from a free trial to a paid account

[Betta_mebdenaro]

Hi!

we are looking into using Adobe Connect as a webinar solution for our non-profit organization and we would like to get a free trial to start with, before subscribing to a yearly plan hosted service

1) once the 30-days free trial runs out, can we upgrade to the subscription keeping all the data we have organized in Connect-Central during the free trial: - for example: seminar rooms, personalized layouts and pods and content, users and groups, content, etc. ?

or will we have to start from scratch at the end of the trial? what is preserved and what gets scratched?

2) what is the difference in buying directly from the Adobe online store (here: Adobe Connect ) or from a reseller ? Pro & Con please? and can we get the free trial from Adobe and then convert it to subscription via a reseller?

Thanks, Betta

[Thomas Gunter-Kremers]

Betta,

You can't convert a trial to a monthly plan.  A reseller can convert it to an annual plan however, with branding included, fewer limits on expansion, more modules available, and sometimes for a lower cost.  We also provide free training daily, on top of Adobe's free training, and US based tech support.  This is why we are the largest partner dedicated only to the Adobe eLearning and Web conferencing products.  We also provide ongoing account management through the year in order to help you get more from your account.  This is all available from our company at no additional cost.  Basically Adobe pays us to work with thousands of their clients.

If you buy monthly, you get only the basics and nothing extra, but you are only paying monthly...

Feel free to reach out for additional questions: gunter at clarix.com

[Betta_mebdenaro]

Gunter,

Thank you for your answer, but I have more questions.

First: We are not thinking of a month by month subscription. We believe that the yearly subscription is the best for us, both because the monthly cost is lower, and because we are raising the funds for this all at once. In detail we are thinking of buying an Adobe Connect Seminar for 100 participants. But before spending the money for a one-year plan, we have to make sure that this is the right solution for our organization. This is why we want to test it first with the free trial. This free trial of course is not going to be free for us, because we are planning to invest a lot of valuable time in figuring out how to make the system work for us.  So, to reframe our questions:

1) Suppose we use the 30 days of the free trial efficiently, and we set up a good structure for our organization: with users and groups, with assigned roles and privileges, with specialized seminar rooms, layouts and pods, and with some content (perhaps some uploaded presentations, some recordings, etc). What happens when we convert to the yearly subscription plan? Can the whole structure (which we developed during those 30 days) be "copied" over? or would we have to set it all up from scratch? In more detail what can be preserved? and what is lost?

2) if we buy from a reseller:

   (a) Do we have to first of all identify the reseller, then get the free trial from that reseller, and then convert to yearly subscription at the end of the trial? or can we choose our reseller during the free trial?

   (b) Would our account be hosted in the same Adobe servers and running the latest version? for all different resellers? Are the reseller services only "on top of" the Adobe Hosted service?  Is everything else the same? Or is something offered by the subscription that Adobe sells directly going to be missing or different?

   (c) How can we identify the reseller that would work best for our needs?

Thank you and regards, Betta

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

Betta,

1) Yes, when the trial account is converted to a paid account, everything is retained. The only thing that users will have to do differently is going to the new account URL. Meaning, instead of going to http ://meet123456789.adobeconnect.com/ they would go to http ://yourcompany.adobeconnect.com. The account is just assigned a new URL and updated licensing. Since the account is not changed, or copied, you don't have to worry about losing anything.

2)

     a) No, you are welcome to talk to a few resellers and chose the one that best fits your needs. You can get the free trial from Adobe's web site or a reseller can help you get it set up. I'd also be happy to have a conversation with you around your needs and how the licensing with Connect works. From there we can ensure that you understand the functionality you are buying and are comfortable that it will fit your needs.

     b) Your account will continue to be hosted on Adobe's cloud solution. Adobe does keep the clusters up to date and you will receive notifications about when maintenance will be done to apply fixes or updates. All resellers offer the same solution from Adobe, so work with one that you like. The option you can purchase from Adobe's web site is also on Adobe's cloud solution and is kept up to date, but it has lesser customisation options and reduced licensing. Then add that the accounts purchased through Adobe's web stie aren't cheaper than a full annual account from a reseller, and you can see that it is a losing proposition.

     c) Sadly, there isn't a simple way to identify that. Just talk to any that you are interested in working with, and see which one feels right and has the best knowledge of the product. Of course, I'm bias and I'd proudly say that I am the reseller that would best fit your needs, but I'm also happy to earn your trust and business.

If you would like, you can reach me at jorma[at]realeyesconnect.com, or through our web site. I'll PM you a phone number, since it is not something that is supposed to be on the forums. If you would like an explanation of all the licensing options available with Connect, we put a plain English explanation here, Setting the Record Straight on Adobe Connect Licensing Again - RealEyes