Guide

How to Write Meeting Minutes (Template + Examples)

Meeting minutes are the official record of what was discussed, decided, and assigned. Done well, they take ten minutes and save your team hours of confusion. Here's the exact process — with a template you can copy.

What meeting minutes should include

  • • Header: date, time, location, chair, minute-taker.
  • • Attendance: who was present, who sent apologies, who was absent.
  • • Approval of previous minutes: approved as read, or with amendments.
  • • Agenda items: one short paragraph per item with the decision.
  • • Action items: owner + task + due date, always.
  • • Next meeting: date, time, and location.

The step-by-step process

  1. Prepare beforehand. Pull up the agenda, attendee list, and the previous minutes. Pre-fill everything you already know.
  2. Record attendance as people join. Don't leave it to the end — you will forget.
  3. Take notes by agenda item, not chronologically. Two or three sentences per topic is enough.
  4. Write decisions in bold. Anyone skimming should be able to answer "what did we decide?" in ten seconds.
  5. Capture action items in the moment. Ask out loud: "Who owns this and by when?" if the group hasn't said.
  6. Clean up within an hour. Memory fades fast — fix typos and clarify wording while the meeting is fresh.
  7. Distribute within 24 hours. Late minutes are ignored minutes.

The template

**Organization:** [Name]
**Meeting:** [Title]
**Date & time:** [YYYY-MM-DD, HH:MM]
**Location:** [In person / Video link]
**Chair:** [Name]
**Minute-taker:** [Name]
**Attendees:** [Names]
**Apologies / Absent:** [Names]

**1. Call to order**
Meeting called to order at [time] by [chair].

**2. Approval of previous minutes**
Minutes from [previous date] approved / approved with amendments.

**3. Agenda items**
3.1 [Topic] — Discussion summary. Decision: [outcome].
3.2 [Topic] — Discussion summary. Decision: [outcome].

**4. Action items**
- [ ] Owner — Task — Due date
- [ ] Owner — Task — Due date

**5. Next meeting**
[Date, time, location]

**6. Adjournment**
Meeting adjourned at [time].

Copy the block above and paste it into your notes app.

Example: a worked set of minutes

**Organization:** Northline Robotics
**Meeting:** Weekly product sync
**Date & time:** 2026-07-02, 10:00
**Location:** Zoom
**Chair:** Priya Shah
**Minute-taker:** Alex Nguyen
**Attendees:** Priya, Alex, Marcus, Sarah
**Apologies:** Devon (on leave)

**1. Call to order**
Called to order at 10:02 by Priya.

**2. Approval of previous minutes**
Minutes from 2026-06-25 approved as read.

**3. Agenda items**
3.1 Beta feedback — 12 of 15 testers reported the onboarding flow is confusing.
    Decision: rewrite the first three screens before public launch.
3.2 Launch date — Discussed pulling launch forward. Marketing needs 3 weeks lead time.
    Decision: launch stays on Aug 20.

**4. Action items**
- [ ] Sarah — Rewrite onboarding copy — Jul 10
- [ ] Marcus — Update launch email sequence — Jul 15

**5. Next meeting**
2026-07-09, 10:00, Zoom.

**6. Adjournment**
Adjourned at 10:38.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • • Writing a full transcript. Minutes are decisions and actions, not dialogue.
  • • Naming people who "raised concerns" without recording the outcome.
  • • Leaving action items without an owner or a date.
  • • Sending minutes days later, when momentum is gone.

FAQ

How detailed should meeting minutes be?

Enough that someone absent can catch up in two minutes. That usually means two or three sentences per agenda item, plus the decisions and actions.

Do minutes need to be verbatim?

No. Unless you're a board or a legal body with a specific requirement, summary-style minutes are the standard.

Who approves the minutes?

The chair typically reviews first, and the group formally approves them at the start of the next meeting.

What is the difference between meeting minutes and meeting notes?

Minutes are the official record of a meeting — attendance, motions, decisions, and actions — kept for accountability. Notes are informal and written for whoever takes them.

How quickly should minutes be distributed?

Within 24 hours while details are fresh, and always before the next meeting so attendees can raise corrections before approval.

Can AI take meeting minutes for me?

Yes. AI Meeting Companion records on your device without a bot joining the call, then produces the summary, decisions, and action items you can paste straight into this minutes template. The free plan includes up to 600 transcription minutes a month and up to 45 minutes of active recording per meeting.

Related reading