Preload attachments for a Skype for Business meeting
Applies ToSkype for Business Online

Get a quick start to Skype for Business meetings by preloading meeting attachments when you set up your online meeting in Outlook. That way, when participants join the meeting, everything is ready to go.

Upload your meeting attachments in advance

Uploading your meeting attachments in advance gives you time to focus on your meeting when your participants join.

  1. Set up a Skype for Business meeting in Outlook as you typically would do.

  2. On the Insert tab, in the Include section, click Attach File or Outlook Item, and then select the attachments you want to add.

    On the File tab, click Attach File or Email Item

    Your message will show that the meeting files have been attached to the meeting invitation.

    Meeting attachments in Skype for Business invitation
  3. You can also attach a file that is in the cloud, such as in OneDrive for work or school. However, the file won't be loaded from the cloud location until the meeting starts.

    At this time, you cannot present a PowerPoint file from the cloud. You can open the file and then share your screen.

  4. That's it. Just double-check the information and click Send.

You can add meeting attachments any time prior to the meeting by updating the original meeting invitation and sending the update.

Use the attachments in the meeting

The attachments you included in your Skype for Business meeting invitation show up in the meeting window automatically when the first participant joins the meeting.

  1. In the meeting window, people can see there are meeting attachments by the notification in the yellow band and also by the orange dot next to the Present button.

    Meeting window shows participants meeting attachments
  2. To retrieve the meeting attachments, click the Present button, and then select Manage Content.

    Present menu showing Manage Content option
  3. To view the meeting files, click the Open the file button.

    Open the meeting attachments

    You can also do other things with the attachments on this page.

    Click this

    To do this

    Open the file button

    Download the meeting attachment.

    Change who can download this content

    Change who can download the meeting attachment (everyone, presenters, organizer). By default, only the organizer and presenters have automatic access to the content. If you have participants outside of your organization, you'll want to make sure to change this to everyone.

    Remove this content from the meeting

    Remove the meeting attachment from the meeting.

    More options, such as save as and rename the content

    More options, such as save as and rename the meeting attachment.

    You cannot save as or rename cloud attachments.

    Renaming a file is temporary and doesn’t change the calendar attachment file name. Also, if the meeting is restarted after a rename, the rename will be lost and the original name will be restored.

  • Don't see this feature in your Skype for Business client yet? Stay tuned. It will be rolling out to you in an upcoming Microsoft 365 update.

  • If you still don't see this feature and you think you should, contact your workplace technical support team for assistance, and send them a link to the admin help topic Turn on or off allowing content to be preloaded for meetings using Outlook.

See Also

Co-author in a Skype for Business meeting or conversation

Set up a Skype for Business meeting in Outlook

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