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Guide · Meeting minutes

How to write meeting minutes people actually read

Minutes are the record of what a meeting decided and who does what next. Here is how to take them, write them up and send them — with a worked example, a checklist of what to include, and the parts you can safely leave out.

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Short answer

How do you write meeting minutes?

Write down the decisions and action items for each agenda item, not the whole conversation. Good minutes answer four questions: who was there, what was decided, who will do what by when, and when the group meets next.

  1. 1Before the meeting, copy the agenda into your minutes template.
  2. 2Record the basics: meeting name, date, time, place, who attended and who sent apologies.
  3. 3For each agenda item, note the outcome in one or two sentences.
  4. 4Write every decision exactly as agreed, and every action item with an owner and a due date.
  5. 5Type the minutes up the same day, in plain, neutral language.
  6. 6Have the chair check them, then send them to everyone and file them where people can find them.

Recording the meeting, with everyone’s agreement, makes all of this easier: you can check a figure or a quote afterwards instead of writing at full speed.

A MinutesMaster guide · updated

Step by step

How to write meeting minutes, step by step

The same seven steps work for a weekly team meeting, a project review or a board meeting — formal meetings just need more precision in steps 4 and 7.

  1. 1

    Prepare a template from the agenda

    Before the meeting, copy the agenda into a document with a heading for each item. Add the fixed fields at the top — meeting name, date, time, location or link — so that during the meeting you only fill in the outcomes.

  2. 2

    Record who attended

    Note the attendees, the apologies (people who said they couldn’t come) and any guests, plus who chairs the meeting and who takes the minutes. For a formal meeting, also note whether a quorum was present.

  3. 3

    Capture outcomes, not the conversation

    For each agenda item, write what was concluded in one or two sentences. Leave out who said what in passing; mention a name only when it matters — a proposal, an objection or a commitment.

  4. 4

    Write decisions word for word

    When the group agrees on something, write it down exactly and read it back if it is unclear. For boards and committees, record the motion, who proposed and seconded it, and the result of the vote.

  5. 5

    Give every action item an owner and a date

    “Update the budget” is not an action item. “Anna: send the revised budget to the finance team by Friday 13 November” is. Name one person per item, even if others help.

  6. 6

    Write them up the same day

    Turn your notes into full sentences while the meeting is fresh. Use the past tense and a neutral tone (“The team agreed…”, “Martin reported…”), keep each item short, and check names, figures and dates.

  7. 7

    Review, send and file

    Ask the chair to check the draft, then send the minutes to the attendees and anyone who has to act on them. Keep them in one agreed place. Formal minutes are usually approved at the next meeting.

Example

Meeting minutes example

Minutes of a weekly team meeting. The structure works for most meetings; formal minutes add motions and votes.

Marketing team weekly meeting — minutes

Date and time
Tuesday 3 November 2026, 10:00–10:45
Location
Meeting room 2 and online (Microsoft Teams)
Attendees
Anna Weber (chair), Martin Dvořák, Katarzyna Nowak, David Okafor (minutes)
Apologies
Lena Fischer
1. Q4 campaign launch
The landing page and the ads are ready. The team discussed launching before or after the price update. Decision: launch on 16 November, after the price update goes live.
2. Newsletter results
The October open rate was 31%, up from 27% in September. Katarzyna will test a shorter subject line in November.
3. Trade fair budget
Martin presented two stand options. No decision: the final quote from the organiser is still missing. Carried over to the next meeting.
Action items
Anna Weber — confirm the launch date with sales by 5 November · Katarzyna Nowak — set up the subject-line test by 9 November · Martin Dvořák — get the final stand quote by 9 November
Next meeting
Tuesday 10 November 2026, 10:00, meeting room 2

Notice what is missing: no blow-by-blow account of the discussion, no opinions, no “someone will look into it”. Every item ends in a decision, an action with a name and a date, or a note that it was carried over.

What to include in meeting minutes

A checklist for the minutes document. Informal meetings can skip the rows marked as formal.

