Experience real-time AI assistance in your first call with Convo. This guide walks you through preparation, starting the call, using AI features, and reviewing insights afterward.
Before Your Call
Prepare for your first AI-assisted call by setting up your knowledge sources and preferences.
1. Upload Knowledge Sources (Optional)
Help Convo provide better answers during your call by uploading relevant materials:
- Open the Convo dashboard
- Navigate to General → Ask AI in the sidebar
- Click Add and choose:
- From a website (enter URL)
- From a file (upload PDF or text)
- Manually (paste text directly)
- Upload product documentation, sales decks, or FAQs
Example: If you're doing a product demo, upload your feature documentation. Convo can then surface relevant details when asked about specific features.
2. Create Live Answer Cards (Optional)
Set up Q&A cards for frequently asked questions:
- Go to General → Live Answer
- Click to create a new card
- Enter the question, your prepared answer, and when it applies
- Save the card
During calls, Convo monitors the conversation and surfaces relevant Live Answer cards at the right moment.
3. Check Audio Permissions
Ensure Convo has the necessary permissions:
- Microphone access (for recording your voice)
- System audio access (for capturing other participants)
- Accessibility permissions (for overlay features)
If prompted during setup, click Allow for each permission request.
Starting Your Call
Follow these steps when you're ready to begin your AI-assisted call:
Step 1: Join Your Meeting
Join your video call as normal using any platform:
- Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
- Slack huddles or phone calls
- Any audio/video application
Step 2: Activate Convo
Start Convo's AI assistance using either method:
Method 1: Toolbar Button
Click the Convo icon in your menu bar, then click the Listen button
Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut
Press ⌘L from anywhere to start listening
Step 3: Confirm Recording Started
You'll see visual confirmation that Convo is listening:
- Animated waveform in the toolbar
- Recording indicator showing active status
- Smart Panel may appear with initial insights
During Your Call
Convo provides real-time AI assistance while you talk. Here's what to expect:
Smart Panel Assistance
The Smart Panel appears as a floating window during your call, showing:
Real-time Transcript
See what's being said in real-time, with speaker identification when available
AI Suggestions
Get contextual suggestions for responses, questions to ask, or points to bring up
Knowledge Answers
When questions arise, Convo searches your uploaded knowledge sources and displays relevant answers
Live Answer Cards
Your pre-prepared Q&A cards surface automatically when the conversation matches their context
Asking Questions
You can ask Convo anything during the call:
- Click in the Smart Panel's search field
- Type your question (e.g., "What are our pricing tiers?")
- Press Enter to get an AI-generated answer from your knowledge sources
- The answer appears instantly without interrupting your call
Pro tip: Use the Smart Panel discreetly. Glance at it like you would speaker notes—don't read responses word-for-word. Stay present and authentic in your conversation.
Best Practices During Calls
Do:
- Glance at AI suggestions for ideas and reminders
- Use knowledge answers to verify facts before sharing
- Ask questions in the Smart Panel when you need quick information
- Stay focused on the conversation—Convo is your assistant, not a script
Don't:
- Read AI suggestions verbatim without personalizing them
- Stare at the Smart Panel instead of your video call
- Share screen with Smart Panel visible (minimize it first)
- Over-rely on AI—your judgment and expertise matter most
Ending Your Call
When your call concludes, stop the recording:
- Click the Convo icon in your menu bar
- Click the Stop button (or press ⌘L again)
- Convo processes the conversation and saves it to your dashboard
The Smart Panel will close, and you'll see a confirmation that the recording has been saved.
After Your Call
Once Convo finishes processing your call (usually within a few minutes), you can review the insights:
1. View Conversation Details
- Open the Convo dashboard
- Your latest call appears in the Home view under "Calls"
- Click the conversation to see:
- Full transcript with timestamps
- Speaker attribution
- Key points and topics discussed
- Sentiment analysis
2. Review Action Items
Navigate to Overview in the dashboard to see:
- AI-extracted action items from your conversation
- Commitments you made to others
- Follow-up tasks with due dates (if mentioned)
- Checkbox to mark items complete
3. Check Smart Notifications
The Overview section also shows smart notifications:
- Reminders about upcoming deadlines
- Follow-ups for commitments you made
- Suggestions for next steps
4. Share Insights (Optional)
From the conversation detail view, you can:
- Copy key points to share with your team
- Export the transcript for records
- Reference specific moments by timestamp
Tips for Success
Start Simple
For your first call, focus on just using the Listen feature. You don't need to upload knowledge sources or create Live Answer cards right away.
Position Your Windows
Arrange the Smart Panel where you can see it easily without blocking your video call window. You can drag it to any screen edge.
Practice First
Try Convo on a low-stakes call or practice session before using it in important meetings. This helps you get comfortable with the interface.
Trust the Process
AI suggestions may take a minute to appear as Convo analyzes context. Don't worry if you don't see instant results—quality takes time.
Troubleshooting
Smart Panel not appearing
- Check that you clicked "Listen" or pressed ⌘L
- Verify accessibility permissions are granted in System Preferences
- Look for the panel on all displays if using multiple monitors
- Restart Convo if the panel remains hidden
No AI suggestions appearing
Suggestions require context to be meaningful. They typically appear after 2-3 minutes of conversation. Ensure your microphone is picking up audio and the transcript is updating.
Audio not being captured
- Check microphone permissions in System Preferences → Privacy
- Verify system audio permissions (required for capturing other participants)
- Test audio levels in the Convo toolbar (waveform should animate)
- Restart your video call application if issues persist
Recording didn't save
Recordings save automatically when you click Stop. Check your internet connection and ensure you're signed in. If the call was very short (under 30 seconds), it may not be saved.
Next Steps
After your first AI-assisted call, explore these features:
- Learn about different types of AI meeting cues
- Explore the full dashboard capabilities
- Upload more knowledge sources to improve AI accuracy
- Create Live Answer cards for common questions in your role
- Review your conversation history to track patterns and insights