Steps for scheduling Zoom meetings will change in late June

Two upcoming changes will affect the way University of Oregon community members can schedule Zoom videoconferences through Microsoft Outlook.

First, on June 28, new Zoom-related buttons will appear in Outlook when Information Services activates a Zoom add-in for all UO staff, faculty members and students. Those buttons will allow people to easily add Zoom meeting details to an Outlook meeting invitation.

Specifically, people who use Outlook on the web will see a new Zoom icon button when scheduling meetings. People using the Outlook application installed on their computers will see new "Add a Zoom Meeting" and "Settings" buttons. Instructions for using the Zoom add-in are available in the UO Service Portal.

The first time people click the new buttons, they'll be prompted to log in and should select the "SSO" sign-in option.

The Zoom add-in will replace a different type of technology, known as an injection-based plug-in, that Apple and Microsoft are phasing out.

On July 2, Information Services will remove the Zoom plug-in for Outlook from faculty and staff computers in certain departments. Specifically, employees in the College of Design, Lundquist College of Business, School of Journalism and Communication and Division of Student Life will see the existing Zoom-related "Schedule a Meeting" and "Start Instant Meeting" buttons disappear from the Outlook ribbon.

Staff and faculty members in other departments whose computers are managed by IT staff can contact their IT staff about how to proceed.

For all students and for faculty members and staff who manage their own computers, Information Services recommends taking steps in July to remove the Zoom plug-in from Outlook themselves. Later this year, the plug-in will stop working. Removing it now may improve the stability of the Outlook app.

The Zoom add-in and plug-in for Outlook provide comparable functionality but follow different steps to create Zoom meetings. Also, use of the add-in to schedule Zoom meetings on behalf of others will require either the Office 365 version of Outlook or Outlook on the web. Executive assistants and others who need such functionality can contact UO IT staff for help.

Alternative methods for scheduling Zoom meetings are also available.

Anyone who would prefer to remove the new Zoom-related buttons can disable the Zoom add-in.

As an alternative to Zoom, Microsoft Teams integrates natively with Outlook and other Office 365 applications. Everyone using UOmail can already schedule Teams videoconference meetings through the Outlook app on their computers or through Outlook on the web.

Anyone with questions about the changes can contact UO IT staff or request help through the Zoom support page of the UO Service Portal.

—By Nancy Novitski, University Communications