occur when playback is attempted. The most common of these issues are discussed below. No Flash Player Installed Please make sure you have the Flash player installed before attempting playback. Go to to download the player, free of charge. Follow the installation instructions. page 36

42 Temporary Internet Files is full Your recordings are stored in your temporary internet files each time they are played. It is common for this folder to become filled with various files which are stored during normal internet browsing. If the flash player launches but fails to load all of the content, your temporary internet files folder may be full. You may clear the temporary folder through your browser controls MP3 files are blocked The audio portion of the recording is in MP3 format. There are occasions when MP3 audio files are blocked by network servers for security reasons. You may test your network for MP3 compatibility. Open a new web browser and make sure the sound on your speakers is turned up. Go to support.callinfo.com/test.mp3. The default player you have installed will launch and you should hear music. If there is no music then MP3s have been blocked to your computer. Please contact your IT department if MP3s are blocked on your network. AOL browser blocks audio There is a known issue with the AOL browser that blocks playback of recordings. The recording will load but cannot play. Use another browser and try playback again. Go to Start>Program Files>Internet Explorer. Re-attempt playback using Internet Explorer. Pop-up blocker stops playback Windows XP Service Pack 2 has an integrated pop-up blocker. If you have not enabled pop-ups, the flash player will be blocked. The solution is to allow pop-ups from the site temporarily or permanently. The flash player will launch and playback will resume. Cannot playback downloaded recording First, confirm that you can play the recording through the management screen by selecting it and pressing play. If you can play the recording, the most likely cause is that it has not been extracted. You must first extract it before playback is attempted. Podcast Feed Settings Your podcast feed enables you to distribute Web Moderator recordings to a group of subscribers on a regular basis. This page allows you to customize your feed settings and facilitates the feed publishing process. The podcast feed settings are shown below. Title: The title of your podcast. Subtitle: You may add a subtitle as well. Description: The description of your podcast. Author: The author of the podcast. This might be different than owner. Owner Name: The publisher of the podcast. Copyright: The copyright date of your podcast. page 37

43 Your Website: Your website URL. Categories: These are the categories under which your podcast can be searched. Keywords: Targeted keywords make your podcast easier to find on search engines. Once you have customized your podcast, you can publish it by enabling the Publish Podcast checkbox: Clicking this checkbox will generate the URL to your subscription page. Podcast Subscription Page When you create a podcast feed, a subscription web page specifically for your podcast will be created. You can distribute the link to this page to potential subscribers. It will walk them through the subscription process. An example of the subscription page is shown below. Your subscribers can subscribe to: Audio & Visual Podcast Feed Subscribers use this option to play podcast episodes in itunes, video-capable ipods and other portable music players that support video. page 38

44 Audio-Only Podcast Feed Your subscribers can use this option to play your podcast episodes on ipods and other music players that do not support video. Online Audio & Video Playback Your subscribers can use this option to play your podcast episodes in a web-based feed reader. Adding Recordings to Your Podcast Feed Both Audio-only and Audio & Visual recordings can be added to your podcast feed as episodes. To add recorded episodes: 1. Click Manage Recordings, in the Conference Center. page 39

45 2. Add a recording to your podcast feed and click the Podcast checkbox. 3. Podcast Options appear. Complete fields as required. Click Save. Title Your podcast episode title. Subtitle Provides an alternate title for your episode. Author The episode author. Description Provides an episode description. Feedback Use this form to send feedback about your experience with Web Moderator.. page 40

46 Chapter 6 Conference Controls This section gives a brief overview of the controls available to you during your conference. For a more detailed discussion of conference management, please refer to Chapter 6 titled Managing Your Conference. Conference Controls Overview As the chairperson, there are two sets of controls available to you during your conference. The web controls and the audio controls. The web controls are divided into two parts the Chairperson Conference Controls and slide controls. The chairperson controls allow you to manage the participant list, show applications or your desktop, and designate a co-presenter. The slide controls, located on the bottom, allow you to upload slides, preview slides, and make annotations. Both sets of web controls are visible in the screenshot below. Chairperson Conference Controls The chairperson controls are located on the left side of the web conference screen and help you manage your conference. Start/Stop Web Conference: Click this button to start/stop your web conference. Select Action : Choose presentation modes using this drop down menu. Invite: Launches your default mail client to invite a participant while a conference is in session. page 41

