Meetings are an integral part of any organization and provide a platform for discussion and decision-making. They are an opportunity for team members to come together and address issues, share ideas and make agreements. However, it is important to note that the information discussed during meetings can easily be forgotten or lost if not recorded properly. This is where meeting minutes come in. Meeting minutes are the official records of the proceedings of a meeting and serve as a valuable tool for keeping track of important decisions and agreements made during the meeting.
They also serve as evidence in case of any disputes or misunderstandings. Additionally, meeting minutes also help in keeping a record of attendance and those who were absent. It is important for an organization to have accurate and detailed meeting minutes, even though it is often considered as a task assigned to the secretary. Overall, meeting minutes are an essential tool for keeping the organization on track, and running smoothly.
Table of Contents
Meeting Minutes Templates
Meeting Minutes Templates are essential tools used to document and record the proceedings and outcomes of business or organizational meetings. These templates provide a structured format for capturing key discussions, decisions, and action items during meetings. Meeting Minutes Templates help ensure accurate and comprehensive documentation, facilitate effective communication, and serve as a valuable reference for participants and stakeholders.
Meeting Minutes Templates serve as a valuable record of discussions, decisions, and actions taken during meetings. By utilizing these templates, organizations and businesses can maintain transparency, ensure accountability, and facilitate effective communication among participants and stakeholders. Meeting minutes provide a reference point for future meetings, help resolve any discrepancies or misunderstandings, and serve as a historical record of important discussions and decisions. Whether used for team meetings, board meetings, or organizational gatherings, Meeting Minutes Templates provide a consistent and structured approach to documenting and preserving meeting outcomes.
Why are the notes taken at a meeting called ‘minutes’?
The term “meeting minutes” comes from the practice of taking a written record of the proceedings of a meeting, typically recording the topics discussed, decisions made, and action items assigned. The term “minutes” refers to the fact that these records document the events of the meeting in a condensed and summarized form, capturing the most important points discussed during the meeting.
It’s also called “minutes” because they are a summary of what happened in the meeting, and not a verbatim transcript. The term “meeting minutes” is used to distinguish these records from other types of minutes such as those taken during court proceedings or legislative sessions.
Why are meeting minutes important?
Meeting minutes are important for several reasons:
Accountability: Meeting minutes serve as an official record of the proceedings of a meeting and can be used as evidence in case of any disputes or misunderstandings. They provide a clear and concise summary of the topics discussed, decisions made and action items assigned.
Transparency: Meeting minutes are usually shared with all attendees and stakeholders, providing transparency into the organization’s decision-making process. This can help build trust with members and stakeholders.
Follow-up: Meeting minutes serve as a useful tool for tracking progress and follow-up on action items assigned during the meeting. They help ensure that tasks are completed on time and that the team stays on track with its goals.
Communication: Meeting minutes can serve as a means of communication between team members and stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is informed about the decisions and actions taken during the meeting.
Historical record: Meeting minutes provide a historical record of the organization’s activities, which can be useful for future reference and decision-making.
Attendance: Meeting minutes also help in keeping a record of attendance, which can be useful for tracking attendance and participation of members.
Who is typically in charge of recording and maintaining the official minutes of meetings within an organization?
Traditionally, the responsibility for taking meeting minutes has fallen on the secretary or administrative assistant of an organization. However, in recent years, it has become more common for meeting minutes to be taken by anyone present at the meeting, rather than just a designated person.
The person responsible for taking meeting minutes is typically chosen based on factors such as their availability, attention to detail, and writing skills. Some organizations also rotate the responsibility for taking meeting minutes among different members, to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate.
It’s also common for the meeting facilitator or chairperson to take the minutes. If there is not a designated person to take the minutes, it could be assigned to any attendee who is willing and able to do it.
Regardless of who takes the minutes, it is important that the person chosen is able to accurately capture the key points discussed and decisions made during the meeting, and that they are willing to take on this responsibility.
How to write and keep meeting minutes
Writing and keeping meeting minutes is an important task that helps organizations stay organized and on track. Here is a step-by-step guide for writing and keeping meeting minutes:
Step 1: Prepare in advance
Before the meeting, make sure you have all the necessary materials ready, such as a notebook, pen, and any relevant documents. It’s also helpful to familiarize yourself with the agenda and any background information on the topics that will be discussed.
Step 2: Start with basic information
At the beginning of the meeting, record the basic information, such as the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as the names of the attendees. Make sure to also note any absentees.
