Allowing guests to start a meeting without the organizer present

[cyonce]

We run afterschool programs that rely heavily on volunteers. We have about two to three students in a group with each volunteer. Each group has been given their own link, however our program coordinator, who was the organizer of each group/teams meeting, has to go to every link to allow them into the meeting. We have clicked on the meeting preferences to allow everyone in without having to wait in the lobby, however unless the meeting organizer is present, they still have to sit in the lobby. Is there anyway to change that?

[#2]

Apart from setting "Automatically admit people" to Everyone, try toggling the "Let anonymous people start a meeting" setting.

[#3]

@cyonce Hi, may I ask if some are dialing in? In that case the anon start setting should be toggled as mentioned above.

For more info https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/meeting-policies-in-teams#let-anonymous-people-start...

[#4]

@Vasil Michev Thank you for your response! Where can I find the "Let anonymous people start a meeting" setting? It doesn't seem to appear in my meeting settings.

[#5]

Hi, you can use this PowerShell cmdlet https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/skype/set-csteamsmeetingpolicy?view=skype-ps

(And in the Teams admin center of course)

See this as well (per meeting) https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/change-participant-settings-for-a-teams-meeting-53261366-...

[#6]

@Vasil Michev 

Is there somewhere where it is a default setting that meetings can start without a host, always bypass waiting room?  I set up a lot of meetings for my boss that I don't have to be in on.  It seems weird to only change that option for each individual meeting, and there is no global setting to be applied to all meetings. 

[#7]

See the lobby part https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/change-participant-settings-for-a-teams-meeting-53261366-...

Specifically "People I invite".

Depending on scenario you might need to enable "anonymous users can join a meeting" and "and anonymous users can start a meeting". Your admin can assist with that.

[#8]

I know how to change meeting settings for a scheduled meeting, I am asking there has to be a way to have default settings so I don't have to do it for every meeting.  I want every meeting I setup to be that way without me having to do that when I schedule every meeting.  Zoom has settings that apply to every meeting automatically without you having to do it for every meeting you schedule.  Can Teams do that?  

[#9]

You’d have to use the Teams meeting policy for that, i.e. change the default lobby setting. But possible yes. With admin assistance.

[#10]

ok, thank you. when you say Admin Assistance, are you meaning someone at MS?

[#11]

Your organizations IT administrator.