Meetings are an integral part of any workplace, and it’s normal for our 9 to 5s to be filled with group brainstorming sessions and one-on-one catch-ups to discuss the status of the various tasks we’re working on.

However, if you’ve ever found yourself wondering if these meetings are productive, meeting planning software is available to help you simplify the process of meeting planning, so you can ensure that the right topics are being discussed at the right time.

No one likes meetings for the sake of meetings, but they’re essential for planning projects and providing updates to others on your progress when working on shared projects. Despite this, research has found that 47% of employees felt that meetings waste their time the most when at work – which is bad news considering that, on average, they attend eight sessions per week!

Is there software for meeting planning

That should arrive as no wonder as many of us are guilty of losing our focus in meetings that go on longer than they need to, as well as failing to action the plans and ideas we’ve discussed with other attendees once the session has come to an end.

Discover why meeting planning software (also sometimes referred to as ‘meeting management software’) is an essential tool that can help you make every meeting ultra-productive, along with our top tips for choosing the best product to suit your needs.

1. What is meeting planning software?

The aim of utilizing meeting planning and meeting management software is to make organizing and conducting any type of meeting as simple as possible, as well as ensuring that they are an effective use of time.

The best kind of meeting planning software will provide features that enable you to keep a record of vital information related to your meeting, such as its date and time, location, schedule and discussion points that you can easily share with attendees to ensure that everyone can prepare for it in advance.

Some apps even include instant messaging and video calling features so that you can conduct a virtual meeting from the same app.

This is particularly useful for many teams around the world that are still working remotely and possess must to get the switch to virtual communication and video conferences to stay connected and continue to collaborate on projects.

2. How to choose the best meeting management software

If you’re looking for the best online meeting software available on the market, try to choose an app that does more than helping you with your meeting planning; opt for a tool that will enable you to manage every aspect of your meeting in one app, from defining your schedule to inviting attendees and conducting the meeting.

Anyone is one example of meeting management software that lets you do it all thanks to the ability to create boards that can be shared with others and used alongside its video calling features.

Ayala’s whiteboards and mind maps are great canvases for planning the finer details and logistics of your meeting, which can be easily shared with others that are using the app – and you can even permit them to add their ideas. Invite them to your board or make it public and send them a link in the app’s built-in instant messaging feature!

Suppose you’re unsure of how to plan a meeting event because it’s your first time organizing one. In that case, Ayoa has several helpful templates to guide you, such as a meeting agenda template (which will help you clarify exactly what your meeting aims to achieve) and a meeting notes template to ensure that there is a record of everything that has been discussed during the meeting.

When you create a branch in a mind map or sticky note on a whiteboard, it can be easily turned into a task that you can add dedicated start and due dates to.

You can also set reminders, assign tasks to other users, and add file attachments, notes and checklists, as well as urgency, importance and progress indicators. You can also tag different users in comments if you have a question or want to keep them aware of any changes.

This eliminates the issue of great ideas being discussed in meetings, but being forgotten before they have a chance to be actioned – so every encounter you have is a productive one. Ayoa also offers multiple plan types (including a free plan), so you’re sure to find one to suit your needs and budget!