Meeting room templates and layouts

A template is simply a meeting room that has already been designed. It can contain one or several layouts with different display panels (or pods), configurations, and content. Layouts can be optimized for a specific task, such as presenting slides or collaborating with peers. Leverage existing layouts and content to reduce repetitive customization each time you create a meeting. Create your own templates or use the default templates included in Adobe Connect.

To help you quickly create a meeting room, Adobe Connect offers three built‑in templates: Default Meeting, Default Training, and Default Events. When you create a meeting by using the New Meeting wizard in Adobe Connect Central, you simply select one of these three templates for your meeting room, add your content, and start your meeting.

When you create a meeting room from a template, the latest version of the content is added to your room. If you edit the source file for the embedded content, the changes do not affect the content in your room. To update the content in your meeting room, upload the revised file to the Adobe Connect server and then replace the existing content in the meeting room with the revised content on the server.

Default Meeting template
General template for meetings. It contains three layouts: Sharing, Discussion, and Collaboration. The Sharing layout is optimized for sharing content (Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, video, Adobe PDF, and so on). The Discussion layout is optimized for discussing issues interactively and taking notes. The Collaboration layout is optimized for annotating content and drawing freehand on content.
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Default Meeting template layouts
A.
Sharing

B.
Discussion

C.
Collaboration

Default Training template
Used for online collaborative instruction and virtual classrooms. It contains three layouts: Lobby, Classroom, and Analysis. The Lobby layout is a place to exhibit a self-running presentation or display other preliminary content. Leave the Lobby layout open so that attendees can browse its content while waiting for the meeting to begin. From the Classroom layout, present PowerPoint slides, share your screen, or share a whiteboard. The Analysis layout enables you to collaborate with students, provide files to download and links to browse, and use a whiteboard for instruction.

Default Events template
Used for meetings or seminars with a large audience. It contains three layouts: Lobby, Presentation, and Questions And Answers. The Lobby layout is a place to play music, exhibit a self-running presentation, or display other preliminary content. Leave the Lobby layout open so that attendees can browse content while waiting for the meeting to begin. From the Presentation layout you present PowerPoint slides, share your screen, or show a whiteboard. The Questions And Answers layout facilitates an open Q & A session with participants.

Information preserved in a template

A meeting room converted to a template is a duplicate of the original room. Layouts, pods, room information, and most types of content are preserved in the template, including the following:

  • Layouts with name, order, and starting (selected) status

  • Pods with name, size, position, and settings for full-screen toggle

  • Pod content

  • Page number in PDF files and position of the seek bar in FLV files

  • Whiteboard overlay contents

  • Poll state (Prepare, Open, Close), questions, answers, and broadcast results

  • Questions and answers, Chat pod link, and status (Open, Answered, All)

  • Text in Notes pod

  • Video settings

  • Room on hold (Yes, No)

  • Value for guest entry

  • Messages displayed to users when a meeting is on hold or ended

  • Room background, screen resolution, and bandwidth

  • Presenter Only area status

  • Contact invitees description

Certain information is not saved to the template. Audio conference settings, Audio Setup wizard settings, and the content of a Chat pod are not saved to a template.

Note: Do not convert meeting rooms containing breakout rooms into templates.

Apply a template to a new meeting

  1. On the Adobe Connect Central home page, in the Create New menu bar, click Meeting.
  2. On the Enter Meeting Information page, next to Select Template, click the menu and make a selection. (The Shared Templates\Default Meeting Template is the default.)

Convert a meeting room to a template

If you are a host, you can create a new meeting room template. To add a meeting room to the Shared Template folder, you must have manager permissions for the folder. By default, you have full control over meetings and templates in your user meeting folder.

  1. From the Meetings tab in Adobe Connect Central, navigate to the meeting room you want to convert.
  2. Select the checkbox next to the meeting room.
  3. On the navigation bar, click Move.

