WPConference Documentation

Overview

WPConference is a WordPress plugin that brings video meetings, webinars, bookings, and a client portal directly into your site. It uses Jitsi Meet (via JaaS / 8x8.vc) as the video engine — completely free with no per-host fees, no per-minute charges, and no credit card required. Unlike Zoom or Google Meet, the video infrastructure costs you nothing.

The free version includes instant meetings, room designer, collaborative notes, live polls, and content sharing. Pro adds recurring meetings, lead capture, and custom branding. Business adds bookings with Stripe and PayPal payments, webinar mode with registration, WooCommerce integration, and a client portal.

Installation

Download the plugin from the WPConference page. In WordPress admin: Plugins › Add New › Upload Plugin, select the ZIP, and click Install Now.

JaaS Setup (Required)

1. Go to jaas.8x8.vc and create a free account
2. Your App ID is shown on the dashboard (e.g., vpaas-magic-cookie-xxxxxxxx)
3. Click Add API Key to generate a key pair
4. Copy the API Key ID (just the short ID, not the full string)
5. Download the Private Key file (.pk)
6. In WordPress: WPConference › Settings — paste App ID, API Key ID, and private key contents
7. Click Save Settings

Creating Meetings

Go to WPConference › Meetings in the admin. You can:

• Start Instant Meeting — one-click from the Dashboard tab, opens immediately
• Create Meeting — set a title, optional password, schedule for later, set recurrence, and customize the room appearance
• Webinar Mode — check "Webinar mode" to auto-create a public registration page (Business)

Room Designer

When creating a meeting, check "Customize room appearance" to open the Room Designer:

• Theme Presets — 6 one-click themes: Midnight, Ocean, Sunset, Forest, Slate, Corporate
• Custom Colors — toolbar color, accent color, background color with live preview
• Scene Backgrounds — 10 photo backgrounds: Beach, Tropical, Ocean, Sunset, Lake, Mountains, Wilderness, Forest, Night Sky, Aurora
• Gradient Backgrounds — 12 gradient presets
• Room Logo — per-meeting logo (overrides global setting)
• Welcome Message — banner shown when participants first join

Meeting Templates

Save your Room Designer settings as reusable templates so you can quickly apply them when creating new meetings.

• Save Template — after configuring the Room Designer, click "Save as Template" and give it a name. All theme, color, background, logo, and welcome message settings are stored.
• Load Template — when creating a new meeting, select a saved template from the "Load Template" dropdown to apply all its settings instantly.
• Delete Template — remove templates you no longer need from the template dropdown menu.

Joining a Meeting

Participants join via a direct link: yoursite.com/meeting/room-id. No downloads or accounts needed. Works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.

If the meeting is scheduled and hasn't started, participants see a branded waiting room with a countdown timer. When time is up, they auto-redirect into the meeting.

Shortcodes

Embeds a specific meeting inline on any page.

Shows a create meeting form for logged-in users.

Booking form with calendar and time slot picker (Business).

Webinar registration form (Business).

Displays poll results from a closed poll.

Embeds the client portal (also available at /my-meetings/).

Meeting Agenda

Create a structured agenda when scheduling a meeting. Add numbered items to keep your meeting on track and ensure all topics are covered.

Creating an Agenda

When creating or editing a meeting, you will see an Agenda section. Click "Add Item" to add agenda items. Items are automatically numbered and can be reordered or removed before saving.

During the Meeting

Click the Agenda button in the meeting toolbar to open the agenda sidebar panel. Each item appears as a checkbox that any participant can check off as topics are completed. Progress is synced across all participants in real time.

In Invite Emails

When you invite participants by email, the agenda is automatically included in the invitation so attendees can prepare in advance.

Collaborative Notes

Click Notes in the meeting toolbar to open the shared notes panel. All participants see and edit the same document in real-time (synced every 3 seconds). Notes auto-save as a private WordPress post when the meeting ends.

