A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Meeting Minutes

Any organization’s documentation process must include meeting minutes. They keep all participants informed and responsible by acting as a written record of the decisions, discussions, and action items from a meeting. This comprehensive guide will help you create minutes for meetings that are accurate, clear, and helpful to all parties.

What are Meeting Minutes?

Minutes from meetings are written records of the decisions made and actions taken at an organisational gathering. They serve as a written record of the topics discussed at a meeting, such as the projects managers or supervisors assigned, the workers assigned those projects, the guidelines those workers must adhere to, and any other significant workplace choices.

They assist employees who were present in recalling the topics covered at the meeting and remind employees who were unable to attend of the purpose of the meeting in order to prevent them from missing any crucial information.

Why are they Called “Meeting Minutes”?

There is no connection between time and the term “minutes” in “meeting minutes.” Its Latin root, minutia, meaning trifles or details, is where it originates. For the benefit of attendees and other interested parties, meeting minutes document the relevant details discussed during the meeting.

What Is the Purpose of Meeting Minutes?

Minutes from meetings are very useful documents that have many benefits for your team. You won’t want to stop using them after incorporating them into your daily routine.

1. They increase the impact of meetings

Minutes from meetings increase efficiency and can help prevent pointless debates and back and forth. Having a list of precisely what needs to be discussed and implemented in front of you will also prevent you from stalling.

2. They lay out the agenda for the meeting

A meeting leader should, as a general rule, never enter a meeting without a detailed agenda that outlines the topics that must be covered. If you regularly compile company minutes, you’ll develop the habit of choosing agenda topics ahead of time. Your meetings will become more structured as a result, and everything will be covered in-depth but quickly.

3. It Keeps everyone up to speed

Members of the Meeting can quickly catch up by sending themselves a copy of the relevant meeting minutes. There may be times in every team or organisation when someone is unable to make it to a meeting. For these people, meeting minutes serve as a vital source of information regarding the decisions, actions, and conversations that occurred during the gathering. They can stay in sync with the rest of the team by swiftly catching up on the outcomes and comprehending the responsibilities allotted to them by going over the minutes.

4. You can avoid forgetting about important topics

You can make sure that nothing significant is missed from the conversation if you know how to take minutes of meetings efficiently and edit meeting notes beforehand.

It is not unusual for team members in hectic work settings to forget crucial points brought up in meetings, particularly when there is a lengthy interval between them. Minutes from meetings can assist avoid this problem by providing a written record of the main topics discussed, making sure that decisions and tasks are not overlooked.

5. Increased accountability

The minutes of meetings are an essential tool for fostering a culture of responsibility in teams and the organizations at large. Minutes provide a clear record of who is in charge of what and when, by recording the conversations, choices, and tasks allocated during meetings.

Team members can be held more responsible for their work because they know that their assignments and due dates are documented and available to the whole group.

Furthermore, having meeting minutes helps to prevent misunderstandings and disagreements over who was in charge of what. It also lessens the possibility of work being missed or neglected because team members are encouraged to keep their end of the bargain.

6. Minutes improve client relationship

Meeting minutes can be a useful instrument for strengthening ties with clients, especially when the client attends meetings or needs updates on the status of the project. Organisations can exhibit their expertise, integrity, and dedication to achieving outstanding results by providing clients with precise and comprehensive minutes.

Clients can be informed about the progress being made and have the ability to offer feedback or voice concerns as needed, this promotes confidence and trust. Furthermore, exchanging meeting minutes with clients might assist in controlling expectations and preventing miscommunications.

Who Should Write the Meeting Minutes?

Usually, the group’s or organization’s appointed secretary or administrative assistant writes the minutes of meetings. Also, a group member can  occasionally be tasked with taking the minutes of a particular meeting.

This person should be a focused, meticulous individual with the ability to precisely record the conversations throughout the meeting.

