Template
Meeting minutes template for formal meetings
Minutes are the formal record of a meeting: who attended, what was proposed, what was decided and who will act. Use the template below for boards, committees and any meeting where the record may be checked later.
| What you get | A summary, the decisions, action items with owners and dates, open questions and the full transcript. Action items can become tasks and be placed on Google Calendar. |
|---|---|
| Sharing | Share notes by link, PDF or Word. Anyone with a link can read it without an account, and you can turn the link off. |
Meeting minutes template
Fill in the brackets. Keep wording factual: record what was decided, not every opinion.
MINUTES OF [ORGANISATION / GROUP] MEETING
Date: [date] Time: [start]–[end] Place: [location or call]
Chair: [name] Minute-taker: [name]
1. ATTENDANCE
Present: [names]
Apologies: [names]
Quorum: [yes / no]
2. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
The minutes of [date] were [approved / approved with changes: ...].
3. MATTERS ARISING
- [Item from last time] — [status]
4. ITEMS DISCUSSED
4.1 [Topic]
Summary: [one or two sentences]
Decision / motion: [wording] Proposed: [name] Seconded: [name]
Result: [carried / not carried / deferred]
5. ACTIONS
- [Action] — Owner: [name] — Due: [date]
6. NEXT MEETING
[Date, time, place]
Minutes approved by: ____________________ Date: __________Minutes and notes are different
Notes help the people in the room get things done. Minutes are the official record, so they name who was present, what was formally decided and how, and they are approved at the next meeting.
Writing minutes well
- Record decisions and the exact wording of motions.
- Summarise discussion in a sentence or two; don't transcribe it.
- Note who proposed and seconded where your rules require it.
- Circulate a draft quickly and approve it at the next meeting.
Using a recording
A recording lets the minute-taker check exact wording afterwards. Timo writes a summary, decisions and action items and keeps the transcript, which you can then shape into formal minutes.
Try it on your next meeting
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Questions
What is the difference between minutes and notes?
Minutes are the formal, approved record of a meeting. Notes are an informal summary for getting work done.
Who approves meeting minutes?
Usually the same group, at its next meeting, after which the chair signs them.
Should minutes include everything said?
No. Record attendance, decisions, motions and actions, with a short summary of discussion.