In BoardPro, the meeting status is important because it determines what options are to be displayed or hidden at each stage.
Here's a quick overview of BoardPro's meeting stages:
For each meeting, there are 3 "Agenda" stages and then 3 "Minutes" stages.
Let's look closer at each group.
Agenda Stages
Think of the Agenda stages as "what happens before the meeting".
No Agenda
Draft Agenda
Published Agenda
No Agenda
This means the meeting does not yet have an agenda. The time, date and location for an upcoming meeting have been set, but the agenda has not yet been started.
Note: you will see this when the dates for all your meetings for the year are entered into BoardPro, but the agenda hasn't been created. Typically the agenda won't be planned until closer to the meeting date.
Draft Agenda
In the draft stage, you can add, edit and delete agenda items, group them under section headings and attach documents to the specific agenda items.
During the Draft Agenda stage, only certain roles can actually create/edit the agenda. You can email the draft agenda for collaboration. Also, any PDFs produced at this stage will be titled "Draft Agenda".
Published Agenda
When the draft agenda is ready you can "publish" it, which means the following:
The other board members can now read the agenda online
A board pack for the meeting can now be generated
The agenda can still be edited at the published stage. If changes come along you simply click on Edit Agenda and make the changes. See the note below.
The PDF agenda is now titled "Agenda"
Note: If you need to make any changes to the Agenda, BoardPro will keep the original board pack unless you choose to publish a new version. Any changes done to the agenda will be listed in the Changes Log.
Minutes Stages
Think of the Minute's stage as "what happens during and after the meeting".
Draft Minutes
Minutes in Review
Minutes Confirmed
Draft Minutes
This is the initial entering of the Minutes of the meeting - can take place anytime during or after the meeting has actually taken place.
During this stage, all elements of the agenda items can be edited. This is because while the Agenda was the "plan" for the meeting, the Minutes are to reflect what really happened.
Only certain Roles can add and edit the Minutes. The PDF of the Minutes has the title "Draft Minutes" at the top.
Note: If you roll back the meeting to the Published Agenda your minutes are saved and will reappear when you move forward to Draft Minutes again.
Minutes in Review
Generally, when the chair is happy with the Draft Minutes they can click on Finish Draft Minutes and move to the Minutes in Review stage. At this stage, the PDF can be circulated to the relevant meeting attendees and board members for their review.
Note: You can still edit the Minutes in the Minutes in Review stage. So if feedback is received on the Minutes, you can make those changes without rolling back to the draft stage.
Minutes Confirmed
This is the final stage of a meeting and typically happens during a future meeting when the Minutes of previous meetings are confirmed. Once confirmed, the meeting is locked and no further changes can be made.
Note: If you are having trouble figuring out how to confirm Minutes in BoardPro, check out our Help Centre article on Confirming the Minutes.