How To Manage Conferences

Topics:
  • Displaying the Conferences Page (page 36)
  • Adding Conferences (page 37)
  • Editing Conferences (page 39)
  • Deleting Conferences (page 40)
  • Joining a Conference (page 41)
  • Viewing Conference Statistics (page 41)

Your Business Phone system includes a conference bridge that allows people inside and outside your company to participate in a conference call.

Displaying the Conferences Page

All conference tasks are performed from the Conferences page. To display this page, click the Conference icon on the menu bar:

The following figure shows an example of the Conferences page. The button at the top-right side of the page refreshes the information on the page.

Where to go from here :
From the Conferences page, you can:
  • Add conferences. See "Adding Conferences" on page 37.
  • Edit conferences. See "Editing Conferences" on page 39.
  • Delete conferences. See "Deleting Conferences" on page 40.
  • Join a conference. See "Joining a Conference" on page 41.
  • View conference statistics. See "Viewing Conference Statistics" on page 41.

Adding Conferences

The following procedure describes how to add conferences. When adding a conference, we recommend you require a leader to start the conference; otherwise, anyone with your participant code can use your bridge.

  1. 1 From the Conferences page, click the Add Conference button. The Add a Conference pop-up window appears.
  2. 2 Complete the fields (see Table 5‑1).
  3. 3 Click Add Conference.

    Table 5‑1. Adding/Editing a Conference

    Setting Description
    Name Enter a name for this bridge. The name should allow you to differentiate this bridge from other bridges you configured.
    Type Select the conference type. Choices are:
    • Dedicated conference bridge = a shared bridge on its own dedicated extension.
    • Owned conference bridge = a bridge associated to a user on the system (for example, the bridge for user 111).
    Extension Adding a conference: select the extension used to join this conference.

    Editing a conference: read-only field that shows the extension.

    Direct Phone Number Select the phone number used to join the conference.

    Owned bridges also have a direct dial field, which is the number internal users can dial to access the bridge.

    Leader PIN Enter the personal identification number (PIN) that the leader will use to authenticate access when joining the meeting. This PIN is private and should be known by internal staff only.
    Participant PIN Enter the PIN that participants will use to authenticate access when joining the meeting. Distribute this PIN to all guests of the meeting.
    Minimum participants to start Select the minimum number of participants that must attend the conference before it can start.
    Options

    Click this icon

    Select the following options:
    • Require a Leader to start = when checked, the system requires a leader to start the conference. If unchecked, the conference call will start when the first participant joins, regardless of whether a leader is present.
    • Prompt all participants for their name = when checked, the system prompts users for their name when they call in to the conference call.
    • Announce participant arrivals/departures = when checked, the system either beeps or announces when a participant joins or leaves the conference.
  • 4 Click Save.

    • Editing Conferences

    There might be times when you need to edit conferences. For example, you might want to change the leader or participant PIN.

    1. 1 From the Conferences page, either:
      • - Click a name OR
      • - Hover over a name, and then click the icon at the far right of the Conferences page. For example:
      …click this icon
      Click a name or…

      Either step displays the Edit pop-up window. For example:

    2. 2 Complete the fields (see Table 5‑1 on page 38).
    3. 3 Click Save.

    Deleting Conferences

    If you no longer need a conference, you can delete it from the system.

    1. 1 From the Conferences page, hover over the conference, and then click the icon at the far right of the row. A confirmation prompt appears.
    2. 2 Click Yes to delete the conference or No to retain it.
      Click this icon

    Joining a Conference

    There are several ways to join a conference.

    • Phones in your system can dial a dedicated bridge via the extension of the bridge. An owned bridge can be dialed by using the configured Direct Dial code.
    • Set a Direct Inward Dial (DID) number to the bridge for inside and outside callers (see "Working with Inventory" on page 86).
    • Participants can call into your main number, and then be transferred to the bridge, or the bridge can be an option of the auto attendant.

    When joining, the system prompts you for your password (either the leader or participant PIN, depending on your role).

    Viewing Conference Statistics

    You can display historical information about your bridge.

    1. 1 From the Conferences page, hover over the conference, and then click the icon at the far right of the row.
      2. Click this icon

      A pop-up window shows statistics about the selected conference.

    2. 2 For more information about participants, click the hyperlink under the Participants column.
    3. 3 When you finish viewing the information, click Close to close the pop-up window.
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