    Two columns are displayed in Adobe Connect Central. The name of the meeting room is displayed in the left column. In the right column, under the heading Move to This Folder, User Meetings > [your account] is selected by default. If this is the folder you want to use, go to step 5.

  4. Navigate to and select a template folder, such as the Shared Template folder.
  5. Click Move at the bottom of the column.

    Your meeting room now resides in the template folder that you selected. The template is added to the list in the appropriate folder.

    When you create a meeting with the New Meeting wizard, you can select the template you just created from the Select Template menu. You can customize this room just like any other to meet your needs. Once the meeting is created, you cannot apply a new template to it. Instead, you must create a new meeting by using the new template.

Create layouts

The Layouts menu and the Layout bar is visible only to hosts. The default layouts are Sharing, Discussion, and Collaboration.

To create a blank layout to which you manually add pods, or a duplicate of an existing layout that you want to customize, do one of the following:

  • Choose Layouts > Create New Layout

  • Click in the Layout bar

Manage layouts

The default layouts are Sharing, Discussion, and Collaboration. You can delete, rename, or change the order of the layouts.

Rename a layout

  1. To rename a layout, choose Layouts > Manage Layouts.
  2. In the Manage Layouts dialog box, select a layout.
  3. Click Rename and enter a new name.
Double-click the layout name in the Layout bar and then enter a new name.

Delete a layout

  1. To delete a layout, choose Layouts > Manage Layouts.
  2. In the Manage Layouts dialog box, select a layout.
  3. Click Delete and confirm.
In the Layout bar, move the pointer over the layout and then click the X icon that appears to delete it.
Note: If you delete a layout that is currently in use, default Sharing layout is applied to the meeting.

Reorder layouts

  1. To change the order the layouts, choose Layouts > Manage Layouts.
  2. In the Manage Layouts dialog box, select a layout.
  3. Click Up or Down buttons to reorder the layouts.
Drag the layout preview in the Layout bar to change the order of the layouts.

Change layouts during a meeting

The Layouts menu and the Layout bar is visible only to hosts. The default layouts are Sharing, Discussion, and Collaboration. Any custom layouts are also listed. The Layout bar also displays thumbnails for the layouts. When a host chooses a different layout, the new layout appears on every attendee’s screen.

To change the layout, do one of the following:

  • Choose Layouts > [Layout Name]

  • Click a layout in the Layout bar.

Note: If all the layouts do not fit in the Layout bar, to scroll through the layouts hover the pointer over the first or the last layout previews. You can also use the panning options or the mouse wheel to scroll through.

Adjust layouts during a meeting

During a meeting, hosts can adjust layouts without affecting the active layout currently seen by attendees.

  1. Choose Meeting > Switch to Prepare Mode. Alternatively, click in the Layout bar.
  2. From the Layouts menu or the Layout bar, choose the layout you want to adjust. Then move, hide, or show pods as needed.
  3. When you finish adjusting the layout, choose Meeting > End Prepare Mode or click in the Layout bar.

Choose a background image for the meeting room

You can replace the default gray background with an image.

  1. Choose Meeting > Preferences.
  2. Click upload, then navigate to the desired image. If you haven’t previously added the file to Connect, click Browse My Computer.

Reset Layouts

Reset layouts to revert to the default layouts. Any modifications to the Sharing, Discussion, and Collaboration layouts are reverted, and custom layouts are deleted.

Choose Layouts > Reset Layouts.
Note: You cannot reset layouts if a meeting is being recorded.

Specify Layout bar options

Layout bar options let you specify the docking position, and Auto hide settings. Do one of the following:

From the Layout bar menu, choose one of the following:
Dock to the left
Enable to dock the Layout Bar to the left edge of the meeting room window.

Dock to the right
Enable to dock the Layout Bar to the right edge of the meeting room window.

Auto Hide
Enable to Auto Hide the Layout Bar. Click the to pull out the Layout Bar.

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