On This Page A guided tour of Centra eMeeting for e-Conferencing leaders. Please note the times that essential set up and checks should be performed prior to attending an e-Conferencing event. Preparation Viewing Requirements Leader Guidelines Equipment Setup System Check, Tutorial and Help   Leader Tasks   Leader Tools Toolbar Control Panels Import a Presentation Speak Send Text Chat Share Application Grant Privileges to Participants Grant Microphone and Markup Tools Give Participant Appshare Privileges Promote a Participant to Co-presenter Send Participant a Private Chat Share Participant's Application Grant Video Camera to Participant Eject Participant from the Event Leave a Session   Learn More about Centra eMeeting Interface   Useful Notes   Glossary   To open Windows Media™-formatted content, you need Windows Media™ player, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft® website. Windows Media is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. To view PDF files, you need Adobe Reader, which can be downloaded from the Adobe website.

Guided Tour: eMeeting Leader

Preparation

Viewing Requirements for Knowledge Objects and PDF Files

The Knowledge Objects require Microsoft Windows Media player version 6.4 or higher, which can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/
download/default.asp. These Knowledge Objects should be viewed at a monitor resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher.

PDF files require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded from the Adobe website at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.

Note: It is important to note that some topics require IP authentication. If you are not using a MOREnet-supplied IP, you may not be able to perform some of the exercises. Please let your session leader know how you are connected (for example, through MOREnet, private Internet service provider, etc.).

Leader Guidelines

Please read this document completely before leading a session. If you are assigned the role of leader by the Centra System administrator, you will receive an e-mail message that contains the user name and password that allow you to access the Centra tool and your Centra home page. Your Centra home page lists sessions you are scheduled to lead and attend.

For an optimal e-Conferencing experience, equipment setup should be completed at least one business day before your session. If this is your first experience with Centra, you should complete the tutorial at least four hours before your session. When leading, you should enter the session at least 15 to 30 minutes before the session start time.

Equipment Setup (one business day before your session)

Before the session, you should have the following equipment installed on your machine. The optional equipment is not necessary, but enhances the experience. If you are unfamiliar with these items or their setup, contact your system administrator.

• Speakers - mandatory
• Microphone - mandatory for two-way audio
• Webcam - optional

Using System Check, Tutorial and Help (four hours before your session)

1. Open a browser.
2. Go to http://econ.more.net/main/mnet/training/ (opens another browser window).

On the left side of the screen pictured above you have a public navigation bar, which allows you to view public recorded events without having to log in. The public navigation bar contains links to other pages.

Two of the links in the public navigation bar point to other pages that users can visit without logging in:

• Public Events
• Public Recordings

The other link in the public navigation bar provides a shortcut to a page that users cannot visit without first logging in:

• My Schedule

On the right of the e-Conferencing banner:

• System Check ensures your machine meets the specifications for this software.
• Tutorial gives brief instructions on how to use the Centra tool.

Running System Check lets you optimize your computer for participating in a Centra event. The System Check wizard will ask a series of questions and return information about your computer system and network connection.

1. Click System Check on the My Schedule page (opens another browser window).
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the System Check.

For more information about System Check, view the System Check Knowledge Object (opens another browser window).

The tutorial is a great place to become familiar with the product before a live session, to enhance your experience and to ensure a successful session.

1. Click Tutorial (opens another browser window).
2. Click eMeeting. The Welcome to eMeeting screen opens and provides instructions.
3. When you are finished, close the tutorial window and return to My Schedule page.

After logging in, online help is always available from the My Schedule page and from the Help menu in the Centra tool.

1. Click Help on the My Schedule page (or in the Centra tool, click on the Help menu, then Contents > Search) (opens another browser window).
2. Click on the item of interest in the Table of Contents to display content on the right side of the screen.

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Leader Tasks

On the left side of the Centra home page, default links perform the following tasks. Your options may differ.

• My Schedule - View sessions you are scheduled to lead (or attend). Selected by default.
• Attend Meeting - Access a live meeting.
• Create Meeting - Schedule a meeting. You are automatically the leader and can begin the meeting immediately.
• Event List - View a list of current or all sessions and enroll in a session.
• Catalog - Access materials stored in the Content Catalog.
• My Profile - Change your personal user information, such as language preference, password, e-mail or display name.
• Downloads - Access Centra supporting software.
• Tools - Remove the agenda content you have downloaded and recordings you have played back.
• Log Out - Log out of the Centra Server and return to the Centra Welcome page.

You may wish to print the Centra Leader Essentials booklet (3.7 MB PDF file; opens another browser window) for reference as you review the Centra tool.

To create an eMeeting session

Note: You must have appropriate permissions to create an eMeeting. Please check with your Event Manager if you have questions.

