From a colleague:

“For those of you using Zoom accounts, please make note of the passcode or waiting room requirement beginning this Sunday! 

Meetings that have already been scheduled without a passcode will default to waiting room, but this is not a good option if you’re expecting a lot of people or anticipate late-joiners, unless you have a co-host who can watch the waiting room while you speak with the group.

Here’s what I sent to my team a little bit ago.

When to use a Zoom waiting room:

  • If you have a co-host
  • If you expect a small number of people to join
  • If you want to keep people out until it is time for them to join:
    • For an interview
    • For a long event using the same room, but with different groups joining at different times
  • If you are truly talented at multi-tasking while speaking and looking at a webcam, and wish to challenge your skills”

“Like with any tool, it’s good to have alternatives and in this particular case, there can be an advantage of using Microsoft Teams (no passcode required). While there are options for a waiting room (or in #MicrosoftTeams -speak, lobby 😉), meeting organizers can set options to by-pass the waiting room for everyone or for specific conditions. Like what Jamie had already pointed out, there are cases for leveraging a “waiting room”. The meeting options regarding the “lobby” with #MicrosoftTeams are available for all users; whether you have ​​​​a “premium” account through a work or school account, or the free version associated with a Microsoft account like live.comoutlook.comhotmail.comgmail.com etc.”