PublicInput's Meetings module integrates with several video conferencing platforms, including Zoom and Microsoft Teams. This guide covers account requirements, recommended settings, and how each integration works for your agency.
For a comparison of all supported conferencing backends, see Tech Requirements for Meetings.
Zoom Integration
Account Requirements
Account type: Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Education
Free accounts: Can use the PublicInput phone bridge only — cannot livestream. Free accounts are also capped at 40 minutes and 100 attendees.
Zoom Webinar: Not supported. Only standard Zoom Meetings are compatible with PublicInput.
Zoom client: Desktop (Windows/macOS/Linux) or mobile (Android/iOS) at Zoom's minimum supported version or higher. The Zoom web client also supports livestreaming.
Required Zoom Account Settings
Before connecting your Zoom account, configure the following settings at zoom.us/profile/setting:
In Meeting (Advanced)
Allow live streaming meetings: ON
Enable Facebook, YouTube, and Custom Live Streaming Service
Recording (Recommended)
Cloud Recording: ON
Automatic Recording: ON — set to "Record in the Cloud"
Host can pause/stop auto recording: OFF — this prevents gaps in the public record
Schedule Meeting
Join before host: OFF
Mute participants upon entry: ON — phone bridge participants can press *6 to unmute when providing public comment
Security
Only authenticated users can join: OFF (unless you are embedding Zoom directly without livestreaming)
Paid Events
If you plan to host paid events, a Stripe or PayPal Business account is required.
How PublicInput's Phone Bridge Works with Zoom
PublicInput does not use Zoom's built-in Audio Conferencing numbers. Instead, PublicInput operates its own branded dial-in number and connects to your Zoom meeting as a participant through the Public Conference Line panel (visible approximately 30 minutes before the meeting starts).
When you click Connect New Bridge, PublicInput joins the Zoom meeting as a phone caller. The host admits it from the Zoom waiting room, confirms unmute on both sides, and from that point PublicInput callers share the same audio session as Zoom attendees.
Your agency's Zoom account does not need a separate Zoom Audio Conferencing add-on for the public comment phone path to work.
PublicInput dial-in vs. Zoom's built-in number
Zoom's auto-generated audio number drops callers into the Zoom audio stream. PublicInput's dedicated dial-in provides a full meeting workflow on top of that call, including:
Branded / local numbers — agencies can use a recognizable local area code
IVR + speaker queue — callers are prompted to provide public comment or listen only, and are routed into the same queue as online, SMS, and in-person commenters
Caller identification + registration — callers can register by phone (name, address, agenda item) so staff sees who's on deck
Unified multi-channel queue — phone, SMS, web, and in-person comments merge into one ordered speaker list on the PublicInput dashboard
Recording, transcription, and AI minutes — speaker-aligned transcripts and AI-generated minutes run off PublicInput's captured audio, independent of Zoom's recording policies
Compliance and analytics — audit-ready call logs and engagement analytics exportable for open-meetings compliance
Raise-hand and the PublicInput queue
Zoom's raise-hand feature and PublicInput's public comment queue operate independently. We recommend directing the public to PublicInput's queue as the canonical comment mechanism, and reserving Zoom's raise-hand for staff or panelist logistics.
Recordings
Zoom's native recorder captures everything in the Zoom meeting (including the PublicInput bridge audio). PublicInput separately produces its own speaker-aligned transcript and AI minutes. Agencies typically end up with both a Zoom cloud recording and a PublicInput transcript.
For additional Zoom-specific help, see:
Microsoft Teams Integration
How It Works
PublicInput creates a standard Microsoft Teams meeting on the connected admin's Outlook calendar. A Teams join link is automatically attached. This is a standard Teams meeting — not a Teams Live Event — so requirements are simpler than you might expect.
