Create and Manage Meetings

  • Updated on Aug 7, 2025
  • Published on Jul 23, 2025
  • 18 minute(s) read
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This article will show you how to create, edit, and delete a meeting instance within Agenda and Meeting Management Essential. It will also walk through how to create and manage agendas, packets, and minutes documents.

Create a Meeting

You can easily create a new meeting instance from any screen in Agenda and Meeting Management Essential.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Click the Create Meeting button Create Meeting option in the left menu.

  3. Fill in the Create Meeting fields Create Meeting informational fields that allow you to establish the details of a new meeting.

    • Meeting Name (required): Enter or edit the name of the meeting (this field will auto-populate with a meeting name based on the default Meeting Type)

    • Meeting Type: Select a Meeting Type for this meeting (this field will auto-populate with a Meeting Type based on the default Meeting Type)

    • Venue (required): Select a meeting location from the drop-down list

    • Recurrence: Select an option to indicate whether this is a one-time meeting, a weekly meeting, or a monthly meeting (if you select a weekly or monthly recurrence, additional fields will appear prompting you to indicate the pattern of repetition)

    • Date: Click the calendar icon and select a date for this meeting (you cannot manually enter a date into this box)

    • Time: Enter or select a start time for the meeting (you can manually enter a time into this box, but it must follow the format of the default time shown in the box)

  4. Select the Create button Red, rectangular Create button that saves a new meeting to the system.

  5. The meeting has been created Two Meeting Created notices that confirm the creation of a new meeting in the system.

View and Edit Meeting Data

You can view and change most meeting details from a meeting's Meeting Detail Screen.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen.

  3. View and edit the meeting data fields, as desired The meeting data section of a meeting detail screen which gives an overview of event and meeting document information.

    • Name (required): View or edit the name of this meeting, if desired

    • Date/Time: Click the calendar and clock icons to update the date and time for this meeting, if desired

    • Venue: View or edit the meeting venue, if desired

    • Meeting Type: This field will display the meeting type assigned to this meeting

    • Unlocked/Locked Meeting (lock and paper icon): Agenda Managers and Administrators click this to lock or unlock a meeting, which prevents or allows general users to make modifications to this meeting

    • Delete Meeting (red circle and X icon): Select this option to delete this meeting

    • Agenda/Private (Confidential) Packet/Packet/Minutes/In Meeting icons: View these icons to determine which meeting documents have been generated and published; gray icons represent documents that have not been generated, while colorful icons are clickable links to in-progress or published versions of their respective documents

    • Update: Click this button to save any changes to this meeting's Data

  4. The meeting has been updated

Build a Meeting

You can set up the structure of a meeting and its agenda, packets, and minutes using the Build tab on its Meeting Detail Screen.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen.

  3. Select the Build tab The Build tab which allows you to make changes to the order of business and items for the meeting.

  4. Review the standard order of business, or structure, for agendas with this meeting type The standard order of business for the example meeting including various sections such as roll call and presentations.

    Note: Agenda sections are denoted by a capital "S" next to their name. Agenda Items are denoted by a capital "I" next to their name.

  5. Click the Add New Item button (black square and white plus sign icon) next to a section name to add a new item under that section An Add New Item button.

    Note: You will be re-directed to the Add Item screen.

  6. Click the Copy Section button (two sheets of paper icon) to add a copy of an existing section to the agenda; you can use the Copy Section function to add a new section to the agenda that does not exist in the standard order of business for this meeting type if desired A Copy Section button.

    Note: When you click or change an agenda section or item, the system will highlight that section or item in pink to indicate that it is an active selection.

  7. Click the name of a section to edit the section name, if desired An example section name.

  8. Click the blue Up and Down arrow icons to move a section or item higher or lower on the agenda, one place at a time, if desired Up and down arrow icons.

    Note: If you move a section up or down, any items assigned to it will also move up or down with the section.

  9. Click the Delete button (red circle and X icon) next to a section or item to remove it from the agenda, if desired A Delete icon.

  10. Click the Apply button to save the changes A red, rectangular Apply button.

    Note: Click the Reset button to discard any changes and restore the agenda to the standard order of business.

  11. Repeat Steps 4 through 10 as necessary

  12. Add new items to the system and assign them to the current meeting, if necessary

  13. Review the Unassigned Items List on the right to determine if any existing items that have not been assigned to specific meetings need to be moved to the agenda An Unassigned Items List.

