Meeting minutes are notes that are taken during a meeting to record what happens in the meeting. These notes typically highlight the key issues that are discussed in the meeting. Meeting minutes should indicate the time, date, and setting of the meeting. These notes should also document who was in attendance at the meeting. If there are any presentations or reports presented, these should be reflected in the meeting minutes.
How to write meeting minutes LIKE A PRO [With meeting minutes example!]
How to take meeting minutes
There is a lot of information that needs to be recorded in every meeting, so the content of your meeting minutes should be as detailed as possible. The following strategies can help you capture all the essential information from every meeting as efficiently as possible.
1. Add general information about the meeting first.
Before the meeting begins, make notes of general information such as the meeting date, time and location. When your coworkers review the notes later, this information will give them the proper context to remember when and why a certain item was discussed.
Make sure you also know the names of everyone who will be in attendance. You will need to indicate actions taken by various participants throughout the meeting. You might choose to pass around an attendance sheet and have everyone sign in. Alternatively, you can write up all the names of the meeting members on your personal notes before the meeting starts and then simply check off names as people enter the room.
2. Use shorthand.
When taking minutes, use shorthand or abbreviations to write your notes more quickly. For example, you can use initials to identify meeting participants or an acronym to represent an important project. With time, you will likely develop your own form of shorthand that you can easily translate to full writing for others to view.
3. Pay close attention to decisions and action items.
You will need to note this information accurately, including any details discussed regarding the results. If your company or organization requires it, you may also need to note how individuals voted on each topic. Similarly, it could benefit you to note any deadlines, events or other important dates mentioned in the meeting. The minutes serve as a reminder of commitments, so meeting participants will want these details clearly stated.
Ask for clarification when needed. Ideally, your note-taking will not interfere with the meeting at all, but when it comes to important decisions or discussions, it is important to get the details right.
4. Follow a template.
Use a minutes template to help keep track of all the important details so you do not miss anything along the way. If you are expected to contribute to the meeting while also taking notes, it may help to use a tape recorder so you can go back and make sure you have included all of the most important information.
5. Get your notes approved.
After you type up your minutes, the next step is to have them approved. Typically, you will send the minutes to the most senior team member who was in attendance at the meeting. If they request any edits, make the necessary changes and resubmit your meeting minutes for approval. The senior meeting member provides initial approval, granting you permission to send out the document to other meeting members.
6. Distribute the meeting minutes
After the minutes are initially approved, you can begin distributing them. Typically, meeting minutes should be distributed within a few days after the meeting. The method by which meeting minutes are shared depends on your company’s procedures. Typically, one or more of the following document-sharing methods is used:
Ask the senior meeting member whether you should include a note that the minutes you are sending out have received provisional approval. This technique allows meeting participants to keep track of the most up-to-date version of the minutes if any changes are made before they are finalized at the next meeting.
What are meeting minutes?
Meeting minutes are detailed notes that describe what took place during an organizational meeting. Some of the information noted in the minutes may include:
To create the minutes, someone will take notes during the meeting. Once the meeting has concluded, someone will type the notes in an easy-to-read format. Typically, the meeting minutes need to be approved by a senior coworker who also attended the meeting before they are distributed to others and filed away.
The main purpose of taking meeting minutes is to create an official record of the meeting. The minutes can serve as a reference later for a variety of reasons such as verifying attendance, tracking progress on a project or providing details for legal proceedings.
Tips for writing meeting minutes
Keep the following rules for how to type meeting minutes in mind as you work from your notes:
Once you are finished typing up your notes into a proper meeting minutes format, attach any relevant documents or indicate where they can be found. Then, edit your work carefully for clarity and to check for spelling mistakes, incorrect grammar and meeting inaccuracies.
Meeting minutes example
To see how the proper format for meeting minutes looks and get an idea of what type of content should be included, it helps to look at an example. The following minutes represent a typical meeting of an organization’s board members. Note how the minutes are formatted so that the information is easy to scan for important details.
Taking minutes is an important responsibility. Use these tips and strategies for how to prepare minutes of meetings to make sure you master this professional skill.
FAQ
What to say when sending minutes of meeting?
- 1 Date and time of the meeting. …
- 2 Names of the participants. …
- 3 Purpose of the meeting. …
- 4 Agenda items and topics discussed. …
- 5 Action items. …
- 6 Next meeting date and place. …
- 7 Documents to be included in the report.
How do you take notes and minutes in a meeting?
- Thanking people for their time and effort.
- Summarizing any key points covered or discussed during the meeting.
- Outlining action items and owners as well as deadlines for these next steps.
- Attaching or linking to any relevant resources and documents.
- Inviting people to ask questions or reconvene.
