Does the following scenario ring a bell?
You join a meeting, you have your notes prepared beforehand, and everything goes smoothly. After the meeting ends, someone asks you about a specific task that you discussed earlier. But, lo and behold, you can’t find any written track of it anywhere. People will just have to take your word for it.
If you’ve been through something like this, it’s probably because you didn’t write meeting minutes during the call. We go through so many meetings every day, it’s hard to have everything locked in memory. And that’s where a meeting minute template rolls in to save the day.
What is a Meeting Minutes Template?
To answer that question, we first need to go over what meeting minutes are. To put things simply, meeting minutes are an official recording of what you discuss during meetings. Don’t let the name mislead you, though! It has nothing to do with actual minutes. Instead, meeting minutes focus on key points and main takeaways. Here’s why meeting minutes matter:
They are key documentation
Meeting minutes are essentially written versions of topics that are discussed and decisions that are made during meetings. They cut the fluff and focus on what matters most: agendas, key discussion items, and outcomes. This is why minutes and templates for meeting minutes are key documentation that you can refer to at any time.
They help with communication
Let’s say one of your colleagues couldn’t make it to a meeting, and another colleague had to step out. Meeting minutes will help them catch up to the main points that your team discussed over the meeting. Things will be more transparent, and everyone will be on the same page.
They foster accountability
A lot of tasks are thrown around during meetings. Responsibilities are given and deadlines are set. Meeting minutes help with outlining all of these. You can use them as a reminder of what commitments each team member has, track progress on all tasks, and keep things streamlined.
They help with the legal side
Believe it or not, you can use meeting minutes for legal purposes. If your business is being audited or you’re involved in legal and compliance proceedings, meeting minutes can come in handy. The more organized they are, the better they serve as evidence that your business is compliant and transparent.
At this point, you’re probably wondering how they are different from regular notes that we doodle during a call. Well, everyone can doodle. But there’s usually one person who is in charge of meeting minutes. If you end up in that position, then you’ll definitely need to use a meeting minute template.
What to Include in a Meeting Minutes Template?
A meeting minute template can come in many shapes and sizes. But you usually include the same information:
- The date and time of your meeting
- The list of people who attended and who couldn’t make it
- The location of the meeting
- The topics that were discussed
- The decisions that were made
- Action plans for the future
A pen and a notepad won’t cut it for all of this. With a minutes of meeting template, you can make sure that the right information goes into the right place. Everyone else will thank you for it later!
How Can I Create a Meeting Minutes Template?
The first step before putting together a template for meeting minutes is figuring out whether your meeting is formal or informal. If it’s formal, then your business meeting minutes template should also be formal. If not, then vice-versa. If you’re looking for a meeting minutes sample, here are some you can use and customize:
Formal Meeting Minutes Sample
If your meeting is an official one and includes C-levels and board members, go for a formal meeting minutes template. Make sure you get into as much detail as possible. You don’t want to miss out on key points in formal meetings! Here’s an example to get you inspired:
[Organization Name]
[Meeting Date]
[Meeting Time]
[Meeting Location]
Attendees:
- [Name], [Title/Role]
- [Name], [Title/Role]
Absent with Apology:
- [Name], [Title/Role]
- [Name], [Title/Role]
Absent Without Apology:
- [Name], [Title/Role]
- [Name], [Title/Role]
- Call to Order
- The meeting was called to order at [Meeting Time] by [Name].
- Attendees reviewed and approved the agenda.
- Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
- The minutes of the previous meeting held on [Previous Meeting Date] were reviewed and approved without any amendments.
- Agenda Item 1: [Agenda Item Title]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Decisions Made: [Summary of decisions made]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- Agenda Item 2: [Agenda Item Title]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Decisions Made: [Summary of decisions made]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- Other Business
- [Additional agenda items discussed]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Decisions Made: [Summary of decisions made]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- Next Meeting
- The date, time, and location of the next meeting were determined.
- Agenda items for the next meeting were proposed.
- Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned at [Meeting Time] by [Name].
