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Configure Alexa for Zoom Rooms

ByCorporate Guider Home, Zoom

The Alexa skill can be configured on Echo devices and then used in existing or new Zoom Rooms within an organization. Alexa can be used for starting, joining, and ending Zoom meetings the moment the devices are configured.

Prerequisites for configuring Alexa for Zoom Rooms

  • You need an Amazon account to access Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the Alexa for Business (A4B) web portal.
  • Editing Zoom Rooms requires a Zoom account.
  • Computers running Windows 7 or later must have the following software:
    • Windows PowerShell AWS Tools.
    • Version 3.5 or later of the .NET Framework.
  • 4.1.20278.0206 or newer of Zoom Rooms for Mac.
  • Version 4.1.22620.0319 or higher of Zoom Rooms for PC
  • Using an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Plus device
  • Windows computer and Echo device can both access the internet via a wifi connection

At present, Amazon only supports Alexa for Business in the United States. Click here to learn more.
**For information about supported devices, refer to the Managing Devices section of the Alexa for Business Administration Guide.

How to configure the Echo Device(s)

Step by step instructions to configure the first Echo device for Zoom Rooms are as follows. Steps 1, 5, 6, and 8 need to be repeated for each device that you are configuring. If you are configuring more than one device, you only need to perform Steps 2, 3, 4, and 7.

  1. The Echo device can be set up
  2. So that the Alexa skill can be activated
  3. By creating a skill group
  4. Called Conferencing and adding Zoom
  5. Capabilities to it, Alexa can create a room
  6. By editing the skill configuration for that room
  7. In order to discover devices
  8. That have been added to the room
  9. Use Alexa’s voice commands

Check the known issues and troubleshooting information for additional information if your test for Alexa voice commands does not succeed.

  • Issues Known
  • Troubleshooters

Step 1: Set up an Echo device

Note:

Learn how to setup your Shared Devices in the Alexa for Business Administration Guide’s Getting Started with Shared Devices section.

For your Echo device to be configured with a Zoom room, follow these steps:

  • Set up a WiFi connection between your Windows PC and Echo.
  • In the Alexa for Business Administration Guide, under the Create an IAM User section, follow the instructions.
  • Use the parent account credentials to access the A4B web console.
  • On the A4B web console, click Shared devices.
  • In the dialog box, click the Download and run Device Setup Tool button after clicking the Set up devices button.
    Note: Windows 7 and later are required to run this tool.

  • To install the Device Setup Tool, click the setup.exe file.
  • To complete the setup, listen to the voice instructions from your Echo device.
    Note: Press and hold the Action button on your Echo device for at least 8 seconds to enter setup mode.

You should be able to see the device on the Shared Devices page on the A4B web portal with Synced as its status.

Step 2: Enable the Alexa For Zoom Rooms skill

  • You can find and select Alexa For Zoom Rooms on the Amazon website by clicking the Alexa Skills tab.
  • If the account you used as the parent account is configured as the parent account, click Enable to enable this skill.
    Note: Your browser must support pop-ups.

  • Select Authorize from the drop-down menu.
  • Make sure that the Alexa For Zoom Rooms skill is listed as Account linked under the Enabled skills tab on your A4B console.

Step 3: Create a skill group

Note: The Alexa for Business Administration Guide contains instructions for managing skill groups.

For Alexa To Support Zoom Rooms, create the following skill group:

  1. Click on Skill groups in A4B’s web portal.
  2. Select to create a new skill group from the drop-down list.
  3. Fill in your unique name and description, and then click the Create button. Your skill group is added to the list.
  4. Click the Add skills button after clicking the name of the group you added.
  5. You can add the Alexa For Zoom Rooms skill by clicking the Add button.

Step 4: Add Zoom as the Conferencing provider

Note: The Alexa for Business Administration Guide contains instructions on managing conferencing providers.

Zoom can be added as a conference provider by following these steps:

  • Click Conferencing in the A4B web console.
  • Choose a provider and click Add.

  • Zoom is the recommended conferencing provider. Find Meeting PIN under Meeting settings, and select Optional. Click to add.

  • Video conferencing equipment can be enabled with the Alexa For Zoom Rooms skill.

Step 5: Create a room in Alexa for Business

Note:

Managing rooms instructions are located in the Administration Guide for Alexa for Business.

Rooms are created as follows:

  1. Click Create room from the A4B web console, then select Rooms.
  2. Name the room with its unique name.
  3. Please choose the name of the room profile you wish to use for the profile or click the Create room profile button and then click Next.
  4. If you wish to add a skill group, select the checkbox next to the skill group you wish to add and click the Next button.
  5. (Optional) For each device you want to add, select the checkbox next to it.
  6. When the room has been created, click Create.