    Note: If you do not need to add any unassigned items to the agenda, you have finished the Build a Meeting process and can skip to the Review a Meeting section.

  14. Enter a word or phrase into the search box and click the magnifying glass icon to search for an unassigned item by name, if desired A search box and and magnifying glass icon.

  15. Select or deselect the workflow state icons and click the magnifying glass icon to filter items by their current status, if desired Four workflow state icons and a magnifying glass icon.

    • Paper with lines icon: Click to view unassigned items that have been created

    • Paper and gear icon: Click to view unassigned items that are running or in progress

    • Paper and checkmark icon: Click to view unassigned items that have been approved

    • Paper and a no symbol icon: Click to view unassigned items that have been rejected

  16. Click the meeting type drop-down, select a meeting type, and click the magnifying glass icon to filter unassigned items by meeting type, if desired A meeting type drop-down list with multiple example meeting type names listed and a magnifying glass icon.

    Note: The Unassigned Item List will show unassigned items for the current meeting type by default.

  17. Select the section that you would like the unassigned item to fall under if desired An example section name.

    Note: You can also place the unassigned item beneath an assigned item by clicking on the assigned item's name instead of the section.

  18. Click the Assign button (green left-arrow) next to an unassigned item to move it under the selected section, if desired An Assign icon.

    Note: If you do not select a section before clicking Assign, the item will be automatically added to the last section that you worked in, or to the end of the agenda.

  19. Click the Apply button to save the changes A red, rectangular Apply button.

  20. Click the Edit button (blue pencil icon) next to the item's name to be taken to its Item Detail Screen to make changes, if desired An Edit button.

    Note: There are some tasks, such as changing the name of the item, that can only be completed on the Item Detail Screen.

  21. Click the Up and Down arrows to move the item into a higher or lower placement within the section or on the agenda, one place at a time, if desired Up and down arrows.

  22. Click the Unassign button (green right-arrow) next to an assigned item to return it to the unassigned items list, if desired An Unassign button.

    Note: You can also quickly move items around the agenda by clicking Unassign, selecting the section that you would like the item to go under, and then clicking Assign.

  23. Click the Apply button to save the changes A red, rectangular Apply button.

    Note: If you do not click apply, you may lose the changes to the meeting structure.

  24. Repeat Steps 12 through 23 as necessary

Review a Meeting

You can review and update the sections and items for a meeting using the Review tab on its Meeting Detail Screen.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen.

  3. Select the Review tab The Review tab tab which allows you to make changes to agenda content and attachments for the meeting.

  4. Review the structure of the meeting The meeting structure area which shows the order of business for the meeting.

    Note: If you added a new section to the agenda by copying an existing section in the Build tab, it is highly recommended that you edit the new section in the Review tab. Agenda content and attachments carry over to copied sections, and these may not be desired for the new section.

  5. Select a section or item to view or edit its agenda content and attachments An example item and its associated agenda content and attachments.

    Note: The item editing options here can also be completed on each item's Item Detail Screen which can be accessed quickly by clicking Edit Item (blue pencil icon) next to an item's name. There are some tasks, such as changing the name of the item, that can only be completed on the Item Detail Screen.

  6. Click the Word icon to download the section or item agenda content as a Word document, if desired A microsoft Word icon.

  7. Click the Upload icon to upload the section or item agenda content as a Word document, if desired An Upload icon.

  8. Edit the Agenda Content text, if desired An Agenda content textbox in which you can type or enter text that will appear in the agenda.

  9. Format the look of the agenda content text using the Text and Paragraph Formatting tools, if desired Text and paragraph formatting tools including bold, italics, and left justified.

  10. Click the Update button to save the agenda content changes, if applicable A red, rectangular Update button.

  11. Click a document format icon next to the name of an attachment to open or download a copy of that attachment, if desired PDF and Microsoft Word document format icons.

    Note: The icons that appear reflect the file type for example, a Microsoft Word icon for a .docx file or a Microsoft Excel icon for a .XLSX file). You will only see one PDF icon if the attachment was uploaded as a PDF.

  12. Click the name of an attachment to edit the file name, if desired An example attachment name.

    Note: Click the blue floppy disk icon to the right of the file name to save a file name change.

