NodesNow gives you, as a meeting moderator or facilitator, all the tools you need for productive collaboration before, during, and after meetings and events.
The desktop web app enables you to set up collaboration spaces and invite people to meetings or work with you asynchronously or remotely on the desktop app. The touchscreen allows you to lead engaging hybrid meetings with integrated Microsoft Teams and screen-sharing capabilities. And the mobile app lets your collaborators share content like notes and media to the space, which you can organize and present on the touchscreen.
In this guide, you'll learn and practice everything you need to facilitate meetings in NodesNow, from sending out invites to assigning follow-up tasks.
Note: Since you might not be in front of a NodesNow touchscreen right now, this guide will use the desktop web app in its place. Then when you get in front of a touchscreen, you'll find the interface intuitive—it just uses multitouch gestures instead of clicks.
Requirements
NodesNow mobile app
NodesNow account
Mobile app
If you haven't downloaded it yet, the mobile app is available for both iOS on the Apple App Store and Android on Google Play.
Account
Register for a NodesNow account using your email or sign in with Google, Microsoft, or Apple. If you need help, see our article about registering for an account on the mobile app or on a desktop web browser.
Once you have the mobile app and account, you're ready to start.
Before meetings
To prepare for your first meeting as a facilitator using NodesNow, you'll need to create a space, set the space up, and invite people to it, whether your invitees will join your live meeting or start collaborating with you asynchronously right away.
1. Create and open a space
1. Create and open a space
Let's start with how to create a space, name it, and add a description.
Sign into NodesNow at connect.nodesnow.com using your email account, or sign in with your Google, Microsoft, or Apple credentials.
Click on Manage my spaces to go to your dashboard.
On your dashboard, click CREATE > Create space to create a new space.
Click the three dots menu and then Details to see and edit a space's name and description.
5. Double-click a space to open it.
2. Set up a space before a meeting
2. Set up a space before a meeting
Collaboration in NodesNow spaces takes place on the space canvas. Here, we'll run through the tools in the canvas toolbox and then cover how to quickly navigate in spaces so you can set up a space for a meeting or just start brainstorming.
a. Test out the canvas toolbox
a. Test out the canvas toolbox
If you haven't already created and opened a space (directions in the previous section), do so now. From there, try out the various tools in the canvas's toolbox.
To use the drawing tool:
Click the drawing tool in the canvas's toolbox to open the drawing tool menu.
Select a color from the color palette or use the default setting.
Choose a line thickness or use the default setting.
Click anywhere on the canvas to start drawing.
To move, duplicate, resize, and delete drawings and other items, use the selection tool:
Click the selection tool if it isn't already selected. Then follow the steps below depending on what you want to do.
Move
Click and drag an item to your desired location.
Release to place it.
Click outside the item's bounding box to close the item's menu.
Duplicate
Click an item to select it.
In the item's menu, click the duplicate icon.
Click and drag the duplicate item to your desired location.
Release to place it.
Click outside the item's bounding box to close the item's menu.
Resize
Click an item to select it.
Click and drag one of the corners of the item's bounding box to adjust the size.
Click outside the item's bounding box to close the item's menu.
Delete
Click an item to select it.
Click the trash can icon to delete it.
Undo changes
To undo changes:
Click the undo icon in the lower left corner of the canvas.
To recover an action you've undone:
Click the redo icon in the lower left corner of the canvas.
Note: NodesNow provides support for up to 15 undo and redo actions.
To write a note:
Select the note tool in the canvas's toolbox.
Type something in the note.
If desired, click the yellow circle above the note to change the note's color.
Click anywhere on the canvas to set the note.
After you finish a note, you can click it to open the note menu. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete it. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
To write on the canvas:
Select the writing tool in the canvas's toolbox.
Type something to replace the default text.
Click anywhere on the canvas to set the text.
After you finish writing, you can click it to open the writing menu. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete it. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
To add a shape to the canvas:
Select the shapes tool in the canvas's toolbox to open the shapes menu.
Click on a shape to send a shape to the canvas.
To write on the shape:
Double click on a shape to open the shape's text field.
Type something.
After you place a shape, you can click it to open the shapes menu. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete it. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
To upload an image or video to a space's canvas:
Click the upload tool in the canvas toolbar.
This will open your file organizer.
In your file organizer, choose the .jpg, .png, or .mp4 files you want to upload. The size limit is 1 MB per file.
