Module 2a — Office
Correspondence
and Records
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Types of meeting records
There are several distinct types of meeting reports in use at the ILO. As you encounter each of these types, you will notice considerable overlap in style and presentation.
Agenda-based minutes
These are the minutes taken at scheduled meetings for which there is an agenda either distributed before the meeting or announced by the chairperson at the beginning of the meeting. The minutes should follow the framework set up by the agenda. These are most common for internal meetings such as departments or units within the Organization.
Notes for the file
These are used to record the discussions and conversations at meetings between ILO officials and usually key people outside the Organization. They are usually issue-based.
Mission reports
Mission reports can be described as a description of events and discussions that have occurred over the course of a travel duty to another country, like a field office or in response to a special event. Sometimes they are more specifically focused on a meeting or series of meetings that have occurred during the mission. In this latter case, the reports are structured very much like records of meetings. These records function like meeting reports, with lists of attendees and a focus on who said what rather than the style of agenda-based meetings.
Final reports on symposia, meetings, ILC sessions, etc.
These reports are very common at the ILO and serve as a written record of what was said at a meeting. This type of record is really focused on capturing the substance of the discussions that are so important to the ILO’s practice of inclusion and dialogue.
Other types of records
Other names of records you may come across include Summary Record and Summary Note. Please check with your department for any required or standardized formats before you begin recording and writing.