# Scheduling a conference

The scheduler is used to arrange conferences on a certain date and create virtual rooms.

Conference scheduler is a tool that enables a user to schedule and edit video conferences on TrueConf Server. This tool is available in TrueConf client applications for desktops and mobiles. With its help, you can create a conference without the administrator`s assistance. One can add events that will start automatically at the selected time. It is possible to create either one-time or recurring events (the administrator does not have to be involved). It is also possible to create virtual rooms that are constantly available to participants.

Clicking on the Scheduled conferences button in the Conferences section to go to the conference scheduler where you can:

  • Schedule a conference on a specified date and select its settings

  • Change the start mode to a virtual room (conference without a schedule) when creating a meeting or editing its settings

  • Create a conference template.

/client/media/plan_conference/en.png

You may not be able to create a conference in the conference scheduler due to the restrictions set by the server administrator on a group level.

To create a conference in the scheduler, follow the next steps:

  1. Click the /client/media/gui/new_conference_button/en.png (Сreate a conference) button.

  2. Select a conference type: private (by default) – only registered users can join the meeting, or public (webinar) – both registered and unregistered users can join.

The Public conference option may not be available if the server administrator didn't enable this feature.

3. Click Continue to proceed to the main settings.

# "General" tab

In this section, you need to specify:

  • Conference name

  • Conference mode (All on screen is set by default)

  • Number of presenters if you select a moderated role-based conference or a smart meeting

  • The conference type: scheduled meeting or a virtual room

  • Date, time, duration, and, if necessary, recurrence for a scheduled conference

  • You can also send automatic email reminders about a scheduled conference to its participants. This feature should be activated in advance by the administrator in the settings of the video conferencing server. It is possible to add 4 reminders about one conference. To do it, click the Settings button. If you want to apply the notifications settings specified on the video conferencing server, click the button Use administrator specified settings.

Sometimes when editing a conference created previously, you will see the reminders that you did not add. This issue may occur because the administrator of TrueConf Server activated global notifications settings when your conference had already been created.

If you need to create conferences with the same settings in a single click, check Save as a template box.

# "Participants" tab

Proceed to the Participants tab and add participants in one of the following ways:

# "Layout" tab

On the Layout tab, the default layout for all conference participants or for each individually and for SIP/H.323/WebRTC connections.

Editing layouts is unavailable in video lecture and smart meeting modes.

To configure the layout, complete the following steps:

  1. Select a video layout

  2. Choose the number of video windows

  3. If necessary, you can add an additional window for content sharing

  4. Select the participant for every video window or click Auto-fill layout (you will be able to re-arrange video windows with your mouse). You can also switch to full-screen mode

  5. Select the location of a participant's display name in the layout (at the top or at the bottom of the video window)

  6. If needed, you can check Do not allow users to change the layout box.

The location of users’ video windows in the layout (all participants in “all on screen” mode and presenters in a moderated role-based conference or a smart meeting) is determined in the following way: the windows are displayed in the order in which participants joined the conference. The layout is filled from left to right and from top to bottom starting from the upper left corner.

# "Registration" tab

This tab will be available only when scheduling a public conference.

In the Registration tab, you will be able to configure mandatory registration for guest participants. To do it, take the following steps:

  1. Check the Enable conference registration box.

  2. Set the registration parameters: availability period, automatic closing when the maximum number of participants is reached, and ability of authenticated users to join the webinar.

  3. Create a custom registration form. To do it, click on the Settings button which is at the very bottom of the Registration form settings section. There you will be able to select input fields for your form or add custom fields.

/client/media/webinar_reg_configuration/en.png

The registration form can be customised only when a conference is created. This feature will be unavailable when the conference is edited.

# "Advanced" tab

In the Advanced tab, you can configure the following parameters:

  • Conference ID

  • PIN for joining a conference (an optional security safeguard which may be helpful when holding a webinar)

  • Enable uninvited users to join the conference without asking for permission (available only for private conferences)

  • Waiting room for the event
  • Settings for automatically turning off participants’ cameras and microphones when they join the conference

This checkbox will work only for this particular conference. It will not affect users’ devices in other conferences or point-to-point calls.

  • Specify guest permissions (available only for private conferences)

Learn more about public conferences in our article about webinar security.

  • Record a conference (this parameter can be changed only if recording is allowed on the server side by the owner)

  • Send email invitations to conference participants.

You may not be able to enable conference recording and send invitations if your TrueConf Server administrator has not set up these features.

  • Conference control widget.

# Virtual room management

In the Virtual rooms section, you will see the list of unscheduled conferences (virtual rooms) where you are either the owner or a participant. Here, you will be able to manage your events or add new ones. When editing the conference, you can also change the start mode of this meeting (either a scheduled conference or a virtual room). To add a conference, click /client/media/gui/new_conference_button/en.png (Сreate a conference).

/client/media/virtual_rooms/en.png