47 Help: Online Help Participant List: Lists the participants in conference as well as: - Icons for web and audio - Name (Web Only) - Mute/Unmute - Questions - Originating number (Audio Only) Conference Management Dial: Dials out to a participant from within the conference. Disconnect: Disconnects a participant from web or audio. Play Name: Plays participant s name if name record has been activated under Options. Mute All: Participants can unmute themselves by pressing *7 on their phone. Unmute All: Unmutes all participants. Operator: Dials out to an operator for assistance. (ex. if you are having audio problems. Record: Records a conference. (Wait for the recorder to be added to the participant list. Listen Only: Participants are muted and cannot unmute themselves. Continuation: Conference continues after the chairperson logs off. Tip: Continuation is helpful if there is the possibility of the chairperson being dropped from the conference when using a cell phone. page 42

48 Lock Audio: Locks the audio conference and prevents new audio participants from joining. Phonebook: The phonebook can be populated with frequently dialed numbers. You can use the interface to dial out to one or up to 20 participants at once. Add new numbers, edit and delete numbers. Move numbers to the dial list using the arrow keys and press Dial to call individuals or Dial All to call all participants at once. Options: Change the conference settings that allow you to optimize speed, set name record and turn on quick start. Refer to Setting Conference Preferences in Chapter 7 for more information regarding the Options menu (shown below). page 43

49 Reports: Allows the chairperson to access their recordings while in conference. Status Light Indicators: Tell you if the conference has been started, if the call is being recorded and if there are any questions. Slide Controls The slide controls allow you to manage your presentations by uploading files, making annotations, and previewing slides. Insert: Allows you to upload PowerPoint presentations or jpegs, pngs, bmps, & gifs. Delete: Allows you to delete one slide or all of the slides in a presentation. Annotation Tools: You have numerous marking tools available to you. Erasers: You have a single eraser and an erase all. Slide Show: Places the presentation into full screen mode. Click Restore to return to the original state. Preview: You can preview slides before you display them. Arrow Keys: You may move through the slides using these keys. Tip: You may also navigate through the slides by right clicking on the thumbnails. Audio Controls Your phone s key pad can also be used to control the audio features. The features accessible through your phone are listed in the table below. Key Function *1 Dial out to a participant *2 Record a conference / Stop Recording *3 Set entry and exit announcements *4 Lock Conference *5 Unlock Conference *6 Mute Line *7 Un-mute Line *8 Conference Continuation *9 Automated Roll Call (Name record must be activated) *# Participant count ## Mute all lines 99 Un-mute all lines #1 Listen Only on #2 Listen Only off 00 Operator (Joins Conference) *0 Operator (Private Conversation) ** List of available commands page 44

50 Right Click Functionality You may use the right mouse button as a shortcut to several commonly performed operations. By right clicking next to the participant s name, you will reveal several options. Chapter 7 Managing Your Conference Call This chapter will help you manage your conference. It focuses on how to use the available features to conduct a successful conference. You will learn how to set preferences for future conferences. You will also learn how to change presentation modes, appoint co-presenters, and grant control of your applications. Setting Conference Preferences You may set several options that will help you personalize your conferences. The Options button on the chairperson controls give you access to these preferences. The Options menu is broken into three sections: The Chat section allows you to enable/disable chat for future conferences. The Application Showing slider allows you to optimize application showing for better performance. By choosing highest quality, your participants will receive a true color representation of your application. By choosing fastest performance, you will decrease the amount of color information sent, increasing transfer speeds. - The Enable Title Bar Button enables/disables the showing button in the title bar when showing your desktop or applications. page 45

51 Entry Announcement sets the announcement heard when participants join the audio conference. - Tone: A beep is heard when participants enter the conference. - Silent: Participants enter the conference silently. - Name: With name record on, participant s name is played when entering the conference. - Name Record: Participant s name is recorded upon entry. Quick Start allows the conference to start even if the chairperson has not yet arrived. Showing / Not Showing / Controlled Button This text button is located in the upper right hand corner of all displayed applications. Applications being displayed to participants have the Showing button embedded in them. Applications hidden from participants have the Not Showing button while applications being controlled by another participant have the Controlled button embedded in them. The title bar button can be easily toggled to change presentation modes, show applications, or grant control. In this section, the title bar button functionality is described when appropriate. It is important to remember that this button can be easily accessed when managing your conference and can be used as a shortcut to other common functions. page 46

