How to Write Meeting Minutes

Meetings are essential. From management meetings, and casual retrospectives to formal client meetings – meetings are a significant, and inevitable part of day-to-day work life, regardless of industry.

As more companies gear up to execute their quarterly strategies, having documented meeting notes is not only recommended but necessary – which is where meeting minutes come in. 

Taking meeting notes, or minutes, ensures that there is always a searchable record of what was discussed for each and every meeting, and by whom. 

Ever wondered how to take meeting minutes? In this guide, we’ll give you insider tips on how to effectively take meeting minutes. From researching to perfecting minute-taking, follow these tips to become a minute-taking master.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What are meeting minutes?
• What should be included in meeting minutes?
• How to write meeting minutes

What are meeting minutes?

Meeting minutes are documented and dated notes of what was discussed during a meeting. They’re usually typed up during the meeting by the note-taker and are usually available to view after the meeting.

For meetings at organisations such as charities, board meetings, as well as HR meetings (particularly disciplinary or grievance meetings), taking meeting minutes is required. Charity and board meeting minutes are also available to the general public. 

Aside from legal requirements, meeting minutes let team members stay organised and accountable – easily allowing them to keep track of deadlines, take ownership of upcoming projects and serve as a record of what was discussed.

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What should be included in meeting minutes?

There will need to be some structure to your write-up. The details needed will vary depending on the meeting, but here are some typical ones to include:

• Meeting title
• Time
• Date
• Attendees
• Agenda
• Summaries

The items being summarised will depend on the meeting, but here are typical ones to incorporate:

• The issue
• Key discussion points
• Decisions made
• Items on hold
• Action items
• Due dates

How to take meeting minutes

Here’s how to make the most out of your meeting.

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1. Understand the meeting’s purpose

Take the time to check in with the meeting organiser to understand the purpose. Having a high-level overview will help you to know what needs to be captured.

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2. Have a meeting agenda

Make sure you obtain a copy of the agenda from the meeting organiser in advance. If the organiser hasn’t prepared one in advance, it’s a good idea to volunteer to collect agenda items for the rest of the group.

Having an agenda is basically a rough draft of the final write-up already typed up. Each detail is already listed out so all you have to do is fill in action items, due dates and other important details that are discussed. Being equipped with agenda items beforehand makes it easier to successfully capture notes. 

In addition, an agenda can act as a guide for you to reference during the meeting. An organised structure will allow you to follow the meeting flow – which in turn allows for more organised note-taking.

The best way to collect agenda items depends on the attendees and the type of meeting being held. If it’s a formal meeting, especially when the agenda needs to be sent to the marketing department for an enhanced appearance, ask the attendees to send their items by a specific due date.

For larger groups or meetings that might have constant agenda item changes, use a shared document that everyone can access online – a Google doc is a great example of this. The shared document gives the attendees the chance to make edits to their items right up to the last minute. It also takes the stress of collecting items by a specific due date off your plate.

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3. Use the right minute-taking tools

Technology has shifted the ease and the way in which, we take meeting minutes.

Using a recording device or an app is a great support for minute taking, particularly when your notes aren’t clear. It’s also great if you need to double-check what was said. Alongside those, make sure you have your laptop, a pad of paper and several pens or pencils.

Lastly, bring printed copies of the agenda to the meeting. Attendees usually print their own or refer to a digital version, but for those who don’t, this will give them something to refer to.

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4. Always remember confidentiality

Make sure that the meeting attendees are aware that you’ll be using a recording device. 

Make sure it’s clear that if anything confidential pops up, that needs to be off the record, that you’ll alert attendees that you’ve stopped recording, typing or writing. 

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5. Produce a clear and concise write-up

Complete your write-up as soon as possible. The more time goes by, the more time is spent listening to playback, which can make the write-up take a lot longer than it needs to.

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6. Get approval from the organiser

Send your final write-up to the meeting organiser to approve before making final edits and distributing it to the larger group.