Board Papers

Board papers live on the agenda of each meeting. You attach papers to agenda items, and when you publish them Future Boards builds the board pack: one PDF of every paper in agenda order. Directors read the pack in the app or download it.

Build the agenda

1. Open the meeting from the space's Meetings page.
2. In the agenda rail, select Add item and give the item a title.
3. Write the item's content in the editor. You can mix text, tables, documents and vote blocks.
4. Drag items in the rail to put them in order.

Several people can edit an agenda item at the same time, and changes appear as they type.

Attach papers

Each agenda item has an Attachments shelf.

1. Drop files onto the shelf, or click it to choose files. PDF, Word, Excel, slides, images and text files all work.
2. To reuse a file already in the space's documents, select Add from Library.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint files are converted to PDF automatically so everyone can preview them. Each attachment has options to Preview, Download or Remove it.

Bring in contributors

To let someone help prepare an item, select Add Collaborator on the item. Choose the people and the Agenda items they can access, and give each person a role. Collaborators can edit, reviewers can only read.

Publish papers

After notice has gone out, select Publish Papers, then Publish papers to confirm. This locks the agenda and builds the board pack. Attendees get an email with a link when the pack is ready. The confidential PDF is never attached to the email.

You can't publish while a paper is still converting to PDF or failed to convert. The dialog shows which papers need attention.

Update published papers

1. Select Edit Papers, then Start editing. Directors won't see anything change while you edit.
2. Make your changes.
3. Select Save edits and describe what changed under Summary of changes.

Directors see a "Papers updated" banner listing the agenda items and papers that changed, and get an email with your summary. The board pack is rebuilt.

Read the board pack

Select Board pack in the meeting header, then View board pack to read it in the app, or Download PDF to save a copy.

When you open a paper in the full-page viewer, you can highlight text and add notes. Your highlights and notes are private to you.

Summarise the pack with AI

Select Summary in the meeting header to create an AI summary of the published board pack.

1. Choose a Preset, or No preset (use my prompt).
2. Add your own Prompt (optional) if you want a particular focus.
3. Select Generate summary.

Only you can see your summary. If the pack changes later, select Regenerate summary to refresh it.

Paper requests, checks and questions

Some organisations also use these tools. Each is turned on per organisation. If you don't see them, contact Future Boards support.

• Paper requests: on an agenda item, select Request paper, choose Who is writing it, set a Due date and select Send request. Someone outside Future Boards can be chosen with Someone else, by email, and they upload the paper from a private link. You then select Accept paper.
• Paper checks: submitted papers are checked against your paper standard, and the publish dialog warns about gaps. Checks never stop you publishing.
• Questions to management: directors ask questions on a paper, and the paper's owner answers. The board sees both on the paper and the meeting.
• Read tracking and acknowledgements: the board pack menu can show Who has opened it, and directors can confirm they have read the pack.

For people outside your organisation who contribute papers, see Guests & external signers.