What to include in meeting minutes
SectionWhat to writeExample
HeadingMeeting name, date, time, place or linkProject steering group, 3 November 2026, 14:00, online
AttendanceAttendees, apologies, guests, chair, minute takerPresent: A. Weber (chair), M. Dvořák … Apologies: L. Fischer
Agenda itemsOne heading per item, in agenda order1. Q4 launch · 2. Newsletter · 3. Trade fair
DiscussionOne or two sentences per item on what was considered — the outcome, not a transcriptThe team compared launching before and after the price update.
DecisionsThe exact wording of what was agreedLaunch on 16 November.
Action itemsTask, owner, due dateAnna Weber — confirm the date with sales by 5 November
Motions and votes (formal)The motion, who proposed and seconded it, the resultMotion to approve the 2027 budget, proposed by M. Dvořák, seconded by K. Nowak: carried, 5 for, 1 against.
Next meetingDate, time and place, if agreed10 November 2026, 10:00
Approval (formal)Who checked or signed the minutes, and whenApproved at the meeting of 10 November 2026

What to leave out of meeting minutes

Minutes record outcomes, so most of what people say doesn’t belong in them. Leaving things out is what makes minutes quick to read — and safer to share.

  • Word-for-word quotes, unless the exact wording is the point (a motion, a commitment to a customer).
  • Opinions and judgements — “a heated discussion”, “a weak proposal”.
  • Side conversations and jokes.
  • Personal or sensitive details the readers don’t need.
  • Confidential items — follow your organisation’s rules for those, which often means a separate record with restricted access.

Formal and informal minutes

A weekly team meeting needs action minutes: decisions and tasks, nothing else. A board, committee, council or association meeting needs formal minutes: attendance and quorum, the exact motions, who proposed them and how the vote went, and approval of the previous minutes.

If your organisation has rules for minutes — articles of association, standing orders, a statute — those rules decide what has to be in the minutes and who signs them. When in doubt, use the last approved minutes as your format.

Tips if you are taking minutes for the first time

Taking minutes is easier when you prepare and when you are allowed to ask questions.

  • Sit near the chair and agree beforehand that you may ask: “What exactly did we decide?”
  • While you listen, use initials and a few symbols (D for decision, A for action) instead of full sentences.
  • Write down the decision and the owner first; add the context later.
  • If people talk fast, record the meeting — with everyone’s agreement — so you can check details afterwards.
  • Send the minutes within a day. The longer you wait, the less anyone remembers.

Writing meeting minutes with AI

AI can write a solid first draft of the minutes from a recording: it transcribes what was said, separates the speakers and pulls out the decisions and action items. Your job changes from typing to checking — names, figures, and whether a decision was really final.

Two things stay with you. Tell participants that the meeting is recorded and transcribed, and get their consent where the law or your organisation requires it. And read the draft before you send it: AI can attribute a statement to the wrong person or miss the nuance of a compromise.

With MinutesMaster

Get the first draft from your recording

MinutesMaster turns a meeting recording into a speaker-labelled transcript and structured minutes: a summary, the agenda, decisions, action items with owners and the next meeting, plus detailed narrative minutes. Upload a file, record in the browser or in the iPhone and Android apps, or send a bot to Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.

Pick one of 13 built-in templates — general meeting, 1:1, stand-up, board or committee meeting, project kickoff, retrospective and more — or your own, edit anything and export to Word or PDF. Minutes are usually ready a minute or two after the upload finishes. New accounts get 5 free credits, enough for 2.5 hours of meetings.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are meeting minutes?
Meeting minutes are the official written record of a meeting: who attended, what was discussed, what was decided and who will do what next. They summarise outcomes; they are not a transcript of everything that was said.
What should meeting minutes include?
The meeting name, date, time and place; the attendees and apologies; a short summary of each agenda item; the decisions; the action items with owners and due dates; and the date of the next meeting. Formal minutes also record motions, votes and approval.
How long should meeting minutes be?
As short as possible while still complete. For a one-hour team meeting, one page is usually enough. If the minutes keep getting longer, you are probably recording the discussion instead of the outcomes.
Who writes and approves the minutes?
A minute taker or secretary writes them, and the chair checks them before they are sent. In formal settings such as boards and associations, the minutes are approved at the next meeting and often signed.
Should meeting minutes be written in the past tense?
Yes. Minutes are usually written in the past tense and the third person: “The committee approved the budget.” Keep the tone neutral and leave out opinions.
How soon should minutes be sent after a meeting?
Within one working day is a good rule, and within two at the latest. Action items lose momentum quickly, and people correct mistakes best while they still remember the meeting.
Are meeting minutes the same as a transcript?
No. A transcript records everything that was said, word for word; minutes record what was decided and what happens next. MinutesMaster gives you both, and the transcript stays attached to the minutes so you can check what was actually said.
Can AI write meeting minutes?
Yes. Tools such as MinutesMaster transcribe the recording, separate the speakers and draft the minutes with decisions and action items. Someone should still review the draft before it is sent, and participants should know the meeting is being recorded.

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