The order of business or agenda is the blueprint for how the meeting will proceed. Flexibility in an agenda is important since each meeting may be different. While each organization may order their business differently, the general guide is as follows:
- Call to order
- Reading, correction, and approval of the previous meeting's minutes
- Reports of officers
- Reports of standing committees
- Reports of special committees
- Unfinished business
- New business
- Announcements
- Adjournment
There is not a limit or strict criteria for what can be added to an agenda or order of business. Requests for additions to an order of business are, usually, directed toward the President or Secretary. Some common examples may be:
- Prayer, an opening ceremony, or roll call happening before a meeting begins
- A period sometimes called a "general good and welfare", or "good of the order", that holds space for members to make suggestions or announcements barring an official motion or action
- Guest speakers or some form of entertainment.
