What should a meeting agenda include?

The meeting name, date, time and place or link, the goal of the meeting, and a numbered list of topics. For each topic: who leads it, how much time it gets and what outcome you want (a decision, input or just information). Send it before the meeting.

What is the difference between a meeting agenda and meeting minutes?

The agenda is the plan, written before the meeting: which topics, in which order, for how long. The minutes are the record, written after: what was decided and who does what by when. The agenda items usually become the numbered sections of the minutes.

How far in advance should I send the agenda?

Early enough for people to prepare, often a day or more for regular meetings. Formal groups such as associations or boards often have a notice period in their bylaws; follow that.

Can I use one template for the agenda and the minutes?

Yes. Write the agenda first, then copy it and fill in the outcome, decisions and action items under each item after the meeting. The minutes then follow the same numbering as the agenda.

How do I make a meeting agenda slide?

Keep it to the numbered topics with their time slots and the goal of the meeting at the top. Leave the details in the written agenda you sent beforehand, and show the slide at the start so everyone knows the plan.

How to Write a Meeting Agenda, With Template

To write a meeting agenda, start with the goal of the meeting in one sentence, then list the topics in the order you will discuss them. Give each topic a leader, a time slot and the outcome you want: a decision, input or just an update. Add the date, time and place or link at the top, and send the agenda before the meeting so people can prepare. Put the topics that need a decision early, while people are fresh.

Meeting agenda format

Part	What goes in
Header	Meeting name, date, start and end time, place or video link
Goal	One sentence: what should be true at the end of the meeting
Attendees	Who is invited, and who needs to prepare something
Topics	Numbered, in order, each with leader, minutes and desired outcome
Preparation	Documents to read or numbers to bring, with links
Standing items	Review of open action items at the start, any other business at the end
Next meeting	Date, if already known

How to write the agenda, step by step

Write the goal first. "Decide on the fall event date and budget" is a goal. "Weekly sync" is not. If you cannot write a goal, ask whether the meeting is needed.
Collect the topics. Ask attendees what they need to raise, and check last meeting's minutes for open questions and action items.
Mark the outcome for each topic. Decision, discussion or information. Information that needs no discussion can often go in an email instead.
Put the topics in order. Start with open action items, then decisions, then discussion, and finish with any other business.
Give each topic a time slot and a leader. Add them up: if they exceed the meeting length, cut or move something now, not during the meeting.
Add the preparation: which document to read, which numbers to bring.
Send it in advance and ask for additions by a set time.

In formal groups the agenda is often adopted at the start of the meeting. Robert's Rules of Order, a widely used rulebook for meetings, says a proposed agenda becomes the official agenda only when the assembly adopts it at the outset, and members may move to amend it at that point. If your group has bylaws, they decide.

Meeting agenda template

Copy this into Word, Google Docs or an email and replace everything in square brackets.

AGENDA: [Meeting name]
Date: [Month Day, Year]
Time: [Start] to [End]
Location: [Room, address or video link]
Goal: [One sentence: what should be decided or clear by the end]
Attendees: [Names]
Please prepare: [Document, link or numbers to bring]
1. Open action items from [date of last meeting] ([minutes], [Name])
2. [Topic] ([minutes], [Name]), outcome: [decision / discussion / information]
3. [Topic] ([minutes], [Name]), outcome: [decision / discussion / information]
4. [Topic] ([minutes], [Name]), outcome: [decision / discussion / information]
5. Any other business ([minutes])
6. Next steps and next meeting date ([minutes])
Additions to the agenda by: [date and time], to [Name]

Meeting agenda example

We wrote this example ourselves; the group and names are made up.

AGENDA: Riverside Community Garden, committee meeting
Date: October 21, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Location: Garden shed and video call
Goal: Decide on a water fee for next year and plan the winter closing.
Attendees: Dana, Chris, Amir, Jo, Pat
Please prepare: Chris's comparison of the last three water bills (link in the email)
1. Open action items from September 23 (5 min, Dana)
2. Water fee for members next year (20 min, Chris), outcome: decision
3. Winter closing day and tasks (15 min, Amir), outcome: decision
4. New member requests (10 min, Jo), outcome: information
5. Any other business (5 min)
6. Next steps and next meeting date (5 min, Dana)
Additions to the agenda by: October 19, 8 pm, to Dana

The two decisions come first, the update later. Item 1 reviews what the group agreed last time, which you find in the action items of the last minutes.

Agenda and minutes: one document, two stages

The agenda is the plan, the minutes are the record. Using the same numbering for both saves time:

Before the meeting: send the agenda.
During the meeting: open a copy of the agenda and note the outcome under each item.
After the meeting: add attendance, decisions and action items, and the agenda has become the minutes.

Our meeting minutes template has the matching sections, and the action items template covers the task list. What belongs in minutes at all is explained in how to write meeting minutes.

Speak the topics, get an ordered agenda with Retexta

Retexta is a cloud voice to text and AI writing app for Android. There is no dedicated agenda goal, but Something else lets you describe the result you want in your own words.

Open Retexta and tap New task.
Tap More templates, then Something else.
Describe the task, for example: "Turn this into a meeting agenda with a goal, numbered topics in a sensible order, a leader, a time slot and the desired outcome for each topic."
Add your input: tap Record audio and talk through the topics as they come to mind, or Paste text with the notes you have.
Retexta transcribes your voice on its servers and writes the agenda. Check the order, the times and the names, and add anything that is missing. Retexta marks results with "AI-generated. Check important details."

Something else is part of Retexta Pro. Retexta is free to try: new users get a few free Pro results to view in the app. Copying, sharing, exporting and screenshots need Retexta Pro or credits, and so does everything after the free results.

What to say

"Committee meeting October 21, one hour. We need to decide the water fee, Chris has the numbers, give that twenty minutes. Amir leads winter closing, fifteen minutes. Jo has new member requests, just an update. Start with last month's action items." That is enough for a complete agenda.

Keep reading

After the meeting, turn the agenda into minutes with the meeting minutes template and track the tasks with the action items template. More about the app: Retexta, voice to text for Android.

Sources

Checked by FLAME Apps on September 25, 2026.

Robert's Rules of Order, Frequently Asked Questions, question 14: a proposed agenda becomes the official agenda when the assembly adopts it at the outset of the meeting; members may move to amend it (RONR, 12th ed., 41:62).
Retexta: goal names ("Something else", "More templates"), the custom task field and plans as shown in the app (release 2026.1.23) and on its Google Play listing.
Template and example: written by FLAME Apps for this page.

How to write an agenda for a meeting