Session Materials

Overview

Session materials are presentation files or documents used by speakers and hosts during a session. These materials are projected for attendees to view in real time but are not available for download or direct access by attendees. Uploading such content helps make your presentation more engaging and easy to follow. You can upload, edit, or remove these materials for each session at any time.

Associating presentations to your sessions is a paid feature enabled based on your subscription plan.

Adding Session Materials

Add materials for your session like presentations at any time and make your sessions engaging. Session materials can be projected for all attendees to see so that they can follow what is being said during the session. Upload presentations, documents, and other supporting materials that will be projected during your session:

Navigate to Manage > Sessions from the Dock to view all your sessions.
Find your session and click the Materials link. This opens the Materials tab within the session details view.
Click the Add Material button to open the file selection dropdown.
Choose your upload method:

Add Presentation
Add Video

Click the center area to browse files from your local system.
Use "Pick from Zoho Workdrive" to select cloud-stored files.
Select your presentation or document file to upload.
Review the uploaded file in the preview dialog.
Click Select to confirm and add the material.

You can also upload materials directly through Manage > Event Library, which provides centralized content management across all sessions.

Presentation

Supported File Types: PPT, PPTX, PPS, PPSX, ODP, SXI, ZSLIDES
Max File Size: 40MB

Video

Supported File Types: MP4, AVI
Max File Size: 200MB

Editing Uploaded Session Materials

Keeping your session content up to date is essential for delivering a smooth and impactful presentation. With Zoho Backstage, you can easily view, update, or replace session materials as needed—whether it’s a slide deck or a video.

You may want to edit or update materials if:

There are last-minute changes to your presentation.
You need to correct errors or outdated information.
You want to improve clarity or visual appeal.
You're reusing session content for a new audience or event.

To make changes to a material, you’ll need to download the file, update it, and re-upload the latest version.

Navigate to Manage > Sessions from the Dock to view all your sessions.
Find your session and click the Materials link. This opens the Materials tab within the session details view.
Click the View icon to preview the current version before making any edits. If the file needs changes:

Download the material if changes are needed (see instructions below).
Edit it using your preferred tool.
Delete the old version from the session (see below).
Upload the updated version using the Add Material button.

When you click the View button, the file will open in the default web application associated with that file type in your browser. You can make edits directly within that web app, if supported.

Downloading a Material

If you want to save the material to your local storage or if you want to make changes to an existing file, start by downloading it:

Navigate to Manage > Sessions from the Dock to view all your sessions.
Find your session and click the Materials link. This opens the Materials tab within the session details view.
Hover over the material in the Materials tab.
Click the Download icon.
The file will be saved to your local storage.
Open it in the appropriate software to make your edits.
Once you're done editing, return to the Materials tab and upload the new version.

Deleting a Material

To remove a session material that is outdated or no longer needed:

Navigate to Manage > Sessions from the Dock to view all your sessions.
Find your session and click the Materials link. This opens the Materials tab within the session details view.
Hover over the material in the Materials tab.
Click the Delete icon.
Confirm the deletion in the pop-up dialog.

To remove session handouts permanently, go to Manage > Event Library and delete them.

Tips for Managing Your Session Materials

Save a copy before you edit: Before making big changes, download the original file so you always have a backup just in case.
Name files clearly: Use simple and clear names for your files so it’s easy to find what you need later. For example, “Keynote_Slides_Final” is better than “presentation1”.
Keep things updated: Go through your materials every now and then to make sure everything is still correct and relevant.
Make it easy for everyone: If you’re using images or visuals, add short descriptions or alt-text so that people using screen readers can understand them too.