52 Presentation Mode Slide Presentation Slide presentation mode allows you to present PowerPoint presentations and images to your conference participants. In slide presentation mode, you may upload PowerPoint files or common image formats. Slide presentation mode is the recommended mode for displaying static PowerPoint presentations. This mode is the default mode and is the least resource intensive and easiest for all participants to receive (regardless of connection speed). To use slide presentation mode, either click on Start Web Conference to automatically launch the presentation mode or expand the dropdown menu next to the Start Web Conference button to select it. 1. When initiating Present slides, a dialogue box appears asking if you would like to start the conference, if you have not done so already. 2. To move through the slides, use the arrow buttons in the lower right hand corner or double-click on the slide you wish to present. Tip: By right clicking on a slide, you can preview it, delete it or insert new slides before or after it. page 47

53 3. Click Slide Show to place the presentation into full screen mode. To return to normal viewing mode, click Restore in the lower right hand corner. Application Showing You may use application showing to show any applications which are currently open. You may show web browsers, Microsoft Word documents, spreadsheets, and proprietary software. Video is not supported. To show an application: 1. Choose Show my applications from the drop down menu. 2. You will be shown a selection box with all of your currently opened applications listed. 3. Check the application you wish to show and click OK. You will notice a Showing button in the top right hand corner of your shown application. Click on the Showing button to reveal different options. page 48

54 Using the Showing button you may: stop showing the application, switch to slide mode, show more applications or grant control. Note: All open files of the chosen application type will be shown. For example, if you have more than one web browser open in Internet Explorer all of them will be shown with the most recently viewed coming to the foreground. All other applications will have a Not Showing button on them. You may also toggle this button to change your presentation mode, show the current application, or switch to slides. You may also return to the chairperson controls to stop showing an application. Select Present slides and you will be placed back into slide presentation mode. Desktop Showing Desktop showing mode allows you to show all open applications. It displays all applications and all actions performed by the chairperson. To show your desktop: 1. Choose Show my desktop from the dropdown menu. page 49

55 2. You will be prompted to close any sensitive documents before entering desktop presentation mode. In desktop presentation mode, every application currently open will have a Showing button visible in the upper right hand corner. This button is expandable and is shown below. From this menu, you can present slides (which will put the conference back into slide presentation mode), show a specific application or grant control. If you choose to show an application, the application showing screen will allow you to choose the appropriate application. All other applications will be hidden. Co-Presenting The service allows you to grant co-presenter status to any participant in the conference who has a valid version of Java. Co-presenter status enables a participant to gain additional functionality allowing them to control some but not all aspects of the conference. Who is a Co-Presenter? Co-presenters will often share the responsibilities of presenting with the chairperson. A copresenter can disconnect participants, grant control of applications, or switch presentation modes. However, a co-presenter cannot appoint another co-presenter, disconnect the chairperson or manage the conference audio controls. page 50

56 Appointing a Co-Presenter To make a participant a co-presenter: 1. Expand the action arrow next to the participant s name. 2. Select co-presenter and the participant who was appointed co-presenter will have their icon change from a computer to a gavel as shown below. 3. When a participant is made a co-presenter, a dialogue box will appear notifying them that they are now co-presenters. The participant screen will update to reflect the change. They will receive their own set of chairperson controls without audio controls present. Their chairperson controls allow them to share their applications and their desktop or give someone remote control of their computer. page 51

57 When co-presenter status has been removed by the chairperson, the co-presenter will see a notification box. Application Showing among Co-Presenters The service allows you to appoint multiple participants as co-presenters. Each co-presenters can show their applications and desktop or control another person s computer. It is common to have more than one co-presenter who will be presenting information to the conference participants. The gavel icon, of the active presenter, is colored green. In the above example, John Smith is the active co-presenter. Each co-presenter will have their own set of chairperson controls visible to them. The example on the next page shows the chairperson s screen when the website is shown by John Smith, a co-presenter. The co-presenter controls are embedded on the left hand side. In the example above, full screen mode is not being used. page 52

