Start the meeting    You can either schedule the meeting in advance by using Microsoft Outlook (see Microsoft Outlook Help) or start an impromptu online meeting from within the Microsoft Access database (database: A collection of data related to a particular subject or purpose. Within a database, information about a particular entity, such as an employee or order, is categorized into tables, records, and fields.), Microsoft Access project (Microsoft Access project: An Access file that connects to a Microsoft SQL Server database and is used to create client/server applications. A project file doesn't contain any data or data-definition-based objects such as tables and views.), or data access page (data access page: A Web page, published from Access, that has a connection to a database. In a data access page, you can view, add to, edit, and manipulate the data stored in the database. A page can also include data from other sources, such as Excel.) you want to share. If the participants are available and they decide to accept your invitation, the online meeting begins. Also, the host should confirm that all participants know which server will be used for the meeting and can access it.

Control the Access database, Access project, or data access page    At the start of an online meeting, the host is the only person who has control of the Access database, Access project, or data access page, although all participants can see it on their screens. As the host, you can allow participants to make changes to the shared document by turning on collaboration, and you can turn off this collaboration at any time. When collaboration is turned off, the other participants can no longer make changes, but they will be able to watch you work. When collaboration is turned on, each person in the online meeting can take turns editing and controlling the Access data file (Microsoft Access file: An Access database or Access project file. An Access database stores database objects and data in an .mdb file. A project file doesn't contain data and is used to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database.). When someone else is in control, you will not have the use of your cursor— not only in the Access data file, but also for any other purpose. The initials of the person in control appear next to the pointer.

Add participants to a meeting in progress    You can invite participants to join an online meeting any time you have control of the cursor during the meeting. Participants whom you invite to an impromptu online meeting must have NetMeeting running on their computers for them to receive your online meeting invitation.

When you're invited to participate in an online meeting, you'll receive a message requesting you to join an upcoming or ongoing online meeting at a specified time and date. When you accept a call to join an online meeting, the Online Meeting toolbar and the Microsoft Access database (Microsoft Access database: A collection of data and objects (such as tables, queries, or forms) that is related to a particular topic or purpose. The Microsoft Jet database engine manages the data.), Microsoft Access project (Microsoft Access project: An Access file that connects to a Microsoft SQL Server database and is used to create client/server applications. A project file doesn't contain any data or data-definition-based objects such as tables and views.), or data access page (data access page: A Web page, published from Access, that has a connection to a database. In a data access page, you can view, add to, edit, and manipulate the data stored in the database. A page can also include data from other sources, such as Excel.) that is being shared appear on your screen.

In an online meeting, you can share applications and documents, send text messages in Chat, transfer files, and work on the Whiteboard. By collaborating, participants can take control of the shared document to review and edit its contents. During an online meeting, only one person at a time can control the Access file (Microsoft Access file: An Access database or Access project file. An Access database stores database objects and data in an .mdb file. A project file doesn't contain data and is used to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database.), but multiple users can work in Chat or the Whiteboard simultaneously if collaboration is turned off. The host of the online meeting is the only person who needs to have the shared document and its application installed.