Step 3: Take accurate notes
As the meeting progresses, take detailed notes on the key points discussed, including any decisions made and action items assigned. Be sure to capture the main ideas and any important details. Use bullet points and short phrases to keep your notes concise and easy to read.
Step 4: Organize your notes
After the meeting, organize your notes into a clear and logical format. Start with the basic information and then move on to the main discussion points, decisions made, and action items. Make sure to include any attachments or supporting documents.
Step 5: Review and edit your notes
Review your notes and make any necessary corrections or additions. Make sure that your notes are clear, accurate, and easy to understand.
Step 6: Distribute the minutes
Distribute the minutes to all attendees and any other stakeholders who need to be informed of the meeting’s outcome. This could be through email, shared drive or other platforms.
Step 7: Keep a record of the minutes
Keep a record of the minutes in a safe place, either in a physical or digital format. This will ensure that the minutes can be easily accessed in the future for reference or follow-up.
Tips for writing effective meeting minutes:
- Use a template to ensure consistency in formatting and content.
- Be objective and factual in your writing.
- Use proper grammar and punctuation.
- Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to all attendees.
- Summarize the main points of the meeting rather than writing a verbatim transcript.
- Use headings and subheadings to make the minutes easy to read and navigate.
Meeting minutes are an important tool for keeping organizations on track and ensuring that everyone is informed of the decisions and actions taken during meetings. By following these steps and tips, you can write effective and accurate meeting minutes that will help your organization succeed.
Meeting Minutes According to Robert’s Rules
Here are some tips to help you keep meeting minutes using Robert’s Rules:
- Record the names of all attendees, including any guests or absent members.
- Record the date, time, and location of the meeting.
- Record the name of the person who called the meeting to order, and the name of the person who conducted the meeting.
- Record the main motion or motion that was made, along with the name of the person who made it, and the result of the vote (if any).
- Record any discussions that took place, including any points of order or parliamentary inquiries.
- Record any decisions that were made and any action items that were assigned.
- Record the name of the person who made the motion to adjourn the meeting, and the time at which the meeting was adjourned.
- Review the minutes thoroughly after the meeting and make any necessary corrections or revisions before distributing them.
- Keep a copy of the minutes for future reference, and make them available to members upon request.
- Consider using a template or software that can help automate the process of taking minutes, and make it easier to keep them organized and accurate.
Annual meetings and Convention minutes
Annual meetings and conventions are two types of meetings that require specific types of minutes. Here is a detailed explanation of each:
Annual meetings:
Annual meetings are typically held once a year, and they are designed to provide shareholders, members, or other stakeholders with an update on the organization’s activities and financial performance over the past year.
Annual meetings are usually formal and are attended by a wide range of people, including shareholders, members, board members, and management.
During the meeting, the attendees will receive a report on the organization’s financial performance, including a review of the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. They will also hear reports from the board of directors and management, and may be asked to vote on various issues.
The minutes of an annual meeting should include:
- A record of the date, time, and location of the meeting
- The names of all attendees, including any absentees
- A summary of the financial performance of the organization
- A summary of the reports given by the board of directors and management
- A record of all votes and decisions made during the meeting
It is important to keep the minutes of annual meetings accurate and well-organized, as they are often used as a reference for future meetings and are sometimes required to be provided to shareholders or other stakeholders.
Conventions:
Conventions are large gatherings of people who share a common interest, such as members of a professional association or representatives of a particular industry.
Conventions are often organized to provide attendees with a variety of educational and networking opportunities, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops.
The minutes of a convention should include:
- A record of the date, time, and location of the meeting
- The names of all attendees, including any absentees
- A summary of the keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops
- A record of any votes or decisions made during the meeting
- A summary of any other important information discussed during the convention
It is important to keep accurate and detailed minutes of conventions, as they serve as a record of the ideas and information shared during the event, and they may be used as a reference for future conventions. Additionally, minutes of conventions should reflect the nature of the convention, for example, if it’s an educational conference the minutes should reflect what was the main topic that was discussed and key takeaways of the attendees.
In conclusion, both Annual meetings and conventions have their own specific requirements for minutes taking. It’s important to keep accurate and detailed minutes for both types of meetings as they serve as a legal record of the proceedings and decisions made during the meeting, and they may be used as a reference for future meetings.