  13. Click the attachment options icons to edit, delete, or re-arrange attachments as needed Attachment options icons.

    • Check Out/Check In (paper and blue arrow/paper and green refresh icon/paper and red right-arrow icon): Click the paper and blue arrow icon to check out an attachment before making changes to the file, or click the paper and green refresh symbol icon to cancel a check out; after edits to the original file are complete, click the paper and red arrow icon to check in the attachment and upload the new version to the system

      Note: The check-out/check-in system is highly recommended for organizations with multiple staff users, as it can help reduce duplicate editing.

    • Document History (paper and clock icon): Click to view the version history for the attachment, including the user who uploaded it and the date and time of upload

    • Include in/Exclude from Packet(s) (plus/minus icon or box with a green check/gray X/blue keyhole/blue people icon): Click to indicate whether the item should be included in or excluded from its assigned/associated agenda packet; all items are set to be included in the packet by default

      Note: The display of these icons will differ depending on your organization's settings. If your organization only uses public packets, you will see a plus to include the item in the packet or a minus to exclude the item from the packet. If your organization uses both public and private/confidential packets, the icon can appear in four different ways.

      • Included in All Packets (box with a green check mark): This icon indicates that the item will be included in both the public and private/confidential versions of the packet

      • Excluded from All Packets (gray box with an X): This icon indicates that the item will not be included in any packet

      • Included in Private Packet Only (box with a blue keyhole): This icon indicates that the item will be included in the private packet but not the public packet

      • Included in Public Packet Only (box with blue people): This icon indicates that the item will be included in the public packet but not in the private packet

    • Delete Document (red circle and X icon): Click to delete the attachment

    • Move Up/Move Down (blue up/down arrow icon): Click to rearrange the placement of attachments by moving an attachment one place higher or lower in the list; attachments will appear on the agenda in the same order that they appear on-screen in the Review tab

  14. Drag and drop a file onto the drop file here to upload field, or click the Upload button and select a file to upload an attachment to the item, if desired A drop file here to upload field and an red, rectangular Upload button.

  15. Repeat Steps 5 through 14 as necessary

Manage Meeting Documents

You can create and manage a meeting's agenda, packets, and minutes documents using the Output tab of its Meeting Detail Screen.

Create, Publish, and Unpublish an Agenda

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen.

  3. Select the Output tab The Output tab which can be used to create, publish, and unpublish meeting documents including packets and minutes.

  4. Ensure that you are viewing the Agenda tab The Agenda tab which is used to create and manage the agenda for the meeting.

  5. Click the Create Agenda button to generate an agenda using your organization's agenda template A red, rectangular Create Agenda button.

    Note: Ensure that the Automatically generate PDF version checkbox is checked.

  6. Click the PDF file icon to open and review a PDF version of the draft agenda A document and PDF logo icon.

    Note: Even though a Microsoft Word version of the agenda is available, do not open or edit the Word file. The Word version of the agenda exists because it contains hidden coding that tells the PDF packet how to work. If you accidentally change the coding while editing the Word document, the packet may not function properly. If the agenda does not look the way it should, please contact Support.

  7. Navigate back to the Meeting Detail Screen and its Output and Agenda tabs The Output tab and Agenda sub-tab highlighted.

    Note: If you are happy with the draft agenda as is, continue to Step 8.  

    To make changes to the draft agenda, navigate to the Build and Review tabs and modify the meeting as necessary, then repeat Steps 3 through 6. If you make any changes in the Build tab after an agenda has been created, all existing agenda documents will be deleted and only the Create Agenda button will be displayed in the Agenda tab. If you only make changes to meeting data (name, date, time, venue) or in the Review tab, a Re-create Agenda button will be displayed.

  8. Click the Publish button to send the PDF version of the agenda to your linked website when you are ready to make it available to the public A red, rectangular Publish button.

    Note: After the document has been published, the Publish button will display as UnPublish and the globe icon will turn green.

  9. Click the UnPublish button to remove the PDF of a published agenda from your linked website, if necessary A red, rectangular UnPublish button.

    Note: After the document has been unpublished, the UnPublish button will display as Publish and the globe icon will turn red.

Create a Private Packet

Note: If your organization opted out of using private packets during implementation, the Private Packet feature may not be visible in your software.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen with meeting data icons indicating that agenda documents have been created.

