The Articles of Organization, also called a Certificate of Formation in some states, is a mandatory document filed with the Secretary of State’s Office when registering a Limited Liability Company. An Operating Agreement is the document LLC members look to when they need to resolve issues or disputes within the company, and is not required by all states. A company cannot operate without filing the Articles of Organization. On the other hand, the Operating Agreement outlines the details of the day-to-day operations and management of the LLC, whereas the Articles of Organization only provide basic information such as the name of the LLC, the names and addresses of members and managers, a registered agent, and their correspondence address.