Startup Guide - Master the Webinar Room (A Moderator's Guide)

Learn more on the new "Flow Webinar Toolbar" 

1. Understand Prep Mode Vs Live Mode
2. Room Settings
3. Checking the Audio/Video/Screen Sharing readiness (yourself if necessary, dry-run later)
4. Setting up the Lobby (if required)
5. Setting up the Storyboard and pre-recording if required (for hybrid or automated events)
6. Understand how to manage audio/video/screen sharing for the other hosts/presenters
7. Understand how the chat module works and how to share resources and moderate during the session
8. Manage participants
9. Start/End the session for all, and the conclusion.

This is the FIRST thing you need to do as soon as you join a webinar room. You MUST ENABLE AUTOMATIC MEDIA PLAYBACK. Clicking OK button may not enable it if it is not enabled (Especially on Apple Devices).

Learn how to enable this (Click Me)

Prep mode is a great way to,

• Set up the event
• Do the pre-recordings
• Rehears the event (dry run) and
• Organize everything before the event or even during the day it occurs, just before you hit the start button.

If You are in an Event

• Before your start the event (it is not automatic unless you enabled automation), once you join the webinar room, it is in the preparation mode. 
• You can determine this by clicking the Storyboard and it says End Prep Mode at the bottom. 
• The Start Event button is grayed out until the event is about to start (the time frame is 1 hour from the scheduled date/time)
• Ending Prep Mode does not end the session but it will log anyone out of the webinar room

If You are in an Always-on Room

Always on room allows you to start the session at anytime. Still, when you join it, you are in the preparation mode until you click the Start Event button.

Ending Prep Mode does not end the session but it will log anyone out of the webinar room. Use it well to prepare your session and test the devices 1 day before if possible, and 1 hour before the start of the event.

Once you click the Start Event button, it is in the live mode (streaming). The End Prep Mode button changes to End Event. When you click this button, it ends the event for all!

Warning! 
DO NOT CLICK THE END EVENT button (it will ask for confirmation) unless you are absolutely sure as it CANNOT BE RESTARTED (without the help of customer support). 

1. You can use the web browser (we recommend Chrome) on your Desktop as well as on your mobile (Android and iOS). 
2. You can also install and use the Flow apps on desktop and Android/iOS. Learn more here...

• Old User Interface: At the UPPER RIGHT (Gear Button)
• New User Interface: At the bottom right on the toolbar. 

Let's look what is in there.

Audio/Video Settings

• Select the Microphone from a list from this dropdown - the selection may change if you change the devices/plug in or out
• Select the Webcam.

• Toggle Transcription Input: It opens a window to manually type the transcript (or copy/paste)
• Dark Mode: Enable or Disable Dark Mode
• Toggle Chat Notification Sound: Disable or Enable the audio notification when a host sends a message
• Modern Layout: Changes the layout from the legacy to the modern.

The personal audio/webcam/screens sharing options are available at the bottom left (legacy UX), or on the left of the toolbar (new UX).

1. Click on the Settings gear button at the upper right (legacy UX) or bottom right (new UX)
2. As soon as you open the settings panel, your browser pops the permissions panel on the left (see below)
3. Select the Microphone and Webcam from the dropdown in the settings panel
4. Then, allow the browser permissions "Allow while visiting the site".

Where is the Lobby?

• The lobby icon appears along the right edge (centered) unless you opened the chat panel of the webinar room
• Click the button to edit the settings.

• Display Welcome Text
• Select a background color for your room 
• Upload and use MP3 files to play before starting the event.

Important: Lobby isn't available after you start the event.

There is a comprehensive startup guide available here (Click Me)...

• Turn On/Off Microphone, Webcam, or Screen Sharing remotely
• Bring a Host/Presenter On or Off-Air
• Keep track whether the presenter is connected to the room, and the device state.

• When someone is assigned to a storyboard media module, and when it is played, the presenters assigned to it are brought on-air. Which means, their audio/video are being streamed live
• If someone is having trouble with audio/video you can quickly bring the person off-air, and bring him/her on-air when ready.
• This is also useful with screen sharing, as it allows only one presenter assigned. You can bring someone else on-air for a collaborative session.

Features from the Top

• Announcements (Pinned chat/Lower-thirds): Visit the Announcements feature guide here (Click Me)...
  
• Presenter Chat: Admin/Host/Presenter only
• Attendee Chat or Public Chat: Where everyone can see everyone's chat. This shows a RED DOT on the chat icon when there is a new chat while the right sidebar is collapsed.
  Visit the CHAT feature guide here (Click Me)...

• Moderate Chat (Gear button): Click the gear button to see options. From the left,
• Hide a message
• Direct Message
• Highlight for hosts/Presenters

• Download Transcript: Downloads all chat history related to that specific session
• Raise Hand: Raise the hand asking for an opportunity to ask a question or get promoted to a presenter (if required).
  Raise Hand shows a Red Dot on the Participants tool on the left. 
  Visit the feature guide here (Click Me)...
  
• Upload a File: Any file format is currently supported.

Participants List Options

• Invite: Invitation (Send the link or add to the event as a guest attendee)
• Filter: Filter the users by name.

Participant Moderation

Click on any user to get a list of actions. From the left,

• Remove User (Ban): If the user is a guest, he/she is banned from the current session
• Direct Message (DM)
• Raise Hand
• Disable texting
• Attendee Interactions: 
• Appears only when the event has started
• Promote an attendee to a presenter (microphone/webcam only) - this must be enabled in the Event Settings > Advanced Options > Attendee Interactions.

Overwhelmed? 😵‍💫
Contact a customer support agent to help you through. Click the bottom left chat bubble to start chatting with us