Tools: How to Get Your Work Done

Sametime meetings include two types of tools: those that allow you to exchange and present information (polling, send Web pages, screen sharing, and the whiteboard) and those that allow you to communicate with other people in the meeting (Meeting Room chat, audio, and video). During a meeting, the Moderator can grant and remove permission to use the tools.

You can use the Tools tab to select tools for your meeting. By default, every scheduled meeting includes the whiteboard, screen sharing, Meeting Room chat, polling, send Web pages, and computer audio and video. (In a Broadcast Presentation or Demo, only presenters receive Meeting Room chat, polling, and send Web pages.)

Note The system administrator determines which tools are available on your server. If a tool is unavailable, see your system administrator for more information.

You can remove tools from your meeting, or you can substitute a telephone conference call for computer audio and video in your meeting. You can also use NetMeeting (a Microsoft program) instead of Sametime to share a screen, draw on the whiteboard, and communicate with computer audio and video.

Choosing Tools

To choose a tool for your meeting, select the check box or radio button next to the tool. If you do not want to use the tool, make sure that the tool is not selected.

The table below lists the tools that are available for your meeting and describes the permissions associated with each tool. Use the table to choose the appropriate tools for your meeting.

Note For more information about screen sharing and the whiteboard, see "Presenting Information in a Meeting."

After selecting the tools for your meeting, click Save if you are finished scheduling the meeting. Otherwise, proceed to the appropriate tab to enter more information for the meeting.

Caution If there is not enough space on the server for your meeting, the meeting is not scheduled after you click Save. Return to the Essentials tab and choose a new time for the meeting.

Tool	Purpose	Permission
Meeting Room Chat	Allows you to send messages to everyone in the meeting	No permission required; anyone can use Meeting Room chat when it is available.
Send Web page	Allows the Moderator to simultaneously direct all participants' Web browsers to a specific Web page	No permission required; anyone can view Web pages. Note Only the Moderator can send Web pages.
Polling	Allows the Moderator to send questions to participants and to collect the responses	No permission required; anyone can respond to polls and view shared poll responses. Note Only the Moderator can send polls and share the responses.
Screen Sharing	Allows you to share your screen or a computer program with other participants	Permission to edit/share allows you to: Share the screen. Control someone else's shared screen.
Whiteboard	Allows you to present files, draw images, and enter text	Permission to edit/share allows you to: Draw on the whiteboard. Present an attached file.
Computer Audio and Video	Allows you to speak with other participants and if using video, to be seen by them Note If you use computer audio and video in your meeting, ensure that the participants have the required equipment.	Permission to speak allows you to: Speak into your microphone. Transmit your video image while you are speaking.
Telephone Conference Call	Allows you to associate a telephone conference call with your meeting. Participants can join the call to communicate during the meeting. Note You can use Sametime to schedule a telephone conference call only if your server includes this capability. See your system administrator for more information.	No permission required; anyone can speak during the conference call.
NetMeeting	Allows you to conduct an online meeting with screen- sharing and whiteboard tools Note NetMeeting is not a Sametime tool; it is a Microsoft product.	NetMeeting does not support Sametime permissions.

Send us your comments and suggestions.