58 In the screenshot below, the chairperson controls are being hidden by the use of Full Screen mode. The controls are labeled with the presenter s name for easy identification. page 53

59 Tip: If you are not actively presenting use the Full Screen mode to hide your controls and avoid the confusion of two chairperson controls being visible. To restore the normal view, close the full screen window which returns to the view with controls embedded on the left side. Or use the yellow navigation bar, located at the top of the screen, to toggle between full screen and normal view. Granting Control What is Granting Control? Granting control refers to the act of giving control of your computer/application to another participant. Only a chairperson or co-presenter can grant control to another member of the conference. Granting Control of Applications A chairperson or co-presenter can grant control of an application through the chairperson controls or through the Showing/Not Showing button. Using the chairperson controls, click on Select Action and use drop down or action arrows next to the participant s name. 1. To grant control using the presentation mode drop down menu, select Grant control of my applications from the drop down menu. page 54

60 The grant control selection box will appear allowing you to select the appropriate application and the participant. 2. Select an application and a participant and click OK. Note: You may give a participant control over more than one application but only one participant can have control at any given time. 3. A pop-up box appears telling the selected participant they have control. page 55

61 4. The chairperson or co-presenter who granted control will also receive a pop up box notifying them of the change. The participant currently controlling an application or desktop will see Remotely Controlling Presenter s Computer in the top of their browser bar. The chairperson controls are updated to reflect who is remotely controlling by using two green arrows next to the participant s name. In the example below, John Smith has remote control. You can remove control in several ways. You can switch presentation modes to remove control or use the participant action arrow and select End Control. You may also expand the Controlled button and remove control through that menu. Anytime control is removed, the controlling participant will be notified: The chairperson will also receive a warning that control has been revoked: page 56

62 Another way to grant control through the chairperson controls is by expanding the participant action arrow next to the participant s name. 1. Choose the participant or co-presenter you wish to grant control to and expand the action arrow next to their name. 2. In the example above, John Smith is being granted control of an application. The application selection box will appear and the appropriate application can be selected. There are times when using the Showing button to grant control is easier. For instance, when the chairperson is already showing an application and wants to pass control of the application without using the chairperson controls. To grant control using the Showing button: 1. Show the application you wish to give another participant or co-presenter control over. page 57

63 2. Expand the Showing button on the application you wish to grant control. 3. Select Grant control of this application. You will be prompted to select the participant to whom you wish to give control. Granting control with the Showing button is no different from using the chairperson controls. Participants and co-presenters will see the same pop-up boxes and warnings. Removing control is accomplished by expanding the action arrow next to the participant s name and selecting End Control or by using the Showing button to switch modes. Granting Control of Your Desktop Granting control of the desktop is done in the same way as granting control of applications. When granting control of the desktop, a warning box appears. It is important to note that granting control of your desktop allows participant to control your entire computer, as if it were their own. page 58

64 Using Chat and Asking Questions Chat allows participants and presenters to communicate with each other through the web interface. Chat is also a way to ask questions during a conference. The chat feature enhances communication. The most common uses for chat are: Coordinate presentations between presenters Conduct a Question & Answer session A method for participants to ask questions Chairperson and Co-Presenter Chat The chairperson and co-presenters have several chat options. When a co-presenter or chairperson receives a chat message from a participant they receive a notification that originates from the Web Meeting icon in their system tray. The notification is helpful if the copresenter or chairperson has their chat hidden behind other applications. Note: The icon notifications are only available on the Windows platform. Presenters have three chat options when they are in conference. Presenters can chat one-on-one with another presenter or to all presenters. This allows different presenters to coordinate their conference in a seamless fashion. page 59

65 They can also chat to everyone in the conference by selecting All from the expanded menu. Presenters can also chat to individual participants. This allows presenters to have a conversation with one or more participants at any given time. In the screenshots above, the presenter has clicked on John s name, breaking out a chat. This can also be done with others, revealing two separate chat boxes. page 60

