Missing breakout session button

[schulung21]

Hi,

I am new on webex. I have just installed the desktop app (win 64) and wanted to start a meeting with breakout sessions. I cannot find the button for the breakout sessions, either in the menu nor at the bottom line. In meeting options there is no possibility to activate breakout sessions. The version ist 41.x.

I appreciate any advice. Thank you.

pat

[Fritz_H]

@schulung21 
(Your nickname make me think you are german speaking like me, but I will answer in english - perhaps someone else in the forum may find this useful or wants to add some more input etc..)

Please allow me to offer some basics:
Webex is the pioneer of video-conferencing.
In the old days it was limited to "classic meetings": schedule the meeting in e.g. outlook, meet online by using the Webex-links inside the outlook-invitation, done.
Later customers asked for more interactive experiences and instant messaging etc.. therefore Cisco intruduced Cisco Spark which was renamed to Webex-Teams which again was renamed to just "Webex".

The "old", classic Webex (meetings only) is still there but it´s now called "Webex Meetings" to emphasize the difference to the new Webex.
Since this separation (different products, names, features) is confusing, Cisco started to carefully merge/synchronize those products to cover the same feature-set in the end.

The breakout-room-feature you are looking for was not available for a long time in the new Webex, but it is now:

2 Ways to get there:

or:

(Screenshots taken vom Webex Version: 41.5.0.18815)

You may also enable this feature in advance when scheduling the meeting.

[schulung21]

Hello Fritz,

you are right, I am german. But let us write in English.

Thank you for your reply. But my problem is that I do have either  the "Teilgruppen-Sitzungen" in the menu bar nor at the bottom line.

I tried the suggestion of Kirtsen and dpownloaded the former webex meetings app. In meetings, planned with this app, I the beakout sessions are available. But there is another issue: I cannot plan meetings in advace and (!) invite people in advance. After the start, I see only a widget, showing my outlook calendar. In the settings I can choose between planning meetings with outlook or webex. When I choose outlook, no link ist being sent. When I choose webex, no breakout sessions are available.

regards pat.

[Fritz_H]

@schulung21 
as I explained, features from the "classic" Webex-Meetings are added to the new Webex-Client step by step.
2 important parameters to look for:
- Version of the Webex-Client. Cisco is very busy developing and publishing new releases every month...
On my Windows-PC it´s Version 41.5.0.18815 at the moment.
- the Server you are connected to. Since Cisco is operating globally, it placed its servers around the world. Because new features sometimes require both, an update to the Webex-Client and to the Server there may be a delay until new features are available for you/me...(As far as I know the mapping which Server you are connected to happens automatically.)

Meeting-Planning:
a Webex-Account is not just an eMail-address and a password - there is also a webpage where you can manage your account.
(the Webex-Admin of your organisation also has a management-interface ("Webex Control Hub") to manager all Webex accounts of your organisation. The Admin is able to hide/disable/preset features in your personal Webex-Account.)

You may use the Web-Interface of your Webex-Account to schedule meetings: Just log on to your personal room:

Since the recent release of the Webex-Client there is also a Scheduler built into the Client:

OR
Use Outlook by installing the Webex Productivity Tools:
https://help.webex.com/en-us/nby4rwy/Install-and-Set-Up-Webex-Productivity-Tools-for-Windows
(As far as I remember they are not supported on MacOS any more due to changes on Outlook für MacOS..)

OR
Use the Google-Calendar with the Webex-AddOn

Note: the recent Webex-Client offers to select which Calendar to use:

[KirstenM]

Do you have a free or paid account with your organization? To schedule a meeting with our organizational account, we go to our Webex site xxx.webex.com. We also use the Webex Meetings app with Outlook, but in order for the scheduling with Outlook to work, you need to have downloaded Outlook productivity tools in addition to the Webex Meetings desktop app: https://help.webex.com/en-us/1h3jqab/Cisco-Webex-Productivity-Tools-WBS39-10-and-Later

I'm not sure why the breakout sessions wouldn't  be available when you schedule with webex, you may want to submit a help/support ticket.

[KirstenM]

Hello Pat, 

It sounds like you've downloaded the Webex desktop app, which is a great! But, it doesn't have integrated breakouts YET. In order to use breakouts, you need to use Cisco's previous app Webex Meetings. You can have both, our organization uses both for different reasons. After downloading the Webex Meetings app, you'll want to use that service for any meetings in which you'll want to use Breakouts. Here's the landing page for Webex Meetings help https://help.webex.com/ld-nyw95a4-CiscoWebexMeetings/Webex-Meetings. 

Here's a screenshot of where you'll find the Meetings app on the downloads page (https://www.webex.com/downloads.html)

[schulung21]

Hello Kirsten.

thank you so much for your reply. I found the webex meeting app. It works fine if I start meetings with my outlook calendar immediately(settings) and invite people after the start of the meeting. But I cannot plan meetings in advance and invite other people.

When I try to plan the meeting in advance on my webex site (browser), there is no breakout session available.

regards pat