Whether it is a business meeting, a board meeting, a club meeting, or any type of meeting that requires documentation of the discussions, having the right meeting minutes templates can come in handy.
Ineffective meeting management can lead to wasted time and a lack of clarity. But by using well-designed templates, you can unlock productivity and ensure that your meetings are efficient, organized, and action-oriented.
This article seeks to help you boost your meetings through:
- Identifying the right moments to use minutes;
- Exploring top meeting minutes templates;
- Highlighting how you can enhance your meetings with the power of Krisp’s AI.
What Are Meeting Minutes For?
In layman’s terms, meeting minutes are a record of the discussions made during a meeting. They serve as a formal record of what transpired during the meeting and play a vital role in ensuring clarity and accountability.
Moreover, meeting minutes are pivotal for any group or organization as they enhance collaboration and decision-making. Some of the other crucial benefits of meeting minutes include:
Documentation
Minutes provide a written account of the discussions, decisions, and actions taken during a meeting. They capture important information, such as efficient meeting agendas, key discussion items, and outcomes.
As a result, by documenting these details, meeting minutes serve as a reference for future meetings and help maintain a historical record of the organization’s activities.
Communication
Meeting minutes serve as a means of communication between meeting participants and those who could not attend.
They enable individuals to stay informed about what was discussed and action items assigned during the meeting. This promotes transparency and ensures everyone is on the same page, even if they are not physically present.
Accountability
Meeting minutes establish accountability by clearly outlining assigned tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines. They serve as a reminder of commitments made during the meeting and help track progress on action items.
In this way, by referring to meeting minutes, individuals can stay accountable for their respective roles and ensure the timely completion of tasks.
Legal and compliance purposes
Meeting minutes hold legal significance and serve as evidence of corporate governance and decision-making processes. They may be required during audits, legal proceedings, or regulatory compliance checks.
Accurate and well-maintained meeting minutes demonstrate that due process was followed and decisions were made in a proper and transparent manner.
In a nutshell, by learning how to take meeting minutes, organizations can enhance their overall productivity, collaboration, and transparency.
Meeting Minutes Templates
There are different types of meetings that may require the use of meeting minutes. From formal to informal meetings, you still require a solid format to follow.
Here are some expert-recommended templates that you can easily create using a good meeting minutes app:
Formal Meeting Template
Formal meeting minutes templates are typically used for official and structured meetings, such as board and executive meetings. They follow a specific format, including sections for meeting details, attendees, agenda items, discussions, decisions, and action items.
Formal templates often require a more comprehensive and detailed record of the meeting proceedings.
Here’s a template that you can use:
[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 Template
Informal meeting minutes templates are suited for less formal or casual meetings, such as team brainstorming sessions, weekly check-ins, or quick updates. They offer a more streamlined and simplified format, only capturing the key points, decisions, and action items without extensive detail.
In essence, these templates provide a more concise and flexible approach to recording meeting outcomes.
Here’s a quick informal meeting template you can use:
[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
Minutes of meeting template with action items focus primarily on capturing action items and follow-up tasks. They emphasize accountability and provide designated sections to record the agenda, decisions, and assigned responsibilities.
Action-oriented templates help track progress and ensure that action items are completed within the specified timeframe.
Here’s a quick action-oriented meeting template that you can use:
[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-Specific Meeting Minutes Template
Project-specific meeting minutes templates are tailored for project-based meetings. They often include sections to record project updates, milestones, risks, and next steps.
These templates enable project teams to document discussions, decisions, and action items specific to the project’s progress.
Moreover, they are a valuable resource for tracking project-related activities and ensuring effective project management.
Here’s a quick sample template for project-specific meeting minutes:
[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]
Simplify Meeting Transcription and Sharing with Krisp
Meeting minutes are crucial for capturing the essence of meetings and ensuring that important discussions, decisions, and action items are documented. Whether it’s a formal meeting or an informal gathering, having a well-designed meeting minutes template can significantly enhance productivity and ensure accountability.
To further streamline and optimize the meeting minutes process, Krisp offers an AI meeting assistant to seamlessly transcribe your meetings and summarize the key discussions.
Additionally, the AI note-taker diligently takes note of the essential discussion points, leveraging a state-of-the-art meeting transcription to generate effective minutes. This advanced solution allows you to focus on the most important aspects of your meeting, saving time and effort by letting the AI handle the heavy lifting.
By utilizing Krisp’s AI meeting assistant, you can unlock greater productivity in your meetings. Say goodbye to the hassle of manual note-taking and the potential loss of valuable insights.
Experience the convenience of an AI-driven solution that empowers you to make the most of your meetings and make informed decisions based on accurate and comprehensive meeting minutes.
Unlock your team’s productivity today with Krisp – try it for free!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using a meeting minutes template?
Using a meeting minutes template has numerous benefits, including time-saving, consistency, and enabling comprehensive documentation.
How do I create a meeting minutes template in Word?
You can either use pre-made Word minutes templates or simply create your own on an empty page.
What sections should be included in a meeting minutes template?
The main sections in a meeting minutes template include the meeting details, names of attendees, key agenda, discussion points, and decisions made.
