Meeting minutes template

Minutes record what was decided and who is doing what, so nobody has to rely on memory. This template has the meeting details, people present and absent, a short summary, discussion by topic with the decision on each, a numbered list of decisions, action items with owners and due dates, and the next meeting. Paste your rough notes or a transcript and the AI sorts them into it.

Templates

• Meeting minutes (document): Record what was discussed, decided and assigned in a meeting so everyone leaves with the same notes.
• Meeting agenda (document): Run focused meetings with a simple agenda: purpose, attendees, timed topics, owners and what to prepare.

How to use these templates

1. Before the meeting, share an agenda, so the minutes can follow the same topics in the same order.
2. During the meeting, note decisions and actions as they happen; you do not need to capture who said every sentence.
3. Afterwards, paste your notes or a call transcript and ask the AI to "turn these into minutes with decisions and action items".
4. Check names, numbers and deadlines, then send the minutes to everyone within a day and ask for corrections by a set date.

Writing minutes people use

• Record decisions and actions, not a transcript. Readers want to know what was agreed and what happens next.
• Give every action item an owner and a date. "Marketing to look into it" is not an action item.
• Write in neutral, past-tense language and avoid characterising views. "The team discussed the budget" is safer than "Raj strongly objected".
• Note when a topic had no decision and when it will come back, so it does not quietly disappear.
• Start the next meeting by reviewing the open action items from these minutes.
• Minutes of company board and shareholder meetings have formal requirements in many countries, in India under the Companies Act and secretarial standards. Use this template for team, project and committee meetings, and your company secretary's format for board minutes.

Frequently asked questions

What should meeting minutes include?

The meeting name, date and time, who attended and who was absent, a summary, the decisions taken, action items with owners and deadlines, and the date of the next meeting.

Who should take the minutes?

Anyone except the person running the meeting, who is busy facilitating. Rotating the job across the team works well for regular meetings.

How soon should minutes be sent?

Within a day is a good habit, while the discussion is fresh and before the first deadlines arrive.

Can I write minutes from a recording?

Yes. Paste the transcript from your video call tool and ask the AI to summarise it into the template. Check it against your own notes, since transcripts can mishear names and figures.

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