Getting Started with Zoom

Owned by Sandro Munoz (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Apr 22, 2020 by Chad Brown
7 min read

MS Teams is PATH's Unified Communications platform. Please investigate if you can use MS Teams instead of Zoom before proceeding with Zoom. This guide well help you get started using Zoom.


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MS Teams is PATH's Unified Communications platform, and supports all meetings (internal and external participants) and Live Event webinars. The transition off of Zoom has saved PATH over $100,000 annually.
 
If you have a specific use case that you believe requires Zoom, please contact the Help Desk. They can help schedule Zoom meetings or Webinars for unique situations, or consult you on Teams vs. Zoom options that are available. For reference using Zoom, please review this guide.

Getting Started Guide


New to Zoom?  Start here.  This guide provides basic information on how to get started using Zoom, whether you're on a PC or a Mac: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362033-Getting-Started-on-PC-and-Mac

Zoom Video Tutorials

Zoom provides an extensive list of tutorial videos for just about every feature of Zoom: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials (click Learn More next to the video thumbnail to open the page containing the written guide as well).

Here are a few of the most popular videos:

User Training Videos

These longer videos, 60+ minutes, are geared towards those who really want to master Zoom.  If you'll be hosting and scheduling lots of meetings or will need to help others using Zoom, I recommend going through these training videos: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/217214286-Watch-Recorded-Training-Sessions

Bonus Tip

Are you hosting or joining a meeting, but aren't sure if your camera and audio are set up correctly?  You can join a Zoom test meeting to check your settings: How do I test prior to joining a meeting?

Using Toll-free numbers during Zoom calls

When using Zoom, there are charges incurred for toll-free phone calls, as well as charges for “Call Me” callback calls. The cost is roughly 8 cents a minute per attendee who dials in.  The Zoom usage per account will be broken down and charg back the audio overages to the project code/cost center associated with your account.

There are several ways to limit your cost:

  1. Use VoIP: Join the audio conference using computer audio.  When combined with a headset or a USB speaker, the call quality is as good or better than dialing-in.  This has been tested repeatedly and the quality of the computer audio on Zoom is noticeably better than the computer audio on Skype for Business.  So, don’t let a negative experience in the past discourage you from using VoIP. (And be sure to encourage your attendees to do the same!)
  2. Dial toll numbers: Dialing into a meeting using in-country toll numbers (instead of toll-free) does not incur any charge. So if you do feel the need to join by phone, this is the best way to do so.
  3. Hide toll-free numbers from your meeting invite: Log into your Zoom account on the web (https://path.zoom.us) and go to My Meeting Settings on the left. Click on the “Telephone” tab, and then click on the pencil under “Global Dial In Countries” to select which numbers appear in your invites by default. You can uncheck the toll free numbers at the bottom. This will not prevent someone from dialing the toll free number if they know it, but it will prevent it from showing up in your meeting invite.




Zoom FAQs

 Can I use Teams instead of Zoom?

A - Yes! Please do use Teams! Teams capabilities are continuously improving and Teams is the preferred meetings tool in most cases. However, there are still a couple of use-cases that might steer you to use Zoom instead. For example, if you are hosting a large meeting where the "Hollywood Squares" display of participants video feeds is important to you, Zoom might still the better option. But, we do expect that Teams will be coming out with multiple video display (over four) for meeting participants soon.

 Q - How does someone get a Zoom account?
A - You can request a free Zoom account at any time by submitting a support request via the IT Service Desk Portal.  Once the account is set up, you'll get an activation email to finish setting up your account.
 Q - How do I know if I have a Zoom Basic or Zoom Pro account?
A - The type of account you have is displayed at the top of the Zoom window, when you log into Zoom via a Mac or PC.
 Q - What do I need to get started with Zoom?
A - You'll need a Zoom account if you want to host meetings.  A Zoom account isn't needed if you just want to attend a meeting.  You will; however, need to download and install the Zoom client.  There are clients for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android.