1. On My Schedule, click Create Meeting.
2. The Create Meeting page appears.

3. Type the name of the meeting in the Name box. Enter up to 60 characters.
4. Select the Day from the calendar picker. Today’s date is shown by default.
5. Select the Time from the drop-down lists and a time zone, if necessary.
6. Select a Duration:
   1. Select specific hours and minutes from the drop-down lists if you want the meeting to occur at a specific time. (You can select 15 minute increments.)
   2. Select Ongoing if you want the meeting to be available at all times.
7. To start your meeting immediately and not set any additional options, click Start Now. Otherwise, continue setting meeting options. If you select Start Now, the eMeeting Leader interface opens.
8. Select the number of people who can attend from the Seats Reserved list. You cannot specify more than the limit set for you by your Event Manager. The number includes the meeting leader.
   Tip: Click Seat Availability to verify how many seats are available for the specified time.
9. Select the Server from the drop-down list, if more than one.
10. Select the desired meeting options:
    1. Post to public event list (so other users can self-enroll)
    2. Enable video
    3. Record meeting
    4. Allow users to attend without an invitation (checked by default)
       Tip: This option allows guest users to attend.
11. To password-protect the meeting, type (and re-type) a meeting password. Enter up to 50 characters.

12. Select Audio Options.
    1. If using Voice Over Internet (VOIP) for audio, select its radio button.
    2. If using the Telephone for audio, select its radio button and type the phone numbers used to join the teleconference and the Access code. Provide Host code and Conference call instructions, if necessary. If you have teleconference information as part of your user profile, that information appears by default. You can change it if necessary. While participating in the event, participants can view the teleconference information.
    3. Even if the Telephone option is selected, users still have the option of using VoIP during the event.
13. To create an E-mail Invitation, update the Subject and type the message.
    Tip: Click Preview to check the message before you send it.
14. Type the e-mail address of each participant in the Attendees area.
    Tip: De-select the Send E-mail Invitation checkbox to not send an attendee an e-mail invitation.
15. Click Create or Create and Invite Attendees. The meeting now appears on your Centra Home page (My Schedule page). You are automatically the leader of the session.

To start an eMeeting from a Microsoft Office application

Centra supports an add-in for Microsoft Office that enables you to do the following:

• Start your personal Centra meeting from within a Microsoft Office application. The personal meeting can be started from Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio or Project.
• Share the application from which the meeting was started, using the Centra Appshare feature.

The add-in places a Centra button on the toolbars of the Microsoft applications. Clicking the button opens your personal meeting and shares the application automatically.
Note: Be aware that this creates an ongoing meeting which will affect the number of licenses used.

System Requirements: Microsoft Office 2000, 2002, 2003.

To install the Centra add-in:

1. Close all Microsoft Office applications.
2. Download CentraOfficeAddin.exe, the Centra Add-in file, to your personal computer. This file may be found from the Downloads link on your Centra My Schedule page. You may see some security warnings; click Yes to proceed.
3. Run CentraOfficeAddin.exe.

To use the Centra add-in:

1. Open any Microsoft Office application. A Centra button has been added to the toolbar.
2. Click the Centra button in the toolbar.
3. Your personal meeting will open and immediately Appshare the Microsoft Office application.
4. Invite others into your meeting with any of the following methods:
   1. Go to Invite by Email in the Tools menu.
   2. Go to Invite by IM in the Tools menu.
   3. In your Windows Messenger contact list, right-click on a contact name and select Start Centra Meeting.
   4. Over the phone you may give someone the server URL of your Centra login page. Instruct them to click Attend a Meeting, and enter the meeting ID, which appears in the title bar of your meeting.

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To begin an eMeeting session that has already been created:

1. Click My Schedule.
2. Find the appropriate session.
3. Click Lead.
   If you have attended a Centra session before on the same computer, you will automatically enter the session. The session launch will begin in the same window before opening the event in a new window. This process avoids conflicts with most pop-up blockers.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Inside the session, a series of wizards will help set up your system to test the volume from the speaker and the microphone. They also allow you to select speaker or headset mode. If you are in an open area, we suggest using headsets.

For more information about using the Audio Wizard and Video Wizard, view Knowledge Objects (Windows Media files; opens another browser window):

• Using the Audio Wizard
• Using the Video Wizard

Leader Tools

Before leading a Centra session, you should become familiar with the following tools. You may wish to print the following guides to assist you in learning to use the tools in the Leader interface.