66 Chairpersons and co-presenters can also field questions at any time during the conference. When a participant raises their hand, the presenters will see the participant s name highlighted and a question mark in the question column. Presenters will also see a notification bubble in their icon tray. This is helpful when the chairperson controls may be hidden. Participant Chat Participant chat is more limited than presenter chat. Participants can only chat to all presenters. Chat, directly between a presenter and participant, is only seen by presenters. Ending a Conference Ending an Audio Conference At the conclusion of an audio conference, the chairperson can hang up the phone to end it. All participants in the conference will have their session ended as well. Note: If conference continuation is enabled, the conference will continue after the chairperson has left. In this case, the conference will end when the last participant has hung up. Ending a Web Conference If you are having both a web and an audio conference, you must end both in order to end the session. The chairperson may end a web conference by clicking on Stop Web Conference and closing the interface. The session ends and the chairperson and participants will be taken to the feedback page. page 61

67 Chapter 8 The Participant Experience Who is a Participant? A participant is in the chairperson s audience. Any person not designated as the chairperson or co-presenter is a participant. Participants have limited access to most of the features in the service. A participant can only control things that affect their local environment. They cannot mute other lines, disconnect others, dial out or in any way manage the conference. Getting Started as a Participant As a participant, it is important to test your browser. For testing instructions, please refer to the Getting Started section in Chapter 1. Once your browser has been tested and the appropriate version of Java is installed, you are ready to join a conference. Joining a Web Conference Go to your start page, click on Join as a Participant and enter the conference toll-free phone number and 7-digit access code given to you by the chairperson in the participant login space provided. Click Submit to enter the conference. You will be taken to the participant registration page. page 62

68 You will be placed into conference and will see the chairperson s splash screen. If you log on before the chairperson has started the conference you are placed into the lobby. Joining an Audio Conference The audio conference is joined by dialing the same conference toll-free number and 7-digit access code provided by the chairperson for the web conference. Participant Controls Participants have several features available to use. Most are accessed using their telephone keypad but some are accessed via the web interface. Phone Controls The phone controls available to the participant are listed in the table below. Key Feature *6 Mute Line *7 Unmute Line *9 Automated Roll Call (if activated) *# Participant Count 00 Operator (joins conference) *0 Operator (private conversation) ** List of available commands Participants can access these commands via their phone at anytime. Web Controls Participants have two controls through the web interface. page 63

69 1. Raise Hand: The Raise Hand feature allows the participant to notify the chairperson that they have a question. 2. Full Screen: The Full Screen mode is shown on the next page. Chat: Participants and the chairperson can exchange text messages using the web conference chat interface. The contents of the chat are available as a transcript after the conference has been completed. When full screen mode is enabled, the chat box is broken out as a floating window. The chat window can be minimized or sent to the background by making the presentation window the active window. Close the window to return to the normal view or use the yellow navigation bar. page 64

70 Chapter 9 Best Practices This chapter presents the suggested best practices for conducting your conference. It is split into four sections. The first section details general conferencing. The second section talks about audio best practices while the third section describes web best practices. The last section gives you some guidelines on how to conduct a Q&A session. Best Practices General These are general tips that will help you conduct successful conferences. Communicate all important information It is important that you communicate all of the conference information to your participants. The most common mistakes are forgetting to include time zone as well as any security codes that may have been set in the past. An easy way to remember to communicate all information is to use the conference meeting invitation to schedule your conferences. Include Support Numbers for your Participants It is important to include the Customer Care number in your invitation. This will allow your participants to call us if they are experiencing any problems with the service. The Customer Care numbers are listed below. Best Practices Audio These practices focus on quality audio conferences and making high quality recordings. Set entry/exit announcement to silent for large conferences Select Options and set the entry announcement to silent. This prevents audio disruptions from Tone and Name announcements as participants join or leave. Mute All and Listen Only mode Both of these modes mute all of the participant s lines. The difference is that in Listen Only mode, participants cannot unmute their line as they are able to in Mute All mode. Use these modes on large audio calls to ensure high quality audio by blocking out any background noise. If you are using the Mute All command, remember to remind participants to press *7 to unmute their lines if they have questions. Assign a participant to call the operator in case of audio problems If you are experiencing audio problems on a call the quickest way to resolve those problems is by using *0 to call an operator. Assign a participant to do this so the chairperson can continue with the conference uninterrupted. Best Practices Web Best practices for web focus on making your presentation flow smoothly and efficiently. Upload slides before conference page 65

