Create Zoom Meeting for an Encounter Session

This article gives steps to set up Zoom meetings with breakout rooms for an Encounter Session.

Meeting through Zoom online can be a helpful way for participants and volunteers to take part in an Encounter Session without having to gather in person. Before creating a Zoom meeting for your Encounter session, you need first to Create a Mission Pathways Session and Add Table Groups. Encounter Sessions meeting through Zoom will need breakout rooms to allow participants to break into smaller groups.

There are four steps to creating a Zoom meeting for an Encounter Session: downloading a CSV file of the group participants and volunteers; preparing Zoom settings for breakout rooms; creating the Zoom meeting and breakout rooms; and sending the session invitation through Mission Pathways.

Download Group CSV File

1. Click the Encounter icon or Sessions & Retreats button to go to the Encounter module.
   
   
   
2. On the Overview Page, click the session for which you want to create a zoom meeting.
   
   
   
3. Go to Groups in the main menu.
   
   
4. Click the export icon. The Export window appears.
   
   
   
5. Select Zoom format, and then click the Export button to download the groups in a CSV file. You can open the file to view the room names (group names) and participant email addresses.
   
   
   
6. Save the file in CSV format in a location you remember on your computer.

Prepare Zoom Settings for Breakout Rooms

Note* For the most up to date information, visit the Zoom website: Enabling breakout rooms.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
   
   
2. In the main menu, go to Settings.
3. Under the Meeting tab, click In Meeting (Advanced).
   
   
   
4. Enable the Breakout room toggle.
   
   
5. Click the checkbox to Assign participants to breakout rooms when scheduling.
   
   
   
6. Click Save to save your breakout room settings.

Create Zoom Meeting and Breakout Rooms

Note* For the most up to date information, visit the Zoom website: Schedule recurring meetings and Pre-assigning participants to breakout rooms.

1. Go to Meetings in the main menu, and then click Schedule a Meeting.
   
   
   
2. Update the meeting settings as required: meeting topic, date, duration, and time zone.
   
   
3. Select the Recurring meeting checkbox and update the recurrence settings to meet your session requirements.
   
   
   
4. Scroll to the Options section, and then click Show to view the settings.
   
   
   
5. Select Breakout Room pre-assign in the options list, and then click Import from CSV.
   
   
   
6. Drag and drop the saved groups CSV file from you computer into the window (or click browse and select the file).
   
   
   
7. Click Save to save your breakout room settings.
   
   
   
8. Click Save to save the meeting.
   
   

Send the meeting Invitation

1. On the Zoom meetings page, click Copy Invitation.
   
   
   
2. Click the Copy Meeting Invitation button.
   
   
   
3. Return to Mission Pathways and go to the session for which you are sending the invite.
   
   
4. Go to Participants in the main menu.
   
   
5. Click the select all checkbox at the top of the participant list.
   
   
   
6. Click the Email icon.
   
   
   
7. Paste the meeting invitation into the body of the email.
   
   
8. Add a Subject for the email, and then click Send. Send the meeting invitation to the volunteers using the same process.
   
   

Note* The video is best viewed at full screen. Press Esc on your keyboard when you are finished viewing.