Some topics are easier to discuss face-to-face. For this purpose, Stackfield offers audio and video telephony. If required, a screen transmission can be started during a call to share content directly with the team.
Requirements and possibilities
Note: The telephony functions between two communication partners in the Direct Messaging area are available to users of all plans. Group calls - including all telephony features via Direct Messages and events - are premium features that are only available in the Premium or Enterprise plan.
Requirements with regard to user roles
Telephony (incl. screen transmission) is part of the Direct Messages section and can only be used there by users in the roles Admin, Member and Guest.
The Direct Messages area and thus also the telephony functions included are not available to External Users.
The telephony functions are only available to Guests via the chats as soon as they have been initiated by a user with the roles Member or Admin. So, if guests want to make calls via the direct messages, they must first receive a message from the corresponding person or be added to a group chat. Via events in the respective rooms, however, the telephony functions are also available to guests without restrictions.
Technical requirements
The use of telephony is subject to certain technical requirements. The following should be taken into account:
- To use audio telephony, a device with Internet access, microphone, and loudspeaker must be available on both sides.
- A camera is also required for video transmission. The quality of the transmission is largely determined by the available bandwidth of the internet connection.
- Conference calls between several participants are possible for groups of up to 10 persons. If a group chat or events contains more than 10 members, you cannot start a group call.
Presetting for microphone and camera
If Stackfield's desktop app is used, you can set a camera and microphone as default in the user settings.
Click on your profile picture in the left corner and open "My Account". In the tab
Profile you will find the section "Default media device" where you can select a standard microphone and a standard camera.
If Stackfield is being used in the browser, you will usually be asked to allow the use of the camera.
Starting a call
Audio and video telephony as well as screen transmission between two communication partners takes place in a private chat with the respective person.
Conference calls calls for the areas mentioned can be initiated via group chats or events.
Via direct messages
Direct call
- Open the private chat with the person you want to call.
Open Private Chat in the sidebar
- Select one of the three transmission types. Click on the handset to start an audio call, on the camera for a video call or on the screen for a screen transfer.
The phone icons in the upper right corner of the private chat
- (If you start a screen transmission, a window will now open in which you can select your preferred screen section.)
Screen sharing: Select the desired screen section
- The connection attempt is displayed in a small window. The call is also displayed in a small window for the call recipient, who can accept or reject the call (red telephone receiver). The call recipient has the option of adding himself/herself via audio (symbol: green phone) or video transmission (symbol: camera).
Direct calls: connection window for the call recipient
- The call starts as soon as the call recipient has accepted the call.
Note: Alternatively, you can also initiate direct calls in the message histories of the rooms by clicking on the profile picture of the respective user and selecting the "Call" option.
Group call
- Open the group chat that you want to use to make a group call. (If you don't already have a group chat, you can simply create a new group chat)
Open group chat in the sidebar
- Select a transmission type. In group chat, click on the phone receiver to start an audio call, on the camera for a video call or on the screen for a screen transfer.
The telephony icons at the top right of the group chat
- (If you start a screen transmission, a window will now open in which you can select the preferred screen section - "whole screen" or "application window".)
Screen sharing: Select the desired screen section
- The connection attempt is displayed in a small window. The call is also displayed in a small window for the call recipient to accept or reject (symbol: red phone). If the call has been started as a video call or screen transmission, the call recipient can decide whether he/she wants to be connected via audio (symbol: green phone) and video transmission (symbol: camera). If an audio call has been started, it can only be accepted as an audio call.
For incoming video group calls, the call recipient can choose whether to accept with audio or video transmission.
Incoming audio group calls can only be accepted with audio transmission.
- The call starts as soon as one of the call recipients has accepted the call.
Via Events
Group calls
- Open the event over which you want to hold a conference call or create a new event with all participants who are supposed to join the conference.
Hold group calls with all participants of an event
- In events, clicking on the phone icon opens a small drop-down menu from which you can select the preferred option.