Meeting Minutes Templates
The formal meeting minutes template
Formal meeting minutes are an official record of the proceedings and decisions made during a meeting. These minutes are typically used to inform those who were not present at the meeting of what was discussed and decided, as well as to provide a reference for future meetings.
A formal meeting minutes typically includes the following information:
- Date, time, and location of the meeting
- Names of attendees and absentees
- Agenda items discussed and any action taken on each item
- Decisions made and any votes taken
- Any other important information discussed during the meeting
Here is an example of formal meeting minutes for a board meeting of a company:
Meeting Minutes
Date: January 15, 2023
Time: 9:00am – 11:00am
Location: Conference Room
Attendees:
John Smith, Chairman
Jane Doe, CEO
Michael Johnson, CFO
Susan Brown, COO
Mark Wilson, Director
Alex Thompson, Director
Absentees:
None
Agenda Items:
Review of financial performance for Q4 2022
John Smith presented a report on the company’s financial performance for Q4 2022.
The board discussed the report and voted to approve the financial performance.
Discussion of new product launch
Jane Doe presented information on the company’s new product launch, including the proposed launch date and marketing plan.
The board discussed the proposal and voted to approve the launch date and marketing plan.
Approval of budget for 2023
Michael Johnson presented the proposed budget for 2023.
The board discussed the budget and voted to approve it.
Decisions Made:
Approval of financial performance for Q4 2022
Approval of new product launch, including launch date and marketing plan
Approval of budget for 2023
Other Important Information:
John Smith announced that he will be stepping down as Chairman at the next board meeting in February.
It should be noted that different organizations may have different format for their minutes, but the important thing is to include all the necessary information and action items discussed in the meeting.
Informal meeting minutes example
Informal meeting minutes, also known as informal notes or a meeting summary, are a brief record of the key points discussed and decisions made during a meeting. They are typically less formal than formal meeting minutes and do not need to be as detailed or structured. They are often used for internal meetings or informal gatherings where the main goal is to share information and gather feedback.
An informal meeting minutes typically includes the following information:
Date, time and location of the meeting
Names of attendees
Main topics discussed
Key decisions made
Action items or next steps
Here is an example of informal meeting minutes for a weekly team meeting:
Meeting Summary
Date: January 19, 2023
Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Location: Conference Room
Attendees:
John Smith, Team Leader
Jane Doe, Team Member
Michael Johnson, Team Member
Susan Brown, Team Member
Main Topics Discussed:
Progress on current project
Upcoming deadline
New ideas for future projects
Key Decisions Made:
The team will have a meeting with the client next week to discuss the progress on the current project.
The deadline for the current project will be extended by one week to allow for additional time to complete the project.
The team will begin brainstorming ideas for future projects next month.
Action Items:
John Smith will schedule a meeting with the client
The team will work on completing the current project by the new deadline
Next month, the team will have a brainstorming session to come up with new project ideas.
In conclusion, informal meeting minutes are a brief record of the key points discussed and decisions made during a meeting, often used for internal meetings or informal gatherings. They typically include the date, time, location, attendees, main topics discussed, key decisions made, and action items or next steps. They are less formal than formal meeting minutes, and are not need to be as detailed or structured. The main goal is to share information and gather feedback.
FAQs
How do I write minutes of a meeting?
Meeting minutes should contain a summary of the key discussion points and decisions from a meeting. Start by including basic information like the meeting name, date, time, attendees, and any absentees. Structure the body in a logical order covering what topics were discussed, who presented, and any resulting actions or votes. Maintain an objective tone and stick to facts and key details. Leave out conversations that don’t pertain to the agenda. End with next steps, like the time and date of the next meeting.
Is there a meeting minutes template in Word?
Yes, Word has a simple minutes template that provides a framework and prompts for all the standard details to include. The format covers the basics like attendee list, agenda topics, motions, voting results, action items with owners, and next steps. The template allows you to easily customize to your meeting needs.
What is linear format of minutes?
Linear minutes follow the sequence the topics were discussed in the meeting from start to finish. This chronological structure provides a record of the order each agenda item came up and the conversation flow. Minutes become accessible history that can be referenced long after the meeting when in linear format.
What 8 things should the minutes of a meeting include?
- Meeting details like name, date, location, start/end times
- List of attendees and absentees
- Agenda topics covered
- Motions made and votes taken
- Decisions and actions agreed upon
- Key discussion points, reports, and presentations summarized
- New business items raised
- Date, time and place of next meeting