When it comes to running effective and efficient meetings, one of the most important aspects is taking accurate and comprehensive meeting minutes. Meeting minutes are a written record of what was discussed and agreed upon in a meeting, and recording effective meeting minutes is a critical skill for all professionals. It is important not only to provide an accurate record of the meeting but also to ensure that all attendees are aware of the decisions made and their roles and responsibilities within the meeting. Writing meeting minutes can be a daunting task, but with the right knowledge and the right tools, you can easily master the art of taking accurate and comprehensive meeting minutes. In this blog post, we will discuss how to write meeting minutes in a professional tone, including the elements that should be included in meeting minutes and tips on how to take effective meeting minutes.
What to include in meeting minutes
You should include specific information in meeting minutes that will be useful to employees who need to refer to them later. Here are the elements to include when writing meeting minutes:
What are meeting minutes?
Meeting minutes frequently serve as a record of the decisions made during meetings, such as the projects assigned, the people to whom these projects were assigned, and other significant business decisions. This aids participants in the meeting to recall the topics discussed. Additionally, it enables workers who were unable to attend the meeting to learn what was discussed so they don’t miss any crucial information.
How to write meeting minutes
The procedures listed below describe how to draft meeting minutes and how to give them to staff members.
1. Prepare a template before the meeting begins
You can create a template and fill it out before the meeting or as soon as you are seated in the meeting space to ensure you are prepared for the meeting. You can create a template in advance with placeholders for particular meeting items and data.
If you and the meeting leader talk about what details are crucial for you to include in the minutes, creating this template might be simpler. You can also ask to see previous meetings to familiarize yourself with the previous formatting and get a better idea of what to include. When you are aware of the information to include in the minutes, create your template and start filling in the blanks.
The following are typical placeholders from a template that you can utilize:
It might be simpler to get to the meeting early to complete as much of the template before the meeting starts.
2. Take notes about important actions, decisions, assigned projects and discussions
You can start taking significant meeting notes as soon as the meeting starts. Instead of attempting to record everything that was said during the meeting, it might be simpler to just highlight the key points. Write down who asked to move a motion, what the motion was, and whether it was approved if attendees attempt to pass any motions. You should also document any time a vote is taken.
Note the names of any individuals who provide reports or presentations, as well as any noteworthy details. Additionally, you can record any new or updated assignments a manager has given a worker. Make a note of the assignment’s title, crucial information, and the precise due date. Rarely will managers or senior leadership ask you to take notes during conversations or meetings. If they do, try to avoid using adjectives to describe people, their actions, or your personal opinions when you record these.
3. Collect copies of any reports or presentations
If there were any reports or presentations made during the meeting, you should ask the presenter for these materials after the meeting. You can request an email copy if they are unable to hand it to you in person. You can include these reports or presentations when you send the minutes to the required staff. This helps refresh the memories of meeting attendees. Additionally, it will make it easier for those who missed the meeting to understand crucial information.
4. Review your notes and ask any final questions
Record the time the meeting was adjourned after it has concluded. Look over your notes quickly to see if you missed anything important while taking them. If the person you need more information from is still in the room and not otherwise engaged, you can ask them for it.
5. Type your meeting notes in easily understandable paragraphs
You should type your meeting minutes as soon as the meeting is over and you have finished taking notes so that the information is still fresh in your mind. Each significant choice or action should be described in detail in its own paragraph. Your meeting minutes should be written entirely in the present tense. Make sure the language is clear and unbiased for the audience. You should concentrate on the outcomes of the meeting.
If there are multiple pages, you can number them once you’ve typed up your minutes. Add any necessary addenda, and proofread for grammatical, spelling, and clarity errors.
6. Request approval from leadership
You can send this document to the meeting organizer for approval after typing up your notes. Inquire if there is anyone else who needs to see and approve this document. Send the meeting minutes to all relevant parties and request their approval. If they read the minutes and ask for any corrections, make them right away, then before sending them out, note on the minutes that they were corrected and approved.
7. Send the minutes to your list of employees
When you’re prepared to share your minutes, inquire with the meeting facilitator about how to do so. Email is typically the primary method of transmitting meeting minutes. Discover the preferred method of the leadership and send it with any necessary documents attached.
Make sure you’ve sent this document to everyone who needs to attend and everyone who needs to be absent from your list. Additionally, you should confirm this list with the meeting organizer and inquire as to whether they would like you to send the meeting minutes to any other staff members.
Tips for writing meeting minutes
The meeting minutes must be meticulously written to ensure that all pertinent details are included for the employees’ reference. The guidelines listed below will teach you how to properly write meeting minutes.
Distribute an attendance sheet if needed
You must be familiar with each meeting participant because you frequently need to send the document to them afterward. Once the meeting starts, you can pass an attendance sheet around if you don’t know who is there and don’t have their contact information. To make it simple for you to send the document to the required employees, this will help you collect their name and contact information.
Record only important meeting items
Few managers or meeting facilitators demand that you record everything that is said or done in a meeting. You can verify beforehand what items they would like recorded. Once you are aware of what must be recorded, you can limit your writing to the most significant meeting decisions and actions. This prevents you from exerting yourself by taking a lot of notes and makes it possible for you to be ready when you need to record significant action items.
Use shorthand to help you write quicker
It can be challenging to quickly record everything that is said when many important things are mentioned at once. Consequently, you can create a shorthand to facilitate effective information recording. You can represent frequently used meeting phrases with acronyms that you can easily understand, write meeting participants’ initials rather than their full names, or use other techniques. This may make it simpler for you to keep up with the meeting’s pace.
Bring a recording device if desired
You can bring a recording device to help you capture the meeting as effectively as possible, especially if the meeting leader requests more information than usual. When composing the meeting minutes, you can use this device to check that nothing crucial was missed. Be sure to get your meeting’s facilitator’s prior approval, let attendees know that the meeting will be recorded, and, if necessary, get their permission before recording begins.
Find a pre-made template
You can find a pre-made template online to work from if you have never taken meeting minutes before and are unable to locate earlier meeting minutes. You can look for one online, save it, and then edit it to fit the format you want. Once you’ve created a template for meeting minutes, you can consistently use it for every meeting to maintain consistency and make it easier for attendees to find information from each meeting. .
How To Write Meeting Minutes In English
FAQ
What is the format of the minutes?
- 1 Date and time of the meeting. …
- 2 Names of the participants. …
- 3 Purpose of the meeting. …
- 4 Agenda items and topics discussed. …
- 5 Action items. …
- 6 Next meeting date and place. …
- 7 Documents to be included in the report.
What are the five steps that you should include in writing meeting minutes?
Typically, minutes start with the name of the organization that convened the meeting (e g. , a board) as well as the venue, date, attendees’ list, and the moment the chair declared the meeting to be open. All official decisions must be included because the minutes’ main purpose is to record the decisions made.