Your files will be placed on the space's canvas. From there, you can also move, duplicate, resize, and delete them. See the section on the selection tool above for more details.
b. Navigate around the canvas
b. Navigate around the canvas
NodesNow spaces offer an expansive canvas to work collaborate on. Here's how to easily navigate around them:
Adjust the zoom level
On a Mac mouse:
Hold down the command key (Mac) and scroll up to zoom out and scroll down to zoom in.
On a Windows mouse:
Scroll the mouse wheel up to zoom out and scroll down to zoom in.
On a track pad:
Bring two fingers together to zoom out and spread them apart to zoom in.
Note: You can also use the touchscreen's zoom control buttons, located at the lower right corner of the screen.
Pan around the canvas
On a Mac mouse:
Drag one finger across the mouse.
On a Windows mouse:
Press the right mouse button and drag.
On a track pad:
Drag two fingers across the trackpad.
Reset the default zoom level
Tap the zoom reset icon at the left of the zoom settings to reset the zoom level to 100%.
c. Close the space
c. Close the space
When you're ready to end the session, it's time to exit the space. Here's how:
Tap BACK TO DASHBOARD.
Your space will be saved and you'll be taken to your NodesNow dashboard. You can return to the space at any time. When it's time for your meeting, simply open it on the touchscreen, and you'll be ready to go.
3. Invite people to a space on the mobile app
3. Invite people to a space on the mobile app
Use the mobile app to invite collaborators to a space and they'll be able to join from the NodesNow mobile app, desktop web app, and mobile web app immediately. Here's how:
On the space's content sharing screen, tap the participants icon.
There, you have three ways to invite people to your space:
Tap Invite to open your contacts and select people to send an invitation to.
Tap SHARE INVITE to send invitations using your device's social apps.
Tap the duplicate icon to copy the invitation details and manually paste them into other apps.
During meetings
During meetings, you'll use the mobile app to log into the touchscreen and open your space. Then, on the touchscreen, you can invite more people to the space and start a Microsoft Teams call to communicate with remote participants. With your team together, you'll be ready to start working on the canvas itself and invite people to share their screens. This section covers everything you need to know to conduct a meeting in NodesNow.
1. Connect the mobile app to the touchscreen and present a space
1. Connect the mobile app to the touchscreen and present a space
Now that you've created a space, set it up, and invited people to it, you're ready to present it on the touchscreen. Here's how:
On the touchscreen or desktop dashboard, tap Generate QR code.
Back in the NodesNow mobile app, tap SCAN QR TO CONNECT to open your device's camera.
Scan the QR code you generated on the touchscreen to connect.
Now that you're connected to the touchscreen, you can open any of your spaces on the touchscreen. Here's how:
Select the Spaces icon to view your list of spaces.
Tap the name of the space you want to open.
In the space's content sharing screen, tap >.
Tap PRESENT SPACE ON DEVICE to open your device's camera.
Your space will now appear on the touchscreen.
2. Using a space during a meeting
2. Using a space during a meeting
See Set up a space before a meeting above to see how to use the canvas toolbox and navigate around the canvas.
3. Invite people to the space during a meeting
3. Invite people to the space during a meeting
You can also invite people to a NodesNow space from the touchscreen. NodesNow will generate an invitation URL and a QR code that they can use to join you in the space.
Note: You can also invite participants to the desktop space directly from the app. This feature is especially helpful for enabling collaborators to work asynchronously or to prepare ahead of a scheduled meeting.
To invite participants to your NodesNow space:
Tap JOIN REMOTELY to generate an invitation URL and QR code.
Direct remote collaborators to use the invitation URL and passcode to access the space via a desktop web browser. Encourage all collaborators to scan the QR code so they can send notes and media to the space.
Invitees will now be able to collaborate in the space using their desktop browser and/or the NodesNow app, accordingly.
4. Start a Microsoft Teams call and invite people to it
4. Start a Microsoft Teams call and invite people to it
NodesNow integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams and you can easily invite participants to a space's Microsoft Teams call before or during the session, as described below.
Here are the common actions you'll perform in a Microsoft Teams call:
1. Start a Microsoft Teams call
Tap LAUNCH TEAMS CALL on the touchscreen.
Upon doing so:
The Microsoft Teams menu will be displayed.
The touchscreen's camera and microphone will activate.
The participant interface will appear.
