Skip to main content
The Altoura Remote Expert Microsoft Teams plugin is the expert-side half of Remote Expert. It’s a standard Teams meeting extension, deployed once by your Teams administrator, and used by any authorized expert during a live Remote Expert meeting. If you’ve already read the Remote Expert Deep Dive, this page zooms in on the plugin itself — its capabilities, how it runs in Teams, and how it plugs into your tenant’s identity and network.

​
What the plugin is

  • A custom Microsoft Teams meeting app distributed as a single .zip package (altoura-remote-expert-v1.12.0.zip).
  • Uploaded to the tenant via Teams Admin Center.
  • Hosted by Altoura at altouraremoteacs.azurewebsites.net.
  • Authorized against a single-tenant Entra ID app registration in the customer’s tenant.
  • Uses a focused set of Microsoft Graph permissions (mostly delegated).
Experts install nothing new themselves beyond, optionally, adding the app to their personal Teams once so it’s ready when calls start.

​
What the expert can do inside the meeting

Once the app is added to a live meeting, the Altoura Remote Expert side panel opens with three independent capabilities.

Annotate

Capture the HMD user’s live view and draw arrows and freehand annotations anchored in their physical space.

Share URLs

Send web links to the HoloLens. Multiple URLs supported, each with its own entry.

Share Files

Drag-and-drop .pdf documents and .glb 3D models directly from the side panel.
None of these three require the others. An expert can share a file or URL without entering annotation mode, and can annotate without ever sharing a file.

​
The annotation toolbar

ToolWhat it does
ArrowPlaces directional arrows on the captured view. Useful for “push this”, “rotate here”, “loosen this bolt”.
PenFreehand drawing for circles, outlines, and handwritten cues.
ColorSwitch annotation color to match the surroundings or use color coding.
UndoReverses the most recent annotation action.
DeleteClears all annotations on the current canvas.
Annotations are streamed to the HoloLens and rendered as 3D content anchored to the real-world view, so they stay where the expert drew them even as the worker moves their head.

​
Supported file types

TypeExtensions
3D Models.glb
PDF Documents.pdf
Files are added by drag-and-drop into the Share Files area of the side panel, or by clicking to browse. Each upload shows its status (Sent) and can be removed from the panel’s list. Removing only affects the Teams-side view — files already delivered to the headset stay with the worker.

​
How the expert gets into a session

There are two entry points, mirroring the two HMD-side flows:

​
Contacts flow — Adaptive Card invitation

1

Worker invites the expert from HoloLens

In the Contacts tab on the HMD, the worker picks the expert and taps Invite Expert.
2

Adaptive Card arrives in Teams chat

A card titled Frontline Remote Expert Request is posted in the expert’s Teams chat with a Join Meeting button.
3

Expert clicks Join Meeting

The Teams meeting opens. They review A/V, click Join now, and are connected to the field worker.
4

Expert adds the Remote Expert app

In the meeting toolbar, they open Apps, search for Altoura Remote Expert, and click Add → Save.
See Join a Remote Expert Session (Microsoft Teams) for the walkthrough.

​
Meetings flow — pre-scheduled Teams meeting

1

Meeting is scheduled normally in Teams

A supervisor or author schedules a standard Microsoft Teams meeting and invites both the worker and the expert.
2

Worker joins from HoloLens

In the Meetings tab of Remote Expert on the HMD, the worker sees the meeting in their list and taps Join Meeting.
3

Expert joins from Teams

The expert joins the same meeting directly from their Teams calendar.
4

Expert adds the Remote Expert app

Same as the Contacts flow — open Apps, search, Add, Save. From here the in-meeting experience is identical.

​
Before the first call — pre-call readiness

The one thing we strongly recommend experts do before their first live call is to verify the Altoura Remote Expert app is available in their Teams client. This avoids any mid-call surprises.

Verify the Teams app is deployed

A 4-step walkthrough: open Teams → search for Altoura Remote Expert → open details → Add.

Troubleshooting the pre-call check

App not in search, Add button missing, or app not appearing in calls — common causes and fixes.
Adding the app to your personal Teams does not add it automatically to every meeting. Each Remote Expert meeting still requires the app to be added to that specific call. This pre-check only confirms the app is available to add.

​
How the plugin is deployed (IT admin view)

For IT administrators, here’s the deployment at a glance. Full details live in the IT Admin Guide.
1

Identify or create the Entra ID app registration

Use an existing single-tenant registration, or create a new one. Capture the client ID and tenant ID.
→ Step 1: Identify Your Existing App Registration
2

Create or verify a client secret

Used by the Altoura backend to authenticate with Microsoft Graph.
→ Step 2: Create or Verify a Client Secret
3

Grant Graph API permissions

Add OnlineMeetings.ReadWrite, Chat.ReadWrite, Contacts.Read (delegated), and User.Read.All (application). Grant admin consent.
→ Step 3: Add Graph API Permissions
4

Upload the Teams app package

In Teams Admin Center, upload altoura-remote-expert-v1.12.0.zip and confirm status Allowed. Optionally pin the app via setup policies.
→ Step 4: Upload the Teams App Package
5

Open network access and provide credentials

Allowlist altouraremoteacs.azurewebsites.net on HTTPS/443 and securely hand the three identity values to Altoura.
→ Steps 5–6: Network Configuration & Credentials
6

Validate end-to-end

Run the validation checklist to confirm meeting creation, Adaptive Card delivery, panel loading, annotation, and real-time sync all work.
→ Step 7: Validate the Installation

​
Security posture

The plugin is designed for enterprise deployment with a minimal, auditable permission footprint.
CapabilityCan doCannot do
Create and manage Teams meetingsYes — as the signed-in user.—
Send chat messages (Adaptive Cards)Yes — to notify experts.—
Read the user’s personal contactsYes — to power the expert search.—
Resolve user profiles by Object IDYes — for display name/email.—
Read email or mailbox contents—No.
Access OneDrive / SharePoint files—No.
Read calendar events—No.
Modify users, roles, or directory—No.
  • Delegated first. Meeting creation and chat are delegated, so every action is scoped to the currently signed-in user.
  • Single application permission. Only User.Read.All, and only for backend user lookups.
  • No secrets in transit. Altoura never stores user credentials; the client secret is the only shared secret, scoped to your own tenant’s app registration.
  • Rotatable. Customers rotate the client secret on their own schedule (recommended every 12 months) without needing new Altoura configuration beyond updating the value.
For the detailed security write-up, see Security Considerations & Setup Checklist.

​
Quick-reference: the plugin on one page

ItemValue
Package namealtoura-remote-expert-v1.12.0.zip
Hostaltouraremoteacs.azurewebsites.net (HTTPS/443)
Identity modelSingle-tenant Entra ID app registration in customer tenant
Client secretCustomer-managed, provided securely to Altoura
Delegated permissionsOnlineMeetings.ReadWrite, Chat.ReadWrite, Contacts.Read
Application permissionsUser.Read.All
OAuth scopeoffline_access
Install methodTeams Admin Center → Manage apps → Upload new app
Pinning(Recommended) Setup Policies → Meeting Extensions
Deployment propagationUp to 24–48 hours
Supportsupport@altoura.com
Next: see the IT Admin Guide for the complete step-by-step rollout, or Choose Your Path to find the best starting point for your role.