• Leader Essentials (3.7 MB PDF file; opens another browser window)
• Leader Guide (1.4 MB PDF file; opens another browser window)

Leader Toolbar

	Record Session. Click to start the server-side recorder.
	Pause Recording. Click to pause the server-side recorder.
	Raise Hand. Click to ask a question.
	Indicate Yes. Click check mark to answer "yes" to a question.
	Indicate No. Click X to answer "no" to a question.
	Laughter. Click to indicate laughter.
	Applaud. Click to indicate applause.
	Step Out. Click to indicate that you are stepping away from the session.
	Appshare. Click to begin an application share.
	Survey. Click to open the survey tool.
	Web Safari. Click to begin a Web Safari.
	Whiteboard. Click to open a whiteboard in the session.
	Text Chat. Click to open the text chat window.
	Feedback. Click to see feedback from participants.
	Full Screen. Click to make the Centra session window full screen.

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Control Panels

	Volume Panel Push to talk Lock to talk Volume control slider Microphone volume control slider
Participants Panel Pass microphone to the next participant with a raised hand Sort participants list by microphone Sort participants list by raised hand Sort participants list by yes/no responses Totals for yes and no responses, raised hands, and leaders and participants taking part in the session Clear microphone, raised hands and yes/no responses
	Agenda Panel Next slide and previous slide controls Insert PowerPoint presentation Agenda components Session status

Import a Presentation

You can import a PowerPoint presentation into an existing agenda before or during a session. (In this case the agenda was created using Agenda Builder and added when the event was created.) For more information see the Knowledge Object Using the Agenda Builder.

1. Click the Insert Powerpoint Presentation icon, located above the agenda.
2. Click Choose a Powerpoint File to Import.
3. Locate the desired file and click Open.
4. Select GIF, JPG or HTML as the import format (GIF is the recommended choice.).
5. Click OK.
6. Click Exit when finished.

Speak

• Option 1: Press and hold down the CTRL key or click the Talk button, then speak into your microphone.
• Option 2: Click the Lock to Talk button to speak for an extended period of time. Click the Lock to Talk button again to deactivate and allow others to speak.

Send Text Chat

Use Text Chat to send, receive and view public or private chat messages in a text conversation. Public messages are seen by all participants. An individual participant and the leader can private chat, but participants cannot private chat with each other.

1. Click the Text Chat button.
2. Select the Public tab to send a message to everyone or the Private tab to send a message to a specific person.
3. Type a message in the Message box.
4. For private chat, select a name from the Send To drop-down menu.
5. Click Send.

Share Application

1. Launch the application you wish to host.
2. Click the Appshare button.
3. Select the application(s) you will be hosting and click OK.
4. Interact with the application or use the Appshare markup tools.
5. Click a different agenda item or toolbar button/menu bar to stop the Appshare.

Grant Privileges to Participants

Right-clicking a participant's name produces the menu of choices shown below. This menu allows the leader to grant the privileges shown to participants.

Grant Microphone and Markup Tools

The leader controls who has a microphone and determines who can speak. Giving participants microphones allows them to speak in the session. Participants have microphones in pre-session but lose them when the session begins.

The leader can pass microphones to one participant at a time or to all participants.

1. Right-click the participant's name in the Participants list and select Grant microphone and markup tools.
2. Click the microphone icon to the left of a participant's name in the Participants list to remove a microphone from an individual participant.
3. Participants must have microphone control to use the whiteboard. As the leader or participants work with the whiteboard tools, the content of the whiteboard is visible in everyone's media window.

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Give Participant Appshare Privileges

Leaders can allow participants to host an application on their computer for everyone in the session to see.

1. Ask the participant to launch an application if not already launched.
2. Right-click the participant's name in the Participants list.
3. Select Share participant's application. The Select applications to Share box appears on the selected participant's screen. A Please Wait box appears on the leader's screen.
4. Have the participant select the application to share and click OK. The participant's application now appears in the Media Window of the leader and all other participants. The interface of the participant hosting the application changes to the Application Host View.
5. Have the participant work with the application by clicking links or entering text.
6. To end participant Appshare, have the participant select the Appshare Tools floating menu and then Quit Application Sharing. Or, click on a different agenda item or choose another tool to stop Appshare.

Adjust Participant Audio

Leaders can adjust the audio for a specific participant.

1. Right-click the participant's name in the Participants list.
2. Select Adjust [participant's name] Audio. The Configure [participant's name] Audio box opens.
3. Adjust the participant's microphone volume using the slider.
4. Change the speaking mode.
5. Click Close.

Promote a Participant to Co-Presenter

Promoting to co-presenter allows a participant to act as a guest speaker or an assistant to the leader. The participant's toolbar and menu options will change, giving the participant all the features available to the leader. Leaders can designate any participant as a co-presenter at any time during an eMeeting session.

1. Right-click a participant's name in the Participants list.
2. Select Promote Participant to Co-Presenter. The participant's name now appears in the presenter's area.
3. Introduce the participant as a co-presenter.
4. Select Demote Participant to demote a co-presenter to participant.