71 It is always a good idea to upload your slides into the conference interface before you are about to conduct your conference. This will give you time to preview them and move through the presentation to make sure it flows smoothly. Close all sensitive documents before the conference If you are going to be using desktop showing in your presentation, it is important to close all the documents or applications you do not want to show. Anytime you switch modes to desktop showing all documents and applications in view will immediately become visible to participants, including chat windows and calendar reminders. Include browser check in invitation When inviting participants, be sure to include browser check instructions. This will allow participants to check their Java version before the conference begins and allow time to resolve any issues they may encounter. The compatibility test link will automatically be included if you create your invitation in web conference. Set Screen Resolution to 1024x768 Use a common screen resolution found on most computers so your participants will not have to use scroll bars to see your presentation. If you are presenting in a higher resolution than your participants, your presentation will be larger than their screen. 1024x768 is a common resolution found on most computers. Question & Answer Sessions It is very common to have a question and answer session at the end of a conference. There are different ways to conduct a Q&A session. Depending on your format and the number of people in your conference, one style of Q&A may be more appropriate than another. Small Conference Q&A In small conferences, you can use the chat feature to handle Q&A when participant s lines are muted. Participants type their questions into the chat interface and send them to the chairperson. The chairperson should read each question aloud and then answer it to the entire conference. With larger conferences this may not be a viable option, because the chairperson s chat will fill with questions faster than they can answer them. The chairperson s chat must be visible for them to see the questions. Another way to conduct Q&A for small conferences is to have participants un-mute their line individually and ask their question. Large Conference Q&A In large conferences where it is imperative to control the flow of questions, the raise hand feature can be used in conjunction with mute all. When using this format, the chairperson must keep his chairperson controls visible to see participant s names highlighted as they raise their hand. Chat It is common for large conferences to designate a chat moderator for the duration of the conference. This person is responsible for monitoring the chat while the chairperson presents. All questions will be answered by the moderator in real time without disturbing the chairperson s presentation. page 66

72 Appendix A Glossary of Commonly-used Terms Access Code: The 7-digit access code which is used by the chairperson in conjunction with their passcode to initiate a conference. It is also the code the participants will need to enter the conference. Account Manager: Your web conference representative. If you have any questions regarding the service, do not hesitate to contact your account manager. Active Browser: The active browser, along with the parent browser, is one of the two browser windows that are launched when the conference begins. It contains the conference controls and is the browser through which your conference is viewed. Application Showing: This mode allows the chairperson to show specific applications with their participants. Only applications which are currently open can be shown from the application showing menu. Audio Conference: Refers to a conference that uses audio only (phone conference). Chat: Members of the conference along with the chairperson are able to chat with each other using the web conference chat option. The contents of the chat are available to the chairperson after the conference has been completed. Chairperson: The chairperson refers to the person conducting the conference. The chairperson is responsible for starting the call with their access code and passcode. Chairperson Controls: The generic term referring to the web controls the chairperson interacts with while conducting a web and/or audio conference. Client Matter Code: An optional code attached to a conference that assists your accounting department in identifying who participated in the call and who to bill. This code is also known as a billing code or account code. Conference Center: The chairperson can manage all of their conferences from this page. Log into the Conference Center from the main page on our website Continuation: An option that allows the conference to continue after the Chairperson has left the conference. This is helpful when the Chairperson may be on a cell phone and the possibility of dropping the call exists. Co-Presenter: Refers to another person who is involved with the presentation. A co-presenter will share presentation duties with the other co-presenters and the chairperson. Desktop Showing: This mode is used when the chairperson wishes to share their desktop with participants. All applications currently open and any new applications opened will be shown. Delete: Allows the chairperson or co-presenter to delete one slide or all slides from a web conference. Dial: A feature that allows the user to dial out to a participant to bring them into the conference. Disconnect: Allows the chairperson to selectively disconnect participants. Entry Announcement: You may turn the entry announcement on by checking this box under the options dialogue box. By turning the entry announcement on, the chairperson can choose the type of announcement they wish to have when participants enter the conference. Entry Announcement - Name: The name announcement will only be active if the name record is on as well. This will record the participants name upon entry and play it back when they are placed within conference. page 67