The admin meetings table shows a notes icon with a link to view/edit saved notes.

Live Polls

Click Polls in the meeting toolbar. The host creates a poll with a question and 2-6 options, then clicks "Launch Poll." All participants can vote, and results update live with animated bar charts.

• Close a poll to lock voting — automatically publishes results as a blog post
• Embed button copies the [wpconference_poll] shortcode for manual placement
• Polls sync across all participants every 5 seconds

Present Content

Click Present in the meeting toolbar to open the content browser. Search and filter your WordPress pages, posts, and media. Click "Present" on any item to share it with all participants as a full-page overlay.

Participants see the content in an iframe. The presenter can stop sharing at any time. This replaces screen sharing for WordPress content.

Calendar Sync

WPConference generates standard .ics calendar files so participants can add meetings to their calendar with one click. Works with Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, and any app that supports iCalendar.

Where to Find It

• Meetings table — each meeting row has a download button to grab the .ics file
• Meeting toolbar — a calendar button inside the meeting lets participants add it on the spot
• Invite emails — when you send meeting invitations, the email includes an "Add to Calendar" link automatically

What's Included

• Meeting title, date, time, and duration
• Join link to the meeting room
• A 15-minute reminder alarm so participants get notified before the meeting starts

SMS Notifications

WPConference can send meeting reminders and booking confirmations via SMS using Twilio. You bring your own Twilio account — WPConference connects to it.

Setup

1. Create a free account at twilio.com and get a phone number
2. In WordPress: WPConference › Settings — enter your Account SID, Auth Token, and Twilio Phone Number
3. Enable SMS for booking confirmations

How It Works

• When SMS is configured, a phone number field appears on the booking form
• Customers who enter their phone number receive a text message confirming their booking
• Works with any Twilio phone number — local, toll-free, or short code

Webhooks

WPConference can send real-time notifications to external services when key events occur. Webhooks POST JSON payloads to a URL you configure, with HMAC-SHA256 signatures for security.

Setup

1. Go to WPConference › Settings
2. Enter your Webhook URL — the endpoint that will receive POST requests
3. Enter a Webhook Secret — used to generate the HMAC-SHA256 signature
4. Click Save Settings

Event Types

• meeting.created — fired when a new meeting is started or scheduled
• meeting.ended — fired when a meeting ends
• booking.created — fired when a booking is made through the booking system

Payload Format

Each webhook sends a JSON payload via HTTP POST:

HMAC-SHA256 Signature

Every webhook request includes a X-WPConference-Signature header containing an HMAC-SHA256 hash of the request body, signed with your webhook secret. Verify this on your server to ensure the request is authentic.

Test Webhook

After configuring your URL and secret, click the Test Webhook button in Settings to send a test payload and verify your endpoint is receiving requests correctly.

REST API

WPConference includes a REST API that lets you connect your meetings, bookings, tasks, and analytics to external tools like Zapier, Make.com, or any custom integration. All endpoints use API key authentication and return JSON.

Generating an API Key

1. Go to WPConference › Settings
2. Scroll to the REST API section
3. Click Generate API Key
4. Copy the key and store it securely — it is shown only once

Authentication

Include your API key as a Bearer token in the Authorization header:

Endpoints

All endpoints are relative to your WordPress site URL: https://example.com/wp-json/wpconference/v1/

• GET /meetings — list all meetings
• POST /meetings — create a new meeting
• GET /meetings/{id} — get a single meeting
• GET /bookings — list all bookings
• POST /bookings — create a new booking
• GET /bookings/{id} — get a single booking
• GET /participants — list participants across meetings
• GET /participants/{meeting_id} — list participants for a specific meeting
• GET /tasks — list all action items
• POST /tasks — create a new action item
• GET /tasks/{id} — get a single action item
• GET /stats — get meeting analytics summary

Example: List Meetings

Example: Create a Meeting

Rate Limiting

The API is rate-limited to 60 requests per minute per API key. If you exceed this limit, the API returns a 429 Too Many Requests response with a Retry-After header indicating how many seconds to wait.