License Requirements
The admin account used to connect must have a Microsoft 365 license that includes Exchange Online and Teams. Any of the following works:
Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium
Microsoft 365 / Office 365 Enterprise E1, E3, E5 (or F3 for frontline workers)
Microsoft 365 A1/A3/A5 (Education)
Microsoft 365 Government G1/G3/G5 (GCC)
Not required: Teams Premium, Teams Live Events, or Microsoft Stream licensing.
Not supported: Guest or external Microsoft accounts as the host — the connecting account must be a full member of its tenant. GCC High and sovereign cloud tenants are not currently supported.
Connecting Your Microsoft Account
To connect your Microsoft Teams account:
Go to Meetings Admin → Connected Services in PublicInput.
Click Connect next to Microsoft Teams and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
You may be prompted to grant permission for PublicInput to read your calendar and create meetings on your behalf. If your organization requires admin consent, an IT administrator may need to approve the connection first.
Note: Each admin connects their own Microsoft account individually. If you need to switch accounts, remove the existing connection first on the Connected Services screen.
Tenant / IT Policy Requirements
The connecting user must be permitted to sign into third-party apps (no Conditional Access policy blocking the PublicInput app). Some tenants require an IT administrator to pre-consent on behalf of the organization.
The user's Teams meeting policy must allow creating private (non-channel) meetings. This is the default for most tenants.
System Requirements
For attendees joining a Teams meeting created by PublicInput, the standard Microsoft Teams client requirements apply. For the meeting host (the admin running the PublicInput meeting):
Any supported Teams client: Teams desktop (Windows 10+ / macOS), Teams web client (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox — latest two major versions), or Teams mobile (iOS / Android — latest two major versions)
For livestreaming Teams audio/video to the public via PublicInput, see Tech Requirements for Meetings
Phone / Dial-in
Teams provides its own audio conferencing dial-in numbers. PublicInput's phone bridge is independent and can be layered on top — particularly useful if the Teams tenant does not have a Microsoft Audio Conferencing add-on.
How PublicInput's Phone Bridge Works with Teams
PublicInput does not use Teams' auto-generated Audio Conferencing number for public callers. Instead, PublicInput's dedicated dial-in operates its own branded entry point and connects callers into the full meeting workflow.
Microsoft's auto-generated number drops a caller into the Teams audio stream with no additional functionality. PublicInput's number unlocks:
Branded / local numbers — a recognizable local area code constituents can trust
IVR + speaker queue — callers are prompted and routed into the same queue as online, SMS, and in-person commenters
Caller identification + registration — callers can register by phone so staff sees who's on deck, not just a phone number
Unified multi-channel queue — phone, SMS, web, and in-person comments all appear in one ordered speaker list
Recording, transcription, and AI minutes — PublicInput's transcription pipeline runs independently of Teams' recording policies
Compliance and analytics — audit-ready call logs and engagement analytics for open-meetings compliance
No Microsoft Audio Conferencing license required — agencies don't need per-organizer Microsoft add-ons to get a working public dial-in
Raise-hand and the PublicInput queue
Teams' raise-hand and PublicInput's public comment queue operate independently. We recommend directing the public to PublicInput's queue, and keeping Teams raise-hand for panel or staff use.
Recordings
Teams recordings follow your organization's Teams/Stream retention policy and remain in the Teams cloud. PublicInput captures its own independent recording and produces a speaker-aligned transcript and AI minutes separately.
Known Limitations
One connected Microsoft account per admin. To switch accounts, remove the existing connection on the Connected Services screen first.
GCC High / sovereign clouds not supported. Only standard multi-tenant Microsoft 365 environments are currently supported.
Guest accounts cannot be used as the host. The connecting account must be a full member of its home tenant.
No live captions handoff from Teams. PublicInput's transcription pipeline runs independently from Teams' own caption/transcript features.
Reconnect required if the connection expires. If the Microsoft Teams card in Connected Services shows a yellow "reconnect" banner, you'll need to re-authorize the connection. New meetings will not be created automatically until the connection is restored.
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