Next Meeting:
- Date: [Next Meeting Date]
- Time: [Next Meeting Time]
- Location: [Next Meeting Location]
Proposed Agenda Items:
- [Agenda Item 1]
- [Agenda Item 2]
Submitted by:
[Name]
[Title/Role]
[Date]
Informal Meeting Minutes Template
You can keep things a bit more casual with informal meeting minutes templates. You just need to focus on the main takeaways, without going into the nitty-gritty details. This is what an informal meeting minutes template looks like:
[Meeting Date]
[Meeting Time]
[Meeting Location]
Attendees:
- [Name]
- [Name]
Discussion Points:
[Discussion Point 1]
- [Summary of discussion]
- [Key points raised]
- [Ideas shared]
[Discussion Point 2]
- [Summary of discussion]
- [Key points raised]
- [Ideas shared]
Decisions Made:
- [Decision 1]: [Summary of decision]
- [Decision 2]: [Summary of decision]
Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
Next Meeting:
- Date: [Next Meeting Date]
- Time: [Next Meeting Time]
- Location: [Next Meeting Location]
- Proposed Discussion Points:
- [Discussion Point 1]
- [Discussion Point 2]
Action-Oriented Meeting Minutes Template
As the name suggests, this minutes of meeting template focuses on action. This is where you track who assigns tasks to whom, what the deadlines are, and how things are progressing. You can use the meeting minutes template below as a starting point:
[Meeting Date]
[Meeting Time]
[Meeting Location]
Attendees:
- [Name]
- [Name]
Agenda:
[Agenda Item 1]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
[Agenda Item 2]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
Next Steps:
- [Next Step 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Next Step 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
Next Meeting:
- Date: [Next Meeting Date]
- Time: [Next Meeting Time]
- Location: [Next Meeting Location]
- Proposed Agenda Items:
- [Agenda Item 1]
- [Agenda Item 2]
Project-Based Meeting Minutes Template
You can use project-specific templates for meeting minutes to note down any updates about ongoing projects, milestones, scope, and other details. A project-specific meeting minute template helps with project management more than you can imagine. Here’s an example:
[Project Name]
[Meeting Date]
[Meeting Time]
[Meeting Location]
Attendees:
- [Name]
- [Name]
Project Updates:
- [Update 1]: [Summary of update]
- [Update 2]: [Summary of update]
Agenda:
[Agenda Item 1]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Decisions Made: [Summary of decisions made]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
[Agenda Item 2]
- Discussion: [Summary of discussion]
- Decisions Made: [Summary of decisions made]
- Action Items:
- [Action Item 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Action Item 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
Next Steps:
- [Next Step 1]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
- [Next Step 2]: [Assigned to], [Deadline]
Next Meeting:
- Date: [Next Meeting Date]
- Time: [Next Meeting Time]
- Location: [Next Meeting Location]
- Proposed Agenda Items:
- [Agenda Item 1]
- [Agenda Item 2]
Rookie Mistakes When Making Your Meeting Minutes Template
If you’re new to the world of meeting minutes, here are some mistakes to avoid when putting your template for meeting minutes together:
- Not having a meeting agenda
If you don’t have a meeting agenda prepared beforehand, writing meeting minutes will become tricky as you won’t have a clear idea of the main discussion points.
- Writing down everything you hear
Remember, meeting minutes are about the details, not the fluff. Focus on what matters the most, and leave out the rest.
- Not using the right meeting minutes template
If you pick the wrong meeting minutes template, then you won’t be able to match it to the information that’s being discussed.
Avoid these mistakes to record your meeting minutes correctly, with zero effort. There are other ways that you can streamline the process even more:
Go Beyond Meeting Minutes Template with Krisp
Meetings can last for hours and contain a wealth of information. Even with a meeting minutes template at your disposal, some details might slip through the cracks. This is where Krisp’s Meeting Minutes App can be a game-changer. Krisp not only transcribes and records your meetings effortlessly but also summarizes the key discussions. Once the meeting is over, you simply review the AI-generated meeting notes and start collaborating on action items. This approach ensures you save time and effort while capturing all the important details accurately.
Wrapping Up
Whether you’re running an informal meeting or attending a formal one, meeting minutes are important details that you need to keep track of. They help you streamline your documentation process and keep track of things inside your organization. Having a meeting minutes template ready before a meeting can help you maximize efficiency in your workflow. Using a tool like Krisp’s Meeting Minutes App to record, transcribe your meetings and summarize key points can take your meeting minutes templates to the next level and elevate your documentation process.
FAQ On Meeting Minutes Templates
