question

bethchimeaws avatar image
bethchimeaws asked

How do I use the Amazon Chime Meetings App for Slack?

integrationsslack
10 |600

Up to 25 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 10.0 MiB each and 96.4 MiB total.

1 Answer

bethchimeaws avatar image
bethchimeaws answered

Integration Summary

The Amazon Chime Meetings App for Slack lets you start and join Amazon Chime meetings directly from your Slack workspace channels and direct messages. With Amazon Chime Basic, users can start one-to-one audio and video calls and join group meetings as an attendee. With an upgrade to Amazon Chime Pro, Slack users can access advanced meeting features from their Slack workspace like hosting group meetings with up to 250 attendees and 16 video streams, guest access from a meeting link, conference dial-ins, and support for SIP in-room video systems. The Amazon Chime Meeting App for Slack automatically registers new users the first time they use the app so they can start using Amazon Chime without having to create or manage a new account.

Administrators of Slack workspaces can install the Amazon Chime Meetings App from the Slack App Directory and users already collaborating on Slack can start using Amazon Chime to place a video call to a Slack contact or host a group meeting without having to create an Amazon Chime profile. Users start Amazon Chime meetings with the /chime slash command or, when configured, using the Call button in Slack channels and direct messages. The Amazon Chime Meetings App installation flow also makes it easy for Slack workspace administrators to upgrade their workspace users to Amazon Chime Pro by streamlining the process to create an Amazon Chime Team account, import, and invite all their Slack workspace users.

The Amazon Chime Meetings App for Slack and Amazon Chime Basic is available at no cost to users, while Amazon Chime Pro is offered with pay-as-you-go pricing - you only are charged when a host utilizes Pro features. See more information regarding pricing here.

First time setup

The first time you use the Amazon Chime Meetings App for Slack, the app requests permissions to link your Slack account to your Amazon Chime profile. If you have not created an Amazon Chime profile before, one will be created as part of this process and will use your name and email address from your Slack profile.

  1. After using the /chime slash command, clicking Join on a call block, or clicking an Amazon Chime Meetings-enabled Call button from the Slack app, you will be prompted to complete a one time setup.
  2. Click Set me up!
  3. Choose Continue to accept the terms and conditions for using the Amazon Chime service.
  4. When prompted by Slack, select Allow to enable the Amazon Chime Meetings App to access information about your Slack profile (name and email address).
  5. After completing these steps, your Slack account and the Amazon Chime profile with the same email address will be linked. You can now start and join Amazon Chime meetings from Slack with a single click.

Note:

If your Amazon Chime profile is part of an Amazon Chime Enterprise account using Active Directory or Okta SSO for sign in, you will need to sign in to Amazon Chime with your username and password before completing this process.

Starting an Amazon Chime Meeting from Slack

Using the /chime slash command

  1. From any Slack channel, you can start a meeting by using the /chime slash command. This will create a new Amazon Chime meeting and post a call block into the channel.
  2. You can optionally @mention users in the channel after the Slash command to add them directly to the Amazon Chime meeting.
  3. An Amazon Chime meeting will be started and you and your meeting attendees will see a Join button in the Slack call block.
  4. Click on the Join button to connect to the meeting.

Using the Slack Call button

  1. Your administrator can change your workspace settings to make Amazon Chime Meetings the default calling app. When this is done, the call button in the upper right of any Slack channel can be used to start an Amazon Chime meeting.
  2. When you initiate an Amazon Chime meeting by clicking on the Call button, you will enter the Amazon Chime meeting immediately and a Join button will be added to the thread for other attendees to use to join the meeting.
  3. When using the Call button from a direct message, other users in the 1:1 or group message will be displayed on the Chime meeting roster.

Chime Basic Users

If you are a user that only has Basic Chime permissions you can join Amazon Chime meetings, and you can start a 1:1 meeting with another user in a 1:1 direct message using the /chime slash command or the Call button. You will be restricted from starting a meeting with more attendees and will receive a message when trying to start an Amazon Chime meeting from a direct message thread with more than 1 other user or when using the /chime slash command and at mentioning more than one other attendee.

Joining Amazon Chime Meetings in Slack

  1. An Amazon Chime meeting started from the Slack app will post a call block to the Slack channel used by the meeting initiator. You can join a call by clicking Join. If you have completed the first time setup, you will immediately be added to the Amazon Chime meeting. If not, clicking Join will take you through the first time setup, when complete, return to the channel and click Join again to join the meeting.
  2. A browser window will open and you will be joined to the Amazon Chime meeting. We recommend using the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox which enable in-browser audio, video, and screen sharing without installing an extension or downloading an add-in.
  3. Join a meeting and choose your audio - remember to only have one audio source in a room to reduce echo. You can use your computer audio, dial-in or, if enabled, use the Call me option by choosing Call me at a phone number and Amazon Chime will dial the number provided.
  4. Make sure to Allow the browser access your camera, microphone and screen when sharing when prompted.

Note:

Only Amazon Chime meetings created from the Amazon Chime Meetings App for Slack will post call blocks to Slack. Meetings started from an Amazon Chime client or using the meet@chime.aws calendar scheduling integration will call Amazon Chime clients directly, but will not post call blocks to users in Slack.

Additional information

For more information see the following resources:


10 |600

Up to 25 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 10.0 MiB each and 96.4 MiB total.

Documentation

View the Amazon Chime User, Administration Guide and API Reference on the AWS Documentation site.

Website

Find more information about the Amazon Chime solution, pricing, customer references, getting started, and other resources.