Using PowerPoint Presentations in a Web Conference Room

Updated January 20011

This article will show you the steps required to use PowerPoint files in a web conference.

Microsoft PowerPoint is widely used as a presentation tool. To display PowerPoint presentations in a browser, they must first be converted to HTML format. The good news is that a conversion wizard is provided with the technology. Microsoft also provides a conversion wizard, BUT it is strongly recommended NOT to use the Microsoft tool, as it will cause script errors when the presentation is being shown in a conference room.

There are two ways PowerPoint presentations can be used with the technology:

1. Room Browser - after the presentation has been converted to HTML, it is loaded into the room co-browser. Each slide is then pushed to everyone in the room, both participants and moderators. The pushed URLs are recorded and included in the in-room recording, and can be used as archives and for replaying at a later date.
2. PowerPoint Sharing tool - the online audience will see the presentation exactly as it is shown on the moderator's computer - no conversion is required. The images seen are not included in the in-room recordings, nor are they accessible when this sharing tool is employed.

PowerPoint and Room Browser

Converting and Uploading PowerPoint Files

Only available to room moderators.

1. Click Administration/Document Center - to open the document center.
2. Click Select File - the "Choose File" dialog will display.
3. Select the PowerPoint file and click Open.
4. Choose the conversion format: HTML, GIF or JPG - see the "PowerPoint - Image Use Considerations" article in this knowledgebase for a discussion on selecting the appropriate option to choose.
5. Click Upload - a Progress Bar and Status indicator will track the progress.
6. Status will indicate "Finished" when the task is completed.
7. Click Close (bottom of Document Center window) to close the Document Center.

Using Uploaded Presentation in a Web Conference

Only available to room moderators.

1. Make sure Follow Me is disabled - no "tick" should be seen beside Follow Me in the Administration menu. Failure to disable Follow Me will result in the audience seeing the slide numbers when the presentation is loaded.li>
2. Click >b>Administration/Document Center - to open the document center
3. Click Manage Documents - a list of the uploaded documents will display. Since different document types are managed with the Document Center, the list may include other documents besides PowerPoint presentations.
4. Select the desired PowerPoint presentation.
5. Click Load Document - the PowerPoint presentation will load into the conference room browser, and the slide numbers will display along the bottom of the browser window.
6. Turn Follow Me on - Administrator/Follow Me (tick mark will show beside Follow Me) plus SYNC will display in the status line. A green "stick man" will be displayed by the administrator's/moderator's name in the User List area.
7. Click the PowerPoint slide number to show the slide - that slide will be pushed to, and seen by, the audience.
8. Continue the presentation by clicking the next slide number to be shown. Alternatively, you can use Previous or Next to navigate through the slides.

Tip: A simple way to advance to the next slide is to press the Tab + Enter keys after you have clicked on the first slide. To go back one slide pres the Alt + Tab + Enter keys.

Using the PowerPoint Tool

1. Click the PowerPoint Sharing button - located to the right of the browser address field. Click "Yes" when asked "Do you want to start PowerPoint Sharing?
2. Click the folder icon.
3. Select the PPT file you will use and click Open
4. When the presentation has loaded use the arrow icons to navigate backward and forward through the presentation. Alternatively, click the left mouse button to move forward through the presentation or use the PgUp and PgDn keys to move backward and forward through the presentation.
5. Click the right mouse button for additional controls such as navigating to a specific page.
6. When finished, click the X to close the PowerPoint Sharing tool.

The PowerPoint sharing tool does require additional Internet bandwidth, and therefore may not be suitable for use with low speed Internet Provider services.

The PowerPoint presentation shown by this means cannot be recorded by the room's recording tool.