Tools Specifically For Taking Meeting Minutes

If you’re wondering what kind of tools you could use specifically for meeting minutes, you might find the following technologies to be useful:

• Google Docs:  Google Docs has sample templates for meeting minutes. An agenda outline in a Google Doc can be attached to a meeting request that you send out through Google Calendar. You can easily share the document with the group via email addresses once the minutes have been created (using the outline).
• OneNote: If you use Microsoft, OneNote is quite quick and enables note organisation. Support audio recording as well as a corresponding note time-stamping.
• Notion: Notion is an excellent platform for meeting minutes management. With its flexible hierarchical document structure, you can arrange your meeting minutes however you see fit.
• Evernote: this is also a good note taking tool.
• Agreedo: encourages the recording of meeting minutes
• Minutes.io: enables you to work online or offline and swiftly take meeting minutes.

What to Include while Taking Meeting Minutes

Take into account any information that you believe meeting attendees might find useful to review later while composing the minutes. Decide how much content you want to include in them as well so that you have a guide for future planning. The following are the main components that should be included in meeting minutes:

1. The purpose of the meeting
2. The attendees’ first and last names
3. The date and time of the meeting
4. The projects assigned and their due dates
5. The decisions made by staff and management during the meeting
6. Any amendments to the minutes of the previous meeting
7. The motions that were approved or rejected; and,
8. if relevant, the date and time of the next meeting

How to Write Meeting Minutes

The following seven procedures can be used to draft and distribute meeting minutes:

1. Prepare a Template Before the Meeting

Make sure you’re ready for the meeting by completing an outline or template with all the required information right before it starts. By doing this, you’ll be able to focus on taking more insightful notes throughout the meeting and save time. Make placeholders in your template for the material and topics that you want to address in detail.

If you’re not sure what to include in the minutes, think about talking with the professional who will be presiding over the meeting about what should be included most. If you want to learn how to correctly format your minutes, you may also request to examine previous meetings.

Once you have an idea of what should be included in the minutes, you can alter your template and start adding information to the blanks.

2. Take notes during the meeting

As soon as the meeting commences, you can start taking notes regarding significant decisions, actions, assigned projects, and discussions. Try to keep your notes focused on the most significant information that participants share, rather than trying to record everything they say. For example, if someone tries to pass a motion, record who made the request, what the motion was, and whether it was successful.

You should also record every time there is a vote among participants. You can also record the names of participants who provide reports or presentations, summarising their contents. You can also record any assignment updates or new projects that managers assign to staff members, including the project or assignment’s name, details, and deadline.

It could also be required, depending on the meeting, to record any conversations that take place. When recording a conversation, try to avoid using adjectives or expressing your personal perspective. Instead, speak objectively.

3. Collect copies of any reports or presentations

If any participants brings up a report or presentation, ask the presenter or meeting organiser for the document copies or slides after the meeting. Ask if they can email it to you if they are unable to give it to you in hard copy.

You can share the report or presentation’s required materials with attendees by attaching them to the minutes of your meeting. This can assist them in recalling the subject of the conversation and assist those unable to attend in viewing the material they were missing.

4. Review your notes

Once you’ve made sure you have all the extra materials needed for your meeting minutes, take note of the time the participants adjourned. Check through your notes to make sure you didn’t miss anything crucial and to see if you can contribute anything of use.

Ask the person you need further information from if they are still in the meeting room and aren’t too busy to help. If you are unable to get information from someone face-to-face, you can follow up with a formal email shortly after the meeting requesting these details.

5. Create a final draft

Type your notes into paragraphs as soon as you’ve completed writing them, when you can still recall each one clearly. Emphasise the outcomes of the meeting by writing a distinct paragraph for each decision or action that was made during the meeting.

Make sure the language in your meeting minutes is objective and simple enough for all attendees to understand, and keep the tense consistent throughout. If your minutes are longer than one page, you can number the pages after you’ve typed them. Please affix any relevant supporting documentation, and ensure that all grammar, spelling, and punctuation are checked.

6. Request approval from leadership

You can submit the final draft of your meeting minutes to your immediate supervisor or the meeting organisers for approval. Make sure that your name appears on the document as the author before proceeding. It might also be required for you to send the meeting minutes to other people in order to get their approval signatures and any last-minute requests, depending on your organisation. Before sending out the minutes, make sure to promptly implement any adjustments they want after reading them and note them in the document.