73 Entry Announcement - Silent: No entry announcement is heard when participants enter the conference. Entry Announcement - Tone: The tone announcement option plays a small beep when a participant enters the conference. Flash: A bandwidth friendly and browser independent vector-graphic animation technology. As long as different browsers are equipped with the necessary plug-ins, Flash animations will look the same. Flash Player: The player required to play back the recordings. The player can be downloaded from Adobe s web site for free. Grant Control of: A feature that allows the chairperson or co-presenter to grant a person control of an application or their desktop. Insert: Insert is used to upload PowerPoint files into the web conferencing service. Once pressing insert, a browser box will appear allowing the user to browse to their PowerPoint file. Java: Java is a general purpose programming language with a number of features that make the language well suited for use on the World Wide Web. Small Java applications are called Java applets and can be downloaded from a Web server and run on your computer by a Java-compatible Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Java Applet: An applet is a small Internet-based program written in Java, a programming language for the Web, which can be downloaded by any computer. The applet is also able to run in HTML. The applet is usually embedded in an HTML page on a Web site and can be executed from within a browser. The web service uses a Java applet. Listen Only: Places the conference into listen only mode. All participants will have their line muted on entry. Participants cannot un-mute themselves; only the chairperson can. Lobby: Participants are placed in the lobby when they try to join an audio or web conference that the chairperson has not yet initiated. Lock Audio: This allows the chairperson to lock the audio conference preventing unwanted participants from joining. Once the conference is full with the expected attendees, the conference may be locked to prevent unauthorized entry. Mute All: Mutes all of the participant s lines. This is similar to listen only mode except participants are able to un-mute their line should they want to speak. Notification: This option allows the chairperson to be notified via each time a recording is replayed. Operator: The service allows the chairperson to dial out to an operator for technical assistance. Operators are highly trained and available 24/7/365. Operator Assisted: An operator assisted call is a conference that needs an operator. These calls must be registered with the service before they take place. To register an event call with your web conference, contact your account manager or call Customer Care. Parent Browser: The service opens two browsers when starting the service. The active browser is the one through which the conference is viewed. The parent browser resides in the background and should not be closed. Closing the parent browser will end the session. Participant: Refers to everyone participating in the conference but not presenting. A participant can be made a co-presenter by the chairperson. Passcode: A 4-9 digit code that the Chairperson uses to initiate their web conference. page 68

74 Phonebook: Allows a chairperson to store frequently dialed numbers which are easily accessed from within the conference. The phonebook also allows batch dialing for faster dial out. Play name: Allows the chairperson to play back the names of the participants while in conference. This functionality is only available when name record is activated. Presenters: Refers to anyone who is sharing the duties of presenting. A presenter can be a chairperson or a co-presenter. Preview: This allows the chairperson or co-presenter to preview a slide before showing it to the participants. Quick Start: Allows the conference to start without the chairperson present. Registration: Information required by participants for conferences and from listeners for the playback. Remote Control: The term used when a participant or co-presenter is granted control of an application on another user s computer. The person will have remote control of the application or computer. Resolution: The screen resolution of your monitor. Resolution is measured in pixels as in 800x600 which refers to 800 pixels by 600 pixels. It is important to understand resolution in regards to web presentations and how it may affect your participant s viewing. The optimal viewing resolution for the web conference service is 1024x768. Security Code: The security code is an optional code which the chairperson may place upon their conference for an added layer of security. It is important that the chairperson communicate this optional security code to their participants. Slide Presentation: The mode used when the chairperson wants to give a static slide presentation using PowerPoint. This mode is the least resource intensive of all view modes and is used the most often. Slide Show: This allows the chairperson or co-presenter to show their PowerPoint slides in full screen mode. SSL: Short for Secure Sockets Layer, a protocol for transmitting private documents via the Internet. SSL works by using a private key to encrypt data that is transferred over the SSL connection. Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer and Firefox support SSL and many Web sites use the protocol to obtain confidential user information. By convention, URLs that require an SSL connection start with https instead of http. It uses a SSL connection to keep the contents of your conference private. Toll number: A number that when dialed will incur the user phone charges. Toll-Free Number: A number that a user can dial without incurring charges. It uses a toll-free number for their conferences. Several forms of the toll-free number are 800, 866, or 888. Web Conference: Refers to a conference that uses the web interface to show slides or share applications. WinZip: A program that allows the user to decompress zipped files that are downloaded to their computer. Recordings are zipped and must be unzipped before playback is attempted. Usually rightclicking and choosing Extract All will successfully unzip the file. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. page 69