Collaborate with Skype for Business - Windows - University of Houston
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Collaborate with Skype for Business - Windows

All of the following tools are available in a Skype for Business (SFB) Meeting. Schedule a meeting in minutes. Or have a SFB Meeting in seconds.
Watch a demo of Skype for Business (SFB) collaboration tools!
Instant Message
To send an instant message (IM) to all meeting participants:
  • At the bottom of the Group Conversation window, click the Instant Message button
  • In the box that appears, type your message.
  • Press ENTER.

To send future messages during a meeting, type your message in the input area and press ENTER. To change the font style or size, click the elllipsis on the far right and then select Change Font.

 

collaborate-windows.png

 
Send a File

 

The Attachments option allows you to send a file to each meeting participant.

To send a file to all participants:
  • In the Group Conversation window, hover over the Share button.
  • In the box that appears, click Attachments.
  • Click Add Attachment.
  • Using the dialog box that appears, locate the file you want to send.
  • Click Open.
Meeting participants are alerted of the file which they can save for later viewing.
Shortcut: Drag and drop a file on the Group Conversation window.
send file

Save a File
If a file is sent during a meeting, an indicator notifying you of the file appears on the Share button.

To save a file that someone sends during a meeting:
  • In the Group Conversation window, click the Share button.
  • A message appears saying: Someone added an attachment.
  • Click Open.
The Attachments dialog box opens.
  • Locate the attachment you want to save.
  • Click More.
  • From the menu that appears, select Save As.
  • In the Save As dialog box, select a location for the attachment.
  • Click Save.

save attachement

 

Share Your Desktop
Sharing your desktop is used to allow all meeting participants to see what you see on your screen. Not only can you share your desktop, it is possible to give control of your desktop to a meeting participant. Only Presenters can share a desktop.

To share your desktop:
  • In the Group Conversation window, click the Share button.
  • In the box that appears, select Present Desktop.
The Group Conversation window expands showing a stage for all participants to see the shared desktop. This image shows how your stage appears when someone other than you shares a desktop. Click the Full Screen icon to see the desktop full screen.

share desktop

 

The Group Conversation window expands showing a stage for all participants to see the shared desktop. This image shows how your stage appears when someone other than you shares a desktop. Click the Full Screen icon to see the desktop full screen.↑

 sfb-sharing.png

Note: When sharing your desktop, participants will see all content surrounded by a yellow border.

While sharing a desktop the Sharing Control Bar appears at the top of your screen.

Giving control means a selected person gains control of your mouse.

To give control of your desktop:
  • On the Sharing Control Bar, click Give Control.
  • From the list of names that appears, select the person to whom you want to give control.
  • Click Ok.

sfb-give-control.png

 

The following dialog box appears.

skb.png

  • Click Ok.

 

To regain control of your desktop:
  • Simultaneously press CTRL ALT SPACE.
To stop sharing your desktop:
  • On the Sharing Control Bar at the top of your screen, click Stop Presenting. 

stop-presenting-skf.png

 

Share a Program
It is possible to share individual programs with participants instead of your entire desktop. Not only can you share a program, it is possible to give control of a program to a meeting participant. Only Presenters can share a program.

To share a program:
  • In the Group Conversation window, click the Share button.
  • In the box that appears, select Present Program.
The Present Programs dialog box appears.
  • Select one or more Present Programs.
  • Click Present.

 conv-1.png

 

 In the box that appears, select Present Program.

 

share program 2

 

 The Present Programs dialog box appears.

  • Select one or more programs.
  • Click Present.

 

The Group Conversation window expands showing a stage for all participants to see the shared program(s).


Note: Participants will see all programs that are surrounded by a yellow border.

The Sharing Control Bar appears at the top of your screen allowing you to give control.
sharing-control-bar.png
Giving control means a selected person gains control of your mouse.

To give control of your program(s):
  • On the Sharing Control Bar at the top of your screen, click Give Control.
  • From the list of names that appears, select the person to whom you want to give control.
  • Click Ok.

sfb-s.png

To regain control of your program(s):
  • Simultaneously press CTRL ALT SPACE.
To stop sharing your program(s):
  • On the Sharing Control Bar at the top of your screen, click Stop Presenting.

 stoppresenting.png

Share a Whiteboard
Whiteboard is a digital version of the whiteboards found in most conference rooms. Whiteboard has a laser pointer, typing tool, drawing tools, pens and more. A shared whiteboard is immediately available for all meeting participants to use. Only Presenters can share a whiteboard.