Step 6: Edit Room Skill Configuration

  • In Step 5: Create a room in Alexa for Business, click the name of the room you created.
  • You can edit the skill settings by clicking the pencil icon.

  • Type the scope value. In the Zoom web portal, you will have the freedom to create a new Zoom room or you may create one based on an existing room.
    Important: If your Zoom room name is created under the parent account, you must use that name when creating new Zoom rooms. This is explained in Step 8: Set up a Zoom room.

Step 7: Discover devices

  • Click the name of the room you created on the Rooms page on the A4B web console.
  • In the Alexa Devices section of the page, make sure the status is marked as Synced.
  • In the Skills page, check to see whether the parent account is linked to the scope value.
  • On the right hand side of the page, click on Smart home devices.
  • Click on “Discover devices” at the bottom of the page.

  • Select “Smart home devices” and make sure that the Echo device has been listed. A4B has located the skill adapter you configured, so this confirms that it has been found.

Step 8: Set up a Zoom room

On the Zoom web portal, you can create a Zoom Room as follows:

  1. The Zoom web portal is accessed by logging in as the account with which the Alexa For Zoom Rooms skill for A4B was linked.
  2. It is recommended that each Echo device is assigned a separate Zoom room. Instructions for adding Zoom rooms can be found in the Add Zoom Rooms article.
    Important: In order for Alexa For Zoom Rooms in A4B to function properly, the Zoom room’s name must be the same as the scope value of the skill in Step 6: Edit Room Skill Configuration.
  3. Whenever you create a Zoom room, you have the option of adding a Google calendar to the room.

Now that you have connected your Echo device to the internet, you are ready to test it to make sure that voice commands can be used to start, join, and end meetings.

Step 9: Test Alexa voice commands

For Alexa to respond to voice commands in your Zoom room, follow these steps:

  1. Use the parent account’s credentials to access your Zoom room.
  2. In the Zoom room name field, enter the Zoom room name that you assigned to Alexa.
  3. Restart the Alexa device or plug it in.
  4. Zoom Rooms commands can be made with the Alexa software on the Echo device.

It is possible to converse with Alexa through voice commands. There is no command syntax to follow.

You can start, join, or end a meeting using the following examples:

Example 1: Start an instant meeting

  1. “Alexa, start a meeting” is what the user says
  2. In response to Alexa’s question, “What is the Zoom meeting ID?”””
  3. The user says “123”.
    Note:
  4. In the absence of instant meetings, Zoom developed 123 as a workaround.
  5. A Zoom meeting starts inside the room.

Example 2: Join or start a scheduled meeting

  1. “Alexa, join the meeting,” is what the user says.
  2. On the Zoom calendar, Zoom shows the next meeting that is associated with the room. Organizers, meeting topics, and meeting numbers are accessible to Zoom.
  3. The speaker asks “Do you want to join the meeting organized by *organizer display Name/email> if it appears on the room calendar?”
  4. The meeting starts in the Zoom room if the user says “yes.”.
  5. “What is your Zoom meeting ID?” will follow if the user says “no.”””
  6. After the user replies with the meeting number, the call will begin. As soon as Alexa recognizes that the meeting ID is valid, it will say “Okay” and join or start the Zoom meeting.

Example 3: End the meeting

  1. “Alexa, end the meeting” is something similar to what the user says.
  2. When Alexa hears this, she will respond, “Okay”, and the meeting will end.

Known Issues

  • The Google calendar for the Zoom room will not be able to locate a meeting that has already started when a user asks Alexa to start or join a meeting that is already in progress.
  • There is a possibility that Alexa, when asked to join a meeting or start a meeting during a meeting, will respond “OK” instead of responding “You are already in a meeting.”.
  • Meetings that lack a location may not be able to be found. Make sure the URL of the Zoom meeting is entered in the location field.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: There is no Zoom room listed in Alexa
Resolution: Please make sure that the account that you use to link your accounts is the same one that you use to log into your Zoom room.

Issue 2: Your calendar does not contain an upcoming event that Alexa can find.
Resolution: Ensure that the meeting on your calendar is scheduled as a Zoom meeting, rather than a regular meeting.

Issue 3: There is a problem with the conference provider, Alexa says.
Resolution: The Zoom Rooms software should be updated to the latest version.

Issue 4: According to Alexa, it is not possible to locate that ID, so try again and if the problem still persists, contact IT.
Resolution: The ports listed here should be allowed in your network firewall as long as it is properly configured.

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