It can be necessary to play a prerecorded announcement to participants as they join a conference. Most typically this involves an official compliance warning. Such a message details the terms a participant accepts by joining the conference.

There are several ways to play a prerecorded message as participants join the conferences. Using the “Custom Announcement” feature described here is the most flexible and yet straightforward.

Step #1: Script the Announcement

Step 1: Script the Announcement

As you’ll be recording the announcement at your computer, it’s best to:

• Ensure that the exact message you need to convey is clearly defined.
• Write it down.
• Don’t make it too long or complicated.

Here’s an example:

“You are about to be speaking with a representative of a firm that is an investment advisor. This firm does not wish to receive material non-public information about any publicly traded company. You should not share any such information. If you do not agree to these terms please hang-up now.”

This message can be read aloud in under 30 seconds without sounding rushed.

Step #2: Prepare to Record the Announcement

Step 2: Prepare to Record the Announcement

You can record the announcement using your computer, right in the ZipDX web portal. For best results, do this at a quiet location, using a microphone or a headset.

• Log into the ZipDX web portal using your email address and PIN.
• At the Home page scroll down to the section labelled Announcements & Slideshows.

• Click on the link to View My Announcements.
  • Since you’ve not done this yet none will be listed.

• Click on the New Announcement link in the upper right corner.

 

• Give the new announcement a title and click Next.

You’ll be taken to the recording tool where you have three options;

• Record the announcement yourself (requires Chrome or Firefox.)
• Text-to-speech have a synthetic voice create the recording.
• Share a URL with someone who will record the announcement for you.

Step #3a: Record the Announcement Yourself

Step 3a: Recording the Announcement Yourself

Note – To record record the announcement yourself you must be using Chrome or Firefox. You should be in a quiet location and using a headset.

• Clicking on Record will launch an instance of the Web Phone.
• You see options for selecting microphone and speakers.
  • Select the appropriate microphone.
  • Select the appropriate speakers to hear the recording on playback.
• When ready to begin recording, click the Call button.
  • You hear a prompt to “Please record a message at the tone, when finished hang up.”
• Once the tone completes recite your announcement.
• When done press Hangup.
• The recording automatically stops if it detects 5 seconds of silence.

Step #3b: Text-to-Speech

Step 3b: Text-to-Speech

Then Text-to-Speech option will create the announcement using one of two high-quality synthetic voices.

• Click on Text-to-Speech.
• In the resulting page, paste the text of your script.
• Select from the two available voices:
  • Male (US)
  • Female (UK)
• Click Convert and the text will be rendered into the selected voice.
• Click Update Title to save the resulting recording.

Step #3c: Have Someone Else Record the Announcement

Step 3c: Have Someone Else Record the Announcement

• You may wish to have someone else record the custom announcement.
• Click on the button to Let someone record it for you.
• Send them a copy of the web link offered (pictured below.)
• Click Update Title
• The system will remember this decision and store the announcement to your profile when the eventually record it.

Notes for the person recording the announcement:

• They must use Chrome or Firefox – the link will not work in any other browser.
• They should be use a good quality microphone or a headset.
• When they use the link, the system will prompt them, then immediately start recording.
• The link can only be used one time.
• They cannot hear a playback of the recording.
• Once they have made the recording you can listen to it to verify it’s suitable.

Step #4: Verify the Recording

Step 4: Verify Your Recording

• You next see a page that allows you to listen to the announcement.
• Listen to the playback to ensure it sounds good.
  • Check that it wasn’t clipped at the beginning.
  • Ensure that it’s not too quiet or too loud.
• If there was a problem, click on the Record button to return to the prior step and try again.
• If you need to seek approval for the announcement, use the download link to retrieve an mp3 file that can sent for approval.
• Click Save to store the new announcement for use.

Now that the recording is available for use there are possible ways to deploy it;

• Schedule a conference – in the process assigning the Custom Announcement to be played.
• Create a conference template – with the announcement assigned, so that multiple future conferences are easily created over time.

It’s most common that custom announcements are used repeatedly, so this example will proceed to create a new conference template.

Step #5: Create a Template that uses the Announcement

Step 5: Create a Template that uses the Announcement

• Click on the Home tab to return to your main page on the web portal.
• Scroll down to the Conference Templates section.
• Find the “Meeting” template and click on the link to Copy to new Template.
• Give the template an appropriate name

• In the Audio section find the Custom Announcement setting (pictured above.)
  • This will be offered now that there is a recording on file.
  • Select the desired announcement from the pull-down list.
• Complete all the various settings as desired (see here for a reference.)
• Click Save to store the new template.

Step #6: Create a Test Conference Using the New Template

Step 6: Test the new Template

• Use the new template to schedule a test conference as described here.
• For the time & date click on the link to Set start time to now.
• Click Save to launch the test conference.

• Dial in to the conference.
• You should hear the custom announcement played before you are joined to the conference.