Action Items

Create tasks during meetings and track them to completion. Action items keep your team accountable by turning discussion points into trackable tasks.

Creating Tasks

Click the Tasks button in the meeting toolbar to open the action items panel. Add a task by entering a title and optionally assigning it to a participant. Tasks are synced across all participants in real time.

During the Meeting

All participants see the shared task list. Items appear as a checkable list that anyone can mark as complete. New tasks can be added at any time during the meeting.

Dashboard Tracking

After the meeting, all action items appear on the admin dashboard. Filter by pending or completed status to see what still needs attention. Each task shows its title, assignee, and completion state.

Meeting Timer

Every meeting includes a visible countdown timer in the toolbar so participants always know how much time is left.

How It Works

• The timer appears in the meeting toolbar and counts down the remaining time
• Default duration is 60 minutes (configurable when creating a meeting)
• Color shifts from green to orange to flashing red as time runs out
• When the timer reaches zero, a "Time's up!" alert is displayed

Meeting Analytics

WPConference automatically tracks meeting activity and presents key metrics on the admin dashboard. No configuration needed — analytics begin recording as soon as participants join.

What's Tracked

• Attendance — automatic participant logging when users join a meeting
• Duration — average meeting duration across all meetings
• Peak Hours — chart showing which hours of the day have the most meetings
• Most Active Rooms — rooms ranked by total participants and meeting count
• Recent Participants — list of the latest participants with join timestamps

How It Works

When a participant joins a meeting, WPConference logs their name, email (if available), and join time. A real-time heartbeat keeps the participant list accurate by detecting when users leave. All data is displayed on the Analytics tab in the admin panel.

Participant Tracking

Click the participant count on any meeting in the admin meetings table to open the full participant detail view for that meeting.

Stats Cards

• Total Joins — the total number of times participants joined the meeting (includes rejoins)
• Unique Participants — distinct participants based on identity
• Avg Duration — average time each participant spent in the meeting
• Longest Session — the single longest participant session

Participant Table

The detail view shows a table of every participant who joined the meeting. Each row includes:

• Name and email (if available)
• Masked IP — IP addresses are partially masked for privacy (e.g., 192.168.*.***)
• Join time and duration
• Status — a green dot indicates the participant is currently active in the meeting

Screen Sharing & Chat

Standard Jitsi features available in every meeting. Screen share supports entire screen, application window, or browser tab. Chat messages are visible to all participants during the meeting.

Team Roles

WPConference adds two custom WordPress roles to control who can do what with meetings:

• Admin (WordPress Administrator) — full access to all WPConference features: create, edit, and delete meetings, manage settings, view analytics, and manage bookings
• Meeting Host — can create and manage their own meetings, start instant meetings, and invite participants. Cannot access plugin settings or analytics
• Meeting Viewer — can join meetings only. Cannot create, edit, or delete meetings

Role Mapping

WPConference automatically maps existing WordPress roles to meeting roles:

• Administrator → full access (Admin)
• Editor → Meeting Host
• Subscriber → Meeting Viewer

Activating Roles

The custom roles (Meeting Host and Meeting Viewer) are registered when the plugin is activated. If you need to re-register the roles, deactivate and reactivate the plugin.

Dark/Light Mode

WPConference includes a dark/light mode toggle in the admin panel header. Click the moon/sun icon to switch between dark and light themes instantly. Your preference is saved to your browser and persists across sessions.

Recurring Meetings (Pro)

When creating a scheduled meeting, select a Repeat pattern:

• Daily, Weekly, or Monthly
• Set interval (e.g., every 2 weeks)
• Optional end date for the series

When a recurring meeting ends, the next occurrence auto-creates with the same title, password, and recurrence settings.