Note: You cannot grant the co-presenter privilege to a stepped-out participant. A co-presenter can click Step Out to temporarily leave the Main Room before and during a session. The co-presenter must click the Step Back in button to return to the Main Room.

Send Participant a Private Chat

Private Chat allows a private, one-on-one communication with an individual participant.

1. Right-click a participant's name in the participants list.
2. Select Send Participant a Private Chat.
3. The Chat window opens up, on the Private tab.
4. Type the message you wish to share with the participant, then click Send.

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Share Participant's Application

When sharing an application in a session, leaders can allow another user to interact with the application (The leader can always interact with the application.).

1. Right-click the participant's name in the Participants list. Do one of the following:
   • If the option Microphone does not allow Appshare control is set, select Give participant Appshare privileges.
   • If the option Microphone also allows Appshare control is set, select Grant microphone and markup tools.
   • The selection you make depends on the Appshare Control choice selected in the Session Options box. See Appshare Control Options for more information.
2. Have the participant work with the application by clicking links or entering text.
3. When you no longer want a participant to be able to interact with the application, right-click the participant's name in the Participants list and select either: Remove Appshare privileges (Microphone does not allow Appshare control option) or Take away microphone and markup tools (Grant microphone and markup tools option).

Note: When Session Options > Appshare Control is set to Microphone does not allow Appshare control, a microphone with a green box indicates Appshare privilege.

Grant Video Camera to Participant

You can pass video controls and remove video control from a co-presenter or participant at any time during the broadcast and as many times as necessary. The leader can pass video control to co-presenters or participants with a camera.
Note: Only one person can broadcast video at a time.

1. Right-click a participant's name in the Participants list or the co-presenter's name in the presenter's area.
2. Select Grant Video Camera from the pop-up menu. This option is not visible when the participant does not have a camera or has selected Disable broadcast.
3. The participant, now the broadcaster, has three buttons in the video panel: Play, Pause and Stop. If the broadcaster clicks Stop, video control passes back to the leader.

Eject Participant from the Event - Use with caution

Leaders can eject a participant from a session. Ejected participants cannot re-log in to the session.

1. Right-click the participant's name in the Participants list.
2. Select Eject Participant from the event. A confirmation message appears.
3. Click Yes to eject the participant.

Ejected participants receive a message that they have been ejected. If ejected participants try to re-log in to the session while it is still in session, they see a message that they have been ejected and cannot log in.

Leave a Session

After the session has begun, if you need to leave the session temporarily, click Actions > Step Out to indicate you have stepped out. This will gray out your name and a door icon will appear next to your name so other participants know you have left the session. When you re-enter, simply click Actions > Return.

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Learn More About Centra eMeeting Interface

Learn more about the Centra eMeeting Interface by viewing these Knowledge Objects (Windows Media files; opens another browser window):

• Create an eMeeting
• eMeeting Leader Interface
• eMeeting Participant Interface
• eMeeting - Attend a Meeting
• Audio Wizard
• Video Wizard
• eMeeting Content
• eMeeting Markup and Whiteboard Tools
• eMeeting Survey Tool
• eMeeting Application Sharing

You may wish to print the following guides to assist you in learning to use eMeeting:

• Leader Essentials (3.7 MB PDF file; opens another browser window)
• eMeeting Participant Quick Reference Card (222 KB PDF file; opens another browser window)
• eMeeting Attend Quick Reference Card (180 KB PDF file; opens another browser window)
• Leader Guide (1.4 MB PDF file; opens another browser window)

Useful Notes

• As the leader, you can grant microphone privileges to allow participants to speak:
  • Click the Raised Hand icon in the leader toolbar to grant speaking privileges to the next person with a raised hand.
  • Click in the Microphone column next to the participant to receive microphone privileges.
• To use the microphone:
  • Hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard while speaking. (It is helpful if you press a few seconds before you begin speaking and for a second afterwards because there is a small latency time in the audio transfer.)
  • Click the Push To Talk icon and hold while speaking.
  • Click the Lock to Talk icon, then speak. Click again to deactivate.
• If you do not have a microphone, use the keyboard to type your question into the Text Chat box (keyboard icon at the top).
• Talking and chatting with others before the session begins is allowed and encouraged. After the session begins, this feature is removed unless the presenter grants microphone privileges.
• When the session begins, the presentation appears on the right side of the screen. The bottom left corner displays In-Session, highlighted in green. On the left, you will see the leader's name, the list of participants by name and the agenda the leader will follow.
• You should ask a few questions and ensure everyone is ready to go.

Glossary

• Centra's Glossary (PDF file; 181 KB)
• MOREnet e-Conferencing Service Glossary

Please let us know if you have comments about this guided tour or the e-Conferencing experience.

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