To share a whiteboard:
  • In the Group Conversation window, click the Share button.
  • In the box that appears, select More.
  • Click Whiteboard.

whiteboard.png

 

whiteboard.png-2.png

 

The Group Conversation window expands showing a stage for all participants to see the whiteboard. When a meeting participant writes on the whiteboard, everyone in the meeting can view what is written.

whiteboard 3

Select a tool from the right side of the whiteboard to add information to the whiteboard.

To stop sharing the whiteboard:
  • Near the top right corner, click Stop Presenting.

Give a PowerPoint Presentation
An Attendee or a Presenter can upload a PowerPoint presentation. Only a Presenter can share a PowerPoint presentation. Only a Presenter can give (navigate) a PowerPoint presentation.

To give a PowerPoint presentation:
  • In the Group Conversation window, click the Share button.
  • In the box that appears, select Present PowerPoint Files... 

ppt.png

 

  • In the Present PowerPoint dialog box that appears, select the PowerPoint file.
  • Click Open.

The Group Conversation window expands showing a stage for all participants to see the presentation.

ppt2.png

  • Navigate the presentation using the arrows below the presentation.
  • Click Thumbnails to present the slides in a different order.
To end the presentation:
  1. Near the top right corner, click Stop Presenting.
poll
Conduct a Poll
It is possible to conduct a poll or gain a consensus of the meeting participants by offering multiple choices to a question. A poll is anonymous and instant with the results displayed for all participants to view. Only a Presenter can conduct a poll. By default, only Presenters can see the results.

To conduct a poll:
  • In the Group Conversation window, click the Share button.
  • In the box that appears, select More.
  • Click Poll.
  • In the Create a Poll dialog box that appears, enter a name for the poll in the Poll Name: field.
  • Enter a question in the Question: field.
  • In the Choices: fields, enter up to seven choices from which participants can choose.
  • Click Create.
This image shows a completed poll.

To allow Presenters and Attendees to see poll results:
  • Click the Poll Actions pop-up menu.
  • Select Results are shown to everyone.
To end the Poll:
  • Near the top right corner, click Stop Presenting.

Add Video
If a participant has a video camera connected to their computer, it is possible to add video to the meeting. A participant, who doesn’t have a video camera, can see the video image of other participants who do have a video camera.

To add video to a meeting:
  • In the Group Conversation window, hover over the Video button.
  • In the box that appears, select Start My Video.

 

share video

Only one video image at a time appears in the Group Conversation window. The larger video image displayed belongs to the person currently speaking. Your video image appears to you in the smaller preview image.

To expand the video image:
  • Click the arrow in the top right corner of the larger image.
To turn video off:
  • Hover over the Video button.
  • In the box that appears, click Stop Video.
  • In the confirmation dialog box that appears, click Ok.

 stop video

 

 

Record a Meeting
Presenters can record video and audio of everything that is shared during a meeting. Recording notification appears in the Group Conversation window of all participants and remains until recording ends.

To start recording:
  • In the bottom right corner of the Group Conversation window, click the ellipsis.
  • From the menu that appears, select Start Recording.

 

start recording

Recording controls appear near the bottom of the window to pause, resume or stop recording.

To end recording:
  • Click the Stop icon.

 

stop recording

 

 
Recording Manager
All Skype for business (SFB) recordings are saved to your Windows user directory on your hard drive in Windows media (wmv) format. Skype for business (SFB) Recording Manager displays a list of all recorded meetings and allows you to play, rename, convert to MP4 or publish a recording directly to SharePoint. There are two ways to access the Recording Manager.

 

To access the Recording Manager while in a meeting:
  • In the bottom right corner of the Group Conversation window, click the ellipsis.
  • From the menu that appears, select Manage Recordings.
To open the Recording Manager when not in a meeting:
  • In the main SFB window, click the arrow next to the Options button.
  • From the menu, select Tools -> Recording Manager.

 

recording manager

For Skype for Business (SFB) related questions or problems, send email to sfbsupport@uh.edu.