2. Invite participants
To invite participants to a Microsoft Teams call:
Tap the + icon on the touchscreen's Microsoft Teams menu to generate an invite URL and QR code.
3. Share your screen with Microsoft Teams call participants
To share the touchscreen's screen with participants during a Microsoft Teams call:
Tap the share screen icon in the Microsoft Teams menu.
Now, participants joining via Microsoft Teams will be able to see the touchscreen.
4. Control the touchscreen's camera and microphone
During calls, the camera and microphone are activated by default. However, you can toggle them on and off as needed. Here's how:
Tap the camera and microphone icons in the touchscreen's Microsoft Teams toolbox.
5. End the call
Finished with your session?
To conclude the call, simply tap END CALL.
5. Use the space inbox and move content to the canvas
5. Use the space inbox and move content to the canvas
The space inbox serves as a repository for content shared by participants in a space. From here, you can bring the content for presentation on the canvas.
1. Open the space inbox
To open the space inbox:
Tap the space inbox icon at the lower-right corner of the space.
The space inbox will display notes, media, and files that participants have sent to the space.
2. Move a note to the canvas
In the space inbox, tap and hold the note you want on the canvas.
Drag it to your desired location on the canvas.
Release it to place it.
From there, you can move or restyle the note (or media) as above in the section on the selection tool.
Note: Once moved to the canvas, content will disappear from the inbox.
6. Invite people to share their screen via HDMI
6. Invite people to share their screen via HDMI
Screen sharing makes it easy to present content in NodesNow spaces without having to upload any files. Here's how to mirror your computer screen on a touchscreen device using an HDMI connection.
Activate screen-sharing mode
To share a laptop screen using the touchscreen's HDMI cable:
Tap the screen-sharing icon at the lower-left of the touchscreen.
Connect a laptop to the touchscreen using an HDMI cable.
Note: The HDMI port is located at the back left of the touchscreen. Connect an HDMI cable from the HDMI In port on the touchscreen to the HDMI Out port on a laptop.
The laptop's screen will now appear on the touchscreen.
Enter picture-in-picture (PiP) mode
Double-tap the image of the shared screen on the touchscreen to enter picture-in-picture mode.
The shared screen will enlarge and appear in a PiP window.
Move the PiP window
To move the PiP window:
Place your finger on the shared screen and drag it to your desired position.
Close the PiP window
To close the PiP window:
Tap the minimize icon on the PiP window.
The window will return to its initial size and position above the screen-sharing icon.
Take a screenshot of the mirrored screen
To take a screenshot of the mirrored screen:
Tap the screenshot icon on the PiP window.
The screenshot will be placed at the center of the screen, where you can move it and resize it like any other item on the canvas.
Enter and exit full-screen mode
To enter full-screen mode:
Tap the full-screen mode icon on the PiP window.
The mirrored screen will expand to fill the entire touchscreen.
To exit full-screen mode:
Double tap anywhere on the screen.
The shared screen will return to PiP mode.
Adjust the volume in full-screen mode
In full-screen mode:
Tap the screen to reveal the settings icon at the top-right corner of the touchscreen.
Tap the settings icon to bring up the volume control slider.
Adjust the volume by dragging the volume control slider to the left or right.
The audio from the shared screen will adjust accordingly.
Modify screen brightness in full-screen mode
In full-screen mode:
Tap the screen to reveal the settings icon at the top-right corner of the touchscreen.
Tap the settings icon to bring up the brightness control slider.
Adjust the brightness by dragging the brightness control slider to the left or right.
The brightness of the shared screen will adjust accordingly.
Disconnect the mirrored screen
Tap the PiP window's minimize icon.
The shared screen will reduce in size and move next to the screen sharing icon.
Tap the HDMI icon to exit screen sharing mode and close the screen-sharing window.
You can now safely disconnect the HDMI cable.
7. End the session
7. End the session
When you're ready to wrap up the session or take a break, it's time to exit the space. Here's how:
Tap BACK TO DASHBOARD in the top-right corner of the screen.
You'll be redirected to the NodesNow dashboard, and your work will be saved.
Note: Your collaborators can continue to use the space even after you've left, as NodesNow spaces are persistent.
Next steps
Learn more about the touchscreen
Learn more about the touchscreen
If you've just walked through this tutorial, congratulations! You're ready to facilitate meetings in NodesNow. Want more practice on the touchscreen? Check out our getting started guide.