  3. Select the Output tab The Output tab which can be used to create, publish, and unpublish meeting documents including packets and minutes.

  4. Select the Private Packet tab The Private Packet tab which is used to create a packet that can only be accessed by logged-in users.

    Note: The Private Packet tab can only be selected if you have already created an agenda for the meeting.

  5. Click the Create button to generate a private packet A red, rectangular Create button.

  6. Click the PDF file icon to open and review the PDF version of the private packet A PDF logo and lock icon.

  7. Navigate back to the Meeting Detail Screen and its Output and Private Packet tabs The Output tab and Private Packet sub-tab highlighted.

    Note: If you are happy with the private packet as is, continue to Step 8.

    To make changes to the private packet, navigate to the Build and Review tabs and modify the meeting as necessary, create or re-create the agenda, and then repeat Steps 3 through 6. If you make any changes in the Build tab after a private packet has been created, all existing documents will be deleted and only the Create button will be displayed in the Private Packet tab. If you only make changes to meeting data (name, date, time, venue) or in the Review tab, a Re-create button will be displayed.

  8. The private packet is now ready to distribute as desired

Create, Publish, and Unpublish a Packet

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen with meeting data icons indicating that agenda documents have been created.

  3. Select the Output tab The Output tab which can be used to create, publish, and unpublish meeting documents including packets and minutes.

  4. Select the Packet tab The Packet tab which is used to create a publicly-accessible packet for the meeting.

    Note: The Packet tab can only be selected if you have already created an agenda for the meeting.

  5. Click the Create button to generate a packet A red, rectangular Create Packet button.

  6. Click the PDF file icon to open and review the PDF version of the draft packet A PDF logo and globe icon.

  7. Navigate back to the Meeting Detail Screen and its Output and Packet tabs The Output tab and Packet sub-tab highlighted.

    Note: If you are happy with the draft packet, continue to Step 8.

    To make changes to the private packet, navigate to the Build and Review tabs and modify the meeting as necessary, create or re-create the agenda, and then repeat Steps 3 through 6. If you make any changes in the Build tab after a packet has been created, all existing documents will be deleted and only the Create button will be displayed in the Packet tab. If you only make changes to meeting data (name, date, time, venue) or in the Review tab, a Re-create button will be displayed.

  8. Click the Publish Packet button to send the PDF version of the packet to your linked website when you are ready to make it available to the public A red, rectangular Publish packet button.

    Note: After the document has been published, the Publish button will display as UnPublish, and the globe icon will turn green.

  9. Click the UnPublish Packet button to remove the PDF of the published packet from your linked website A red, rectangular Unpublish packet button.

    Note: After the document has been unpublished, the UnPublish button will display as Publish, and the globe icon will turn red.

Create, Publish, and Unpublish Minutes

This section will show you how to use the native Minutes feature within Agenda and Meeting Management Essential to create a minutes document that can then be published or unpublished. To upload and publish a minutes document that was created outside of the system, view the Upload Approved Minutes section.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen with meeting data icons indicating that agenda, private packet, packet documents have been created and that a meeting is active.

  3. Select the Output tab The Output tab which can be used to create, publish, and unpublish meeting documents including packets and minutes.

  4. Select the Minutes tab The Minutes tab which is used to create minutes for the meeting.

    Note: The Minutes tab can only be selected if you have already created an agenda and a packet for the meeting.

  5. Select the Basic (Section and item titles only) radio button to generate a basic minutes document using your organization's pre-formatted template, or select the Enhanced (Includes section and item text from in-Meeting screen) radio button to generate a templated minutes document that includes the roll call, votes, and notes taken using the In-Meeting Interface A Basic (Section and item titles only) radio button and an Enhanced (Includes section and item text from In-Meeting screen) radio button.

  6. Ensure that the Automatically generate PDF version checkbox is checked Automatically generate PDF version checkbox.

  7. Click the Create Minutes button A red, rectangular Create Minutes button that will generate a Microsoft Word minutes file for the meeting.

  8. Click the Microsoft Word file icon to open an editable Word version of the minutes A flip notebook and Micosoft Word logo icon.

  9. Modify the minutes file as desired and save the Word file to your computer

  10. Navigate back to the Meeting Detail Screen and its Ouput and Minutes tabs The Output tab and Minutes sub-tab highlighted.

