Overview
This document assumes you are now familiar with Creating, Preparing and Running a Meeting. One of the first things you will want to do when starting a new meeting is to start the Discussion Manager app. The Discussion Manager app is optional in running meetings, but it helps the Chair greatly in managing an orderly discussion of each agenda item and members’ Requests to Speak (RTS). The Chair may run this app on a Windows PC/Laptop, an Android or Apple Tablet. We would recommend using full size devices for this app.
We’ll assume here that you’ve picked a meeting from the Home / Select Group / Meeting screen within the Meeting Manager. If you have any questions about preparing, or loading/starting meetings, please see the following links:
- Meeting Preparation
- Meeting Prep – Create Meetings
- Meeting Prep – Load & Start a Meeting
- Conduct Meeting – Run a Basic Meeting
Details / Sequence of Events
Once you’ve selected your meeting in Meeting Manager, you’ll be presented with the following screen. Here you will see Step 1: Configuration Setup, Step 2: Load Agenda and Step 3: Load Meeting options on the left as shown below. Always quickly review that you have indeed selected the correct Configuration & Agenda. You may also edit your agenda here, for any last-minute changes.
Load Meeting
Select the green Load Meeting button.
Upon selecting Load Meeting, you will see the Start Meeting screen appear (below). You DON’T need to start the meeting until the Chair and all Members are ready to start. However, with this screen present, you can have the Chair Sign into the Discussion Manager to be certain his/her device is ready and properly set up for this meeting.
Start the Discussion Manager
Assuming you are using the Discussion Manager app, your Chair will have a device (PC or Tablet) with the Discussion Manager loaded. This should have been set up during OpenMeeting training and in coordination with your IT team.
Launch the Discussion Manager app by clicking on the Discussion Manager icon on his/her device, which will display the following Sign In screen.
Click the Sign In button. If all settings are properly pre-set, the Chair will see a screen appear that shows all the Members icons / pictures. Voting members’ icons / pictures will initially be displayed as shaded / absent since the meeting has not formally started and roll has not yet been called.
If the above screen has appeared on the Chair’s Discussion Manager, he/she is ready for the meeting to Start as soon as all Members are present.
Troubleshooting Signing Into the Discussion Manager
If there is a problem with the Discussion Manager App signing into the Meeting, you will see a System Alert message, similar to that shown below.
In most cases, this is due to a User Name or Password not being correct, but may also be other settings. Normally these can be checked and fixed quickly by going to the Settings screen in the Discussion Manager App. Select the “gear” icon in the upper left corner of the Discussion Manager screen (shown above via the red arrow) and the following screen will appear. Here, you can check that all the proper settings are established. In some cases, you may need direction from your IT or A/V specialist, if they are available.
Discussion Manager Login Settings
Check each of these settings, IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:
- Username: Confirm that the Username provided to the Chair is correctly entered. This field is case sensitive so if the assigned Username uses upper & lower case letters, they must be used here.
- Password: Confirm that the Password provided to the Chair is correctly entered. This field is also case sensitive.
- NOTE: You can look-up User IDs & Passwords in the Meeting Manager for the Chair and any Members. See instructions further below.
- NOTE that certain special characters are not usable in the Username and Password field. To understand the use of special characters, please see the following document link:
- Local & Remote IP: Both of these are technical settings that should be established by the OpenMeeting training team and your IT support staff before your first meeting. Generally, these do not change and thus, don’t change the values inserted here without first checking with your IT support team. Using either a Local IP address or a Remote IP address, will also be established by your IT support team. Consult first if you feel the IP addresses is/are incorrect.
- SAVE – Always select Save when any changes are made.
CLOSE & RESTART the Discussion Manager App – IF you have made changes and pressed OK, but are still not connecting to the meeting, have the Chair Close and then Re-Open the Discussion Manager App. In some cases, this will allow the system to recognize the changes you’ve made and allow entry to the Meeting, as long as the changed settings have been keyed correctly.
Lookup Usernames & Passwords in Meeting Manager
The Clerk can confirm what the Chair’s Username and Password are easily, from within the Meeting Manager.
- In Meeting Manager
- Select the 3-Bar Menu at the upper LEFT:
- The following Menu Options will display on the left of the screen.
- Select Meeting Settings and the meeting roster of members will display.
- This will show you each member’s proper Login/User ID and Password.
Start the Meeting
Assuming your Chair has signed into the Discussion Manager and does see the Member icons / pictures, wait for the gavel to fall and for the meeting to be called to order, then;
Select the Start Meeting button.
Meeting Manager – Start a Meeting
If you need a refresher on the basics of conducting a meeting after selecting Start Meeting, or you need to understand how the Discussion Manager app operates during a meeting, please see the following document links:
Notes / Special Situations
If you are having issues that are not successfully addressed above, or you are not successful signing into the Meeting Manager, please call OpenMeeting Customer Support at 320.249.0555.
NOTE: As stated above, if you are having issues with the Chair signing in the Meeting Manager, after checking that the Username and Password being used is correct, first request help from your IT support team with regard to the LOCAL and REMOTE IP addresses. They will understand what these should be. In most cases, these will be established by your IT team and once set will generally never change. Signing into the Discussion Manager should be automatic, without issue for every meeting.
- NOTE that certain special characters are not usable in the Username and Password field. To understand the use of special characters, please see the following document link:
We recommend that you start a practice meeting an hour or so prior to your live meeting and check that the Public Display, Discussion Manager and the Member App are all working / connecting normally to the Meeting. Doing this will avoid your having to do troubleshooting during the meeting.
