What is the purpose of an agenda?

An agenda is used in business meetings to outline the main topics that will be addressed and to keep it on track. Agendas are also often used as a personal tool to keep track of events, responsibilities and deadlines in the future.

There are three main components of a general meeting agenda. The first aim is to outline the most important issues that will be discussed so that members can prepare ahead of time. The second component is to let members know the minimum amount of information they must know ahead of time. Finally, an agenda also contains a goal of what the meeting should accomplish.