If you will be hosting or attending meetings regularly where audio quality is critical, we strongly recommend that you use a tabletop speakerphone or a good headset, as opposed to the microphone and speakers on your computer.  Here's a good one from Jabra: Jabra Speak 410 USB Speakerphone.  This will give you considerably better quality than shouting into your computer.  
 Q - What's the difference between a Zoom Pro and Zoom Basic account?
A - Zoom Basic accounts are completely free, but have a few important limitations.  With a Zoom Basic account, you can host meetings for as long as you like with up to one other person (1 on 1 meetings).  Meetings you host with 2 or more people (up to 100) are limited to 40 minutes.  While you are able to record your meetings with a Zoom Basic account, you can only save your recorded meetings locally, as a video file on your computer.

Zoom Pro accounts can host unlimited meetings with up to 100 attendees for as long as you like.  There is no time limit.  With a Zoom Pro account, you can also save recorded meetings directly to the cloud to easily share and manage recordings.
 Q - Who can join a Zoom meeting?

A - You can invite anyone, anywhere to join a Zoom meeting regardless of whether they're a PATH employee or not.  As long as someone has your meeting link, they can join your meeting from a PC, Mac, iOS or Android device. Only the meeting host needs a Zoom account; all participants can join as guests.

 Q - Can I dial into a meeting using a telephone number?
A - If you are in an area with limited internet bandwidth, you can also join a meeting by telephone using a local or toll-free phone number.  These numbers appear at the bottom of every Zoom meeting invite. However, Zoom's built-in audio via computer is quite good if you are using an external mic/speaker or headphones. A full list of dial-in numbers is available here: https://path.box.com/s/l6egsdja7wx3st4w19iu6y9cf0q3z3vi
 Q - Can my department share a Zoom account? 
A - Each Zoom account must be associated with a PATH employee. If someone in your department with a Zoom account leaves, we can reassign the license to someone else.

Zoom does allow you to set one static meeting URL per account (called a "Personal Meeting ID", or PMI) and therefore that link can be used in multiple (non-overlapping) meetings. So, it is possible for a department or group to have only one person in the group with a Zoom pro account, so long as you aren't planning on having simultaneous meetings using Zoom.
 Q - How do I schedule Zoom meetings from within Outlook?
A - You can use the Zoom plugin to schedule meetings.  This lets you schedule meetings right from a meeting invite.  See this support video for more details: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/200881399-Microsoft-Outlook-Plugin
 Q - How do I schedule a quick meeting, without scheduling and sending out invites?

A - You can log into zoom.us and start a meeting from there.  You can also start a meeting (with or without video) from within the Zoom app itself.  Once you've started the meeting, send the meeting URL to anyone needs to join.  

 Q - Can I schedule Zoom meetings on behalf of others?

A - Yes, you can; however you and the person you're scheduling on behalf of must have Pro accounts and you have to be given explicit permission to do so.  See the Scheduling Privilege how-to guide for details.  There's also a handy PDF you can download: Outlook for Executive Assistants.

 Q - How do I get help with Zoom?

A - The best way to learn about Zoom is by going through the guides and videos.  If you are having a problem with Zoom, please submit a helpdesk support request.  


Get started fast!

  1. Determine if you can use MS Teams instead of Zoom. Need help to figure that out? submit a support request through the PATH Help Desk.
  2. Need Zoom? Get a Zoom account.  You can request one via the helpdesk.
  3. Activate your new account by logging into it.
  4. Download and install the Zoom app on your Mac or PC.
  5. Schedule a meeting and send attendees the meeting URL or click on a meeting URL to join a meeting.

What you need to get started fast

To get the most out of Zoom you should have the following:

  • A computer with a webcam or a separate webcam.  This is essential for video conferencing.
  • A working microphone, whether on your computer or a desktop microphone.
  • Headphones or a headset with a microphone.  This is essential for others to hear you.
  • You can also host and join meetings with a phone or tablet.  If you do use a mobile device, you should use a headset with a micrphone.

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