WEB

CONFERENCING
OVERVIEW OF WEB
CONFERENCING
 Web conferencing is growing in popularity as
a way to hold meetings with people from
different locations without having to leave
the office.

 A Web conference (sometimes called a

webinar) allows the meeting to take place at
a central online location so participants can
share PowerPoint slides, view software
demonstrations, or brainstorm ideas using a
shared whiteboard.
OVERVIEW OF WEB
CONFERENCING
 Typically, an administrative assistant will handle all
aspects of setting up and running a Web conference,
while his or her manager will be a speaker or presenter.

 Businesses often use Web conferencing for marketing

meetings, sales presentations, training sessions, human
resources announcements, employee orientations, and
shareholder meetings. Web conferencing can help slash
travel budgets, save travel time, and encourage more
interaction between distant groups of people.
 The lack of face-to-face interaction can be solved by
adding interactive polling, question and answer
sessions, software application sharing, and video
cameras.
OVERVIEW OF WEB
CONFERENCING
Web conferencing vendors provide the
software necessary for hosting a Web
conference, by signing up with a vendor, you
can get an account, install the software, and
begin hosting your first Web conference in a
matter of minutes. Some of the most popular
Web conference vendors include:
◆ WebEx—www.webex.com
◆ GoToMeeting—www.gotomeeting.com
WEB CONFERENCING SOFTWARE
Many Web conferencing vendors offer feature-rich
software applications that allow for a dynamic
interactive experience. Some of these features
include:
 Application Sharing —Allows for sharing a software
application on the presenter’s desktop with the
participants of the Web conference.
 Screen Sharing —Allows for sharing anything on the
presenter’s screen with the participants of the Web
conference.
 Presentation Sharing —Allows the presenter to upload
a PowerPoint slide presentation to share with the
conference participants.
 Whiteboard—Allows the presenter and participants to
draw diagrams and write notes on the screen.
 Monitoring —Allows the presenter to see a roster of
attendees,
 Audio Controls —Allows the presenter to mute or un-mute
the participants’ phone lines.
 Annotation Tools —Allows the presenter and attendees to
control an on-screen pointer, highlight parts of the screen,
draw objects and diagrams, and type text on the screen.
 Chat —Allows the attendees to type messages to the
presenter or to each other.
 Polling —Allows the presenter to provide a set of questions
with multiple-choice answers to quiz the participants or to
get feedback.
 Recording —Allows the presenter or individual participants
to record a presentation in order to watch and listen to it
later.
 Web Camera —Allows the presenter and participants to add
webcams to the Web conference in order to see each other.
 Reporting —Allows the presenter to see a report following
the Web conference showing the roster, participant
activity, chat, and polling results.
ORGANIZING A WEB CONFERENCE
 To hold a Web conference, you need a computer
with an Internet connection, Web conferencing
software, and a telephone line.

 To start a meeting, you use the Web conferencing

software to schedule a specific date and time. The
software then lets you send out invitations to
attendees that includes information on how to join
the Web conference. The attendees can then join
the conference by following the instructions in their
invitation to sign on to a particular website or by
clicking a hyperlink that automatically connects
them to the conference. The attendees may need
to install the Web conferencing software, which is a
process that takes only a few minutes the first time
they use the service.
SECURING YOUR MEETING
One way to make sure that only invited
participants attend your Web conference is to
require a conference password. You can
specify a password for each meeting and
include it in your invitation.
TELECONFERENCE INFORMATION
 Most Web conferencing vendors also offer
teleconference services that provide you with
a toll-free call-in number along with an
access code and personal identification
number.

 One low-cost option is to use an Internet

phone conference, using Voice over Internet
Protocol (VOIP) technology.
PARTICIPANT SYSTEMS CHECK
 A systems check is a quick process that participants
need to go through in advance of the Web
conference. This process usually involves having the
participant do a premeeting installation of the Web
conferencing software.

 Most Web conferencing vendors have a link on their

websites that allow new users to install the
necessary software before the Web conference.

 To reduce the number of technical issues at the

beginning of your Web conference, you should
provide step-by-step instructions in your invitation
that encourage participants to perform a systems
check and to install any necessary Web conferencing
software.
PARTICIPANT SYSTEMS CHECK
 Even if participants have attended Web
conferences using the same system in the
past, it is still a good idea to have them test
their system. Changes to the vendor’s
software, upgrades to a user’s computer, or
even operating system and browser security
updates could cause the Web conferencing
software to suddenly stop working.

 Some participants may have trouble

installing the Web conferencing software
during the systems check because of
restrictions on software downloads put in
place by the IT department.
FIGURE 15-1 Sample Web Conference Invitation
 Hello,

 You are invited to attend a Web conference using WebEx.

 Session Details

 Topic: Isha Foundation

 Date: September 29, 2021

 Time: 10:00 a.m. EST

 Session Number: 46297

 Session Password: Sadhguru

 Teleconference Number: 1-800-555-2973

 Teleconference Pass Code: SJV101

 To access the conference, you will need to conduct a

systems check well in advance of the meeting to ensure

you are able to view the Web content. Even if you have
attended a Web conference using WebEx before, it’s
important to conduct a systems check.
 Site configuration changes, such as an upgrade, can

affect your computer’s ability to access the Web

conference.
 To Perform the Systems Check
1. Go to http://www.webex.com
2. Click the TrainingCenter tab.
3. Click Set Up on the left-hand side of the screen.
4. Click Training Manager.
You will be prompted through a short software set-up to
determine if you computer is compatible. If your
computer fails the system check, contact WebEx
technical support
 at __________________________________________.

 To Join the Session on the Internet

1. Log on to http://www.webex.com
2. In the box under the words “if you know your meeting
number, join here,” type the session number and then
click Join.
3. Follow the prompts for a short software download to
access the Web conference.
4. Dial into the audio portion of the call.
 Thank you
REFERENCE
 Administrative Assistant's and Secretary's Handbook, 5th
Edition. by James Stroman, Kevin Wilson, Jennifer
Wauson.