Drop-down menu for selecting the transmission type via the telephone symbol in the appointment
- (If you have started a screen transmission, a window will now open in which you can select the preferred screen section - "whole screen" or "application window").
Screen sharing: Select the preferred section of the screen
- The connection attempt is displayed in a small window. The call is also displayed in a small window for the call recipient to accept or reject the call.
For incoming video group calls, the call recipient can choose whether to accept with audio or video transmission.
Incoming audio group calls can only be accepted with audio transmission.
- The call starts as soon as one of the call recipients has accepted the call.
Note: If there is no one available or if no one accepts the call (button: red phone), the connection attempt is automatically cancelled.
Call transfer
The screen that was locked during the connection is now being released. This allows users to continue to work during the call.
Audio, video, and screen transmissions are still displayed in a small connection window, which can be moved freely in Stackfield by drag & drop. The duration of the call is being recorded during transmission.
If a conference call has been started, conference participants that have already joined the call are listed in the upper part of the window. Those that have not yet joined appear further down in the area "Not in this call".
The connection window shows exactly who is participating in the call.
Switching modes of transmission
During transmission, you can switch to other modes of transmission using the corresponding icons (symbols: microphone, camera, screen).
Change the transmission mode using the corresponding icons (microphone, camera, screen).
With a click on the microphone, the participant can mute or unmute. The camera is used to switch your own video on and off. The screen is used to split your own screen. Participants who have muted themselves are indicated by a crossed-out microphone symbol.
Participants who mute themselves are shown with a crossed-out microphone icon.
Tip: In order to keep the audio transmission as clear as possible during conferences, we recommend that you keep only the microphone of the active speaker active. Participants who are not speaking can temporary mute their microphone to prevent an echo.
If you want to share your screen during the transmission, a window is first displayed in which you can select the desired screen section ("Entire screen" or "Application windows") and - if several computer screens are in use - the respective screen.
Screen sharing: Select the preferred section of the screen
Display options: video and screen transmission
Video or screen transmissions are initially displayed in a downscaled version in the connection window.
Downscaled display for video and screen transmissions
By double-clicking on one of the participants' videos or screen transmissions, the transmission view can be enlarged and also downsized again. Alternatively, you can use the downsizing icon in the upper right corner of the enlarged view.
Scale down the view by clicking the downsizing icon in the upper right corner of the enlarged view.
Several participants can be displayed in different ways in the enlarged view. The corresponding button for changing the display mode is located in the upper right corner right next to the downsizing icon. Thus, each conference participant can determine whether all participants should be displayed in the same size...
Balanced view of all users during the videoconference
... or whether one participant should be highlighted (enlarged). Determine who should be highlighted simply by double-clicking a participant of your choice.
Highlighted view of a user during the videoconference
How to end a call
By clicking on the red phone, participants can end the call / leave the conference call. In the case of group calls, a small dialog box appears for the person who originally started the conference call as soon as he/she wants to "hang up". The initiator can choose whether to end the group call for all participants ("End group call") or only for him/herself ("Leave group call").
The initiator of a group call receives a notification when ending the conference
The call made is then listed together with the date, time, and duration of the call in the chat or comment area of the event.
Listing of calls in the comments of an event
Join group calls subsequently (group call display for participants who have not joined the conference)
If you had to reject the group call or if you were unable to answer, you will be informed during the transfer about the ongoing conference call. Notifications of this will appear in three different places in Stackfield:
- in the sidebar: Here you will see a red notification icon and microphone icon next to the group chat or room where the conference call is taking place.
Notification in the sidebar
- in My Week: The message " A group call is currently running in group chat/room "XYZ"" is displayed above the notifications.
Notification in My Week
- in the group chat or in the room where the call is being held: In the upper part of the view, the notification "A conference call is in progress in this room." will inform you. Click on "Join now" to join the group call later.
Notification in the room of the respective event
Note: Anyone who joins the conference call afterwards automatically joins in the form in which the call was started (e.g. with video transmission if a video call was started).