Lead Capture (Pro)

Enable in Settings › Pro Features. Non-logged-in guests must enter their name and email before joining a meeting. Captured leads appear in the Leads admin tab with export to CSV.

Password & Lobby (Pro)

Set a password when creating a meeting. Enable Lobby / Waiting Room in Settings so the moderator must approve each participant.

Booking System (Business)

Configure in the Bookings admin tab:

1. Set your Availability Schedule (days, start/end times)
2. Set Slot Duration (15-120 minutes) and buffer between slots
3. For paid bookings: enter your Stripe and/or PayPal credentials
4. A "Book a Meeting" page is auto-created on activation

Customers select a date from the calendar, pick a time slot, enter their details, and book. Free bookings create the meeting instantly. Paid bookings redirect to Stripe Checkout or PayPal, then auto-create the meeting on payment. Customers choose their preferred payment method.

A confirmation email with the join link is sent automatically.

Webinar Mode (Business)

Check "Webinar mode" when creating a scheduled meeting. A public registration page is auto-created. Visitors register with name and email, and immediately receive a confirmation email with the join link.

In the admin meetings table, webinars show an attendee count. Click the email icon to send reminder notifications to all registered attendees.

Client Portal (Business)

A dedicated dashboard at yoursite.com/my-meetings/ shows logged-in users their:

• Upcoming meetings with join buttons (hosted, booked, and webinar registrations)
• Past meetings history
• Stats — upcoming, past, and total counts

Non-logged-in visitors see a login screen that redirects back to the portal after authentication.

WooCommerce Integration (Business)

If WooCommerce is installed, a Meeting tab appears in the product editor. Enable it on any Simple/Virtual product to sell meeting bookings:

• Set meeting duration and host
• Customize the meeting title template (e.g., "Consultation with {customer_name}")
• A date/time picker appears on the product page for customers
• On order completion, a meeting is auto-created and the join link is added to the order confirmation email
• Customers can see their meeting link in My Account › Orders

Desktop App

WPConference includes standalone desktop applications for Windows and macOS. No browser needed — meetings run in a native window.

Download & Install (Windows)

1. Download WPConference Desktop for Windows
2. Extract the ZIP and run Setup.exe
3. Click Install — creates shortcuts and registers the app
4. Launch from your Desktop shortcut
5. Go to Settings and enter your JaaS App ID

Download & Install (Mac)

1. Download WPConference Desktop for Mac
2. Double-click the downloaded file to extract
3. Drag WPConference.app to your Applications folder
4. Launch and go to Settings to enter your JaaS App ID

Features

• Native window — full video meetings without a browser
• System tray — minimize to tray, right-click for quick meeting
• Keyboard shortcuts — Ctrl+N (new), Ctrl+J (join), Ctrl+, (settings)
• Meeting history — recent meetings with one-click rejoin
• Desktop notifications — alerts when meetings start
• Auto-launch — optional start on system boot

Mobile App (PWA)

WPConference also works as a Progressive Web App on mobile devices. When participants visit a meeting link on their phone, they'll see an "Install WPConference" banner. Tapping Install adds the app to their home screen — it opens in a standalone window like a native app.

• Works on Android (Chrome) and iOS (Safari — Add to Home Screen)
• No app store needed — installs directly from the browser
• Runs in a standalone window without browser UI
• Works on any domain where WPConference is installed

Settings

Configure from WPConference › Settings:

• Jitsi Server — defaults to 8x8.vc (JaaS)
• JaaS Credentials — App ID, API Key ID, Private Key
• Start with Audio Muted / Start with Video Off
• Pre-join Screen — preview audio/video before entering
• Post-Meeting Redirect — URL to redirect after meeting ends (auto-set to Thank You page)
• Branded Waiting Room — page shown for scheduled meetings before start time
• Meeting Logo — upload a logo for the meeting interface (Pro)
• Lead Capture — require guest name/email (Pro)
• Lobby — moderator approves each participant (Pro)

FAQ