  11. Click the Upload Modified DOCX buttonA red, rectangular Upload Modified DOCX button that allows you to upload a Microsoft Word minutes file from your computer to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential.

  12. Find and select the appropriate minutes file in your computer's File Explorer

  13. Click the Convert to PDF buttonA red, rectangular Convert to PDF button that converts your Microsoft Word minutes file into a PDF file.

  14. Click the PDF file icon to open and review a PDF version of the minutesA flip notebook and PDF logo icon.

  15. The Minutes PDF file is now ready to be included in an upcoming meeting or published on your linked website

    Note: To make changes to the minutes, repeat Steps 8 through 14

  16. Click the Publish button to send the PDF version of the minutes to your linked website when you are ready to make it available to the public A red, rectangular Publish button.

    Note: After the document has been published, the Publish button will display as UnPublish, and the globe icon will turn green.

  17. Click the UnPublish button to remove the PDF of the published minutes from your linked website A red, rectangular UnPublish button.

    Note: After the document has been unpublished, the UnPublish button will display as Publish, and the globe icon will turn red.

Upload Approved Minutes

This section will show you how to upload and publish a minutes document that was created outside of Agenda and Meeting Management Essential. To use the native Minutes feature within the system to create a minutes document that can then be published or unpublished, view the Create, Publish, and Unpublish Minutes section.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen with meeting data icons indicating that agenda, private packet, packet documents have been created and that a meeting is active.

  3. Select the Output tab The Output tab which can be used to create, publish, and unpublish meeting documents including packets and minutes.

  4. Select the Minutes tab The Minutes tab which is used to create minutes for the meeting.

    Note: The Minutes tab can only be selected if you have already created an agenda and a packet for the meeting.

  5. Click the Create Minutes button A red, rectangular Create Minutes button that will generate a Microsoft Word minutes file for the meeting.

  6. Click the Upload Modified DOCX button A red, rectangular Upload Modified DOCX button that allows you to upload a Microsoft Word minutes file from your computer to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential.

  7. Find and select the minutes Word document that you generated outside of the system within your computer's File Explorer

  8. Click the Convert to PDF button A red, rectangular Convert to PDF button that converts your Microsoft Word minutes file into a PDF file.

  9. Click the PDF file icon to open and review a PDF version of your uploaded minutes A flip notebook and PDF logo icon.

  10. The Minutes PDF file is now ready to be included in an upcoming meeting or published on your linked website

    Note: If you wish to publish a signed version of your minutes, you can click the Upload Modified PDF button and upload a signed PDF version of the minutes instead.

  11. Click the Publish button to send the PDF version of the minutes to your linked website when you are ready to make it available to the public A red, rectangular Publish button.

    Note: After the document has been published, the Publish button will display as UnPublish and the globe icon will turn green.

  12. Click the UnPublish button to remove the PDF of the published minutes from your linked website A red, rectangular UnPublish button.

    Note: After the document has been unpublished, the UnPublish button will display as Publish, and the globe icon will turn red.

Delete a Meeting

You can quickly and easily delete an unwanted meeting instance from its Meeting Detail Screen.

  1. Sign in to Agenda and Meeting Management Essential if you have not already

  2. Navigate to the desired meeting's Meeting Detail Screen An example meeting detail screen.

  3. Select the Delete Meeting button (red circle and X icon) A Delete button that allows you to remove a meeting from the system.

  4. Click the Delete button on the pop-up that appears to confirm the deletion A red, rectangular Delete button on the Delete Meeting Warning pop-up.

    Note: If the meeting that you are deleting contains standing items, the pop-up will ask if you would also like to delete the standing items when deleting the meeting. If you uncheck the Delete Standing Items if Present? checkbox, all standing items will be unassigned from the meeting before the meeting is deleted, just like regular items.A Delete standing items if present checkbox on the Delete Meeting Warning pop-up.

  5. The meeting has been deleted A notification that explains that this meeting was not found because it may have been deleted or may be temporarily unavailable due to background processing.

    Note: Deleting a meeting will only delete the single meeting instance for the scheduled date and time. It will not affect the template for the associated meeting type. Items that were previously assigned to the meeting will not be deleted. Instead, they will be moved to the Unassigned Items List until they are used for a different meeting or deleted from the system.

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