7. Deliver the meeting minutes

When you’re ready to present the minutes to the group, ask the meeting organiser for instructions on how to send the document to each and every person. Even though you can email most meeting minutes, it’s helpful to find out how your management wishes to receive the minutes. Make sure you forward the minutes along with the required paperwork, and make sure everyone who participated —even those who weren’t present—has access to them.

Helpful Tips for Writing Meeting Minutes

The following tips can help you draft meeting minutes that are more effective:

1. If necessary, distribute an attendance sheet

Make an attendance sheet that attendees can fill on the day of the meeting, as your supervisor or the meeting organiser might not give you a list of attendees before the event. Ask them to provide their name and way to be contacted, like an email address. This guarantees that following the meeting, you can forward the required documents to the appropriate staff members.

2. Only note significant meeting items.

Find out from your manager or the meeting organiser whatever items they want you to document again before the meeting. Once you are aware of what has to be documented, you can write in more detail by including only the most crucial meeting points.

3. Seek clarification as needed.

If you have any questions or concerns about anything that was discussed during the meeting, don’t be afraid to ask them. Making these meeting minutes as accurate as possible is your responsibility.

4. Use abbreviations to write

Writing in shorthand can help you capture ideas  comprehensively. You can effectively record meeting materials by writing, using shorthand. For instance, you could use acronyms to convey procedures or terms that are frequently used in meetings, or you could write each participant’s initials instead of their entire names.

5. Make use of a recording gadget

If you want to be sure you recall everything that was said at the meeting, think about bringing a recording device. If the person in charge of the meeting asks you to provide more details than normal, this can be really helpful.

As you type up the minutes of the meeting, you can consult the device to make sure you have included all the relevant details. It’s polite to ask the meeting organiser for permission in advance and to let the participants know that you want to record them and need their permission.

6. Locate a ready-made template.

When structuring your meeting minutes, think about using a pre-made template. One can be found online, saved, and edited to the correct format. Once you’ve selected the ideal template, you can use it on a regular basis for every meeting. This lets you maintain uniformity and makes it possible for participants to get the information they require fast.

Pre-made Meeting Minutes Template

The next time you need to record meeting minutes, you can use this easy template:

• Organization Name

Meeting Minutes

• Date:
• Opening:
• [Name] called the meeting to order at [Location] at [Time].

Present:

• [List of all present members]

Absent:

• [List of any members who were not present]

Approval of Agenda:

• The agenda was reviewed and approved.

Approval of Minutes:

• The previous meeting’s minute were reviewed and approved.

Business from the Previous Meeting:

• [Recap of any motions or matters discussed, along with any conclusions made]

New Business:

• [A description of any new motions or issues brought up, along with any conclusions made]

Additions to the Agenda:

[Explanation of Any Further Matters Raised During the Meeting]

Adjournment:

[Name] called for a meeting adjournment at [Time]. The next meeting is scheduled for [Date] at [Location].

Minutes submitted by:

[Name]

Minutes approved by:

[Name]

Do Meeting Minutes Have To Be Approved?

Yes, in order to guarantee accuracy and completeness, meeting minutes usually need to be approved. The approval procedure normally starts with a review of the previous meeting’s minutes by everybody present, who then either approve them as written or offer revisions. The minutes become the official record of the meeting after they are approved. This procedure supports the organization’s continued accountability and transparency.

Make sure that your board chairperson has reviewed, amended, or authorised the minutes for distribution before distributing the meeting minutes. Until this has happened, they are not an official record of a meeting.

Final Thoughts

Efficient meeting minutes are essential to preserving transparency, accountability, and discipline in groups and businesses. You can write concise, understandable, and accurate meeting minutes by carefully following the instructions provided in this comprehensive guide. This will assist to ensure that all parties involved are informed and on the same page regarding the objectives and conclusions of each discussion. If you have any questions about writing meeting minutes, kindly contact us here.