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How to make a meeting minutes template

24 Oct 2023

Work meetings are fundamental for the organization of a company or team, as well as for the follow-up of the different projects and actions they carry out. In turn, meeting minutes are an essential tool to keep a clear and organized record of the information that is transmitted, the actions and agreements that are established, as well as to provide an effective follow-up.  In this post we tell you everything you need to know about meeting minutes templates, from how to structure them, the types and kinds that exist, and some examples to inspire you.

What are and different examples of meeting minutes?

A meeting minute is a document that captures the key details of a business meeting. It serves as an official record of the topics discussed, decisions made, incidents that occurred, and actions agreed upon by the participants.

This type of registration document is very useful to record all the agreements reached at the meeting, as well as to provide an adequate follow-up of the actions and tasks that were proposed to ensure that they are completed effectively.  Here are some brief examples of meeting minutes with different objectives:

Minutes of a meeting to resolve a specific issue

Meeting name: Q4 Budget Review Date: August 25, 2023  Attendees: Members of the Project Committee (list of names) Objective: Review and approve the Project A budget for the last quarter of the year. Resolution: It was agreed to approve the budget for Project A with an additional allocation of funds for the finance department. The implementation of the new marketing plan was also unanimously approved. The actions for implementation will be detailed in a monthly plan, which will be presented at the next meeting.

Minutes for informing a superior who was not present at the meeting

Name of the meeting: Quarterly project update  Date: October 18, 2023 Attendees: Operations team members (list of names) Objective: To review the progress of Projects B, C and D, as well as the next steps for each.  Summary: The team presented a progress report on Project B, highlighting the completion of the design phase. In addition, information on the status of resources was shared and upcoming project milestones were announced. Updates on Projects C and D were also provided, highlighting challenges overcome and recent accomplishments.

Meeting minutes to establish the actions of each team member around a project.

Meeting name: Kickoff preparation Date: July 10, 2023 Attendees: Marketing team members  Objective: Prepare Project E launch campaign and determine tasks of each team member. Agenda:
  • Campaign concept. 
  • Materials to be developed.
  • Deadlines.
Agreed actions:
  • [Name] will be responsible for coordinating the design to finalize the sketches for the client by Friday. 
  • [Name] will be responsible for researching and presenting vendor options for project materials. 
  • [Name] will confirm the availability of the team to organize training sessions next week.

Types and types of meeting minutes

There are different types and kinds of meeting minutes that vary in structure and content and can be implemented according to the objectives and needs of the work team. Each type of meeting minutes can in turn be organized in the following ways chronological wayThe agenda items are discussed in the order in which they are discussed, by topicgrouping the information around specific topics or areas of discussion, or per shareemphasizing the actions and tasks agreed upon.  Here are the most common types and classes:

Textuals

These minutes record every word spoken during the meeting, so they provide a verbatim transcript of everything that was said. They are characterized by being very detailed and can even give a very clear picture of what happened to anyone who was not present.  This type of minutes is generally used in formal or legal meetings.

In summary

This type of document reflects the key points discussed during a meeting. Unlike textual minutes, these minutes are more concise and are usually focused on specific aspects such as decisions made, actions agreed upon for follow-up, or general highlights of the discussion.   It is common for this type of minutes to be used in executive and high-level meetings.

Resolution

These are those that focus on documenting the decisions made during the meeting. They are especially useful when the objective is to reach conclusions that allow the resolution of a particular issue or problem.  Resolution minutes are common at board and committee meetings.

Informative

These minutes are used to provide detailed information on a specific topic that was discussed during the meeting. They are very useful documents for conveying knowledge or providing updates on projects and situations, both so that participants can review the information and so that it can be passed on to others who were not present at the meeting.

Of shares

This type of minutes are focused on recapitulating the actions agreed upon during the meeting. They detail information on what tasks will be carried out, who is responsible, what the deadlines are, and any other information or resources that may be necessary.  Action minutes are very useful for effective follow-up on post-meeting tasks.

The parts of a meeting minutes

The structure of a meeting minutes can vary depending on the information recording needs of each team. Some elements you can include in your minutes to ensure that the information is as complete as possible are: 
  • HeaderAn initial section containing the necessary data to identify this meeting. For example, the name(s) of the participating company(ies) or team(s), a list of attendees and their roles, as well as the date, time and place where the meeting was held.
  • ObjectiveA brief description of the purpose of the meeting.
  • AgendaAn agenda explaining the items that were discussed during the session.
  • Development of the sessionA synthesis or transcription (depending on the type of minutes to be taken) of the participants' interventions and the information discussed on each topic.
  • Decisions and actionsThe conclusions reached during the session on the tasks to be carried out, including the persons responsible and the deadline for each one.
  • Annexes: Any additional information can be included here, either on topics that were not scheduled on the agenda or that will not require follow-up after the meeting. Supporting documents or links can also be included to follow up on the tasks to be carried out.
At Aticco Workspaces we understand the importance of meetings for teamwork and the effective follow-up of your projects, that's why we offer you multiple rooms from coworking in Barcelona or workspaces in Madridequipped with everything you need to carry out your business meetings without worrying about anything.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES OF MEETING MINUTES

How to write meeting minutes?

Here is a guide to the elements you can include in meeting minutes to ensure that the points discussed, decisions made and actions agreed upon are captured accurately and clearly. 
  1. Heading: Consisting of the reason or subject of the meeting, the date and time it was held, and the people who attended (including their roles).
  2. Objective: Brief description of the purpose of the meeting.
  3. Agenda: Listing of each item discussed during the meeting.
  4. Discussions and decisions: Brief summary of what was discussed in each agenda item, recording the arguments highlighted and decisions made in each.
  5. Agreed actions: List of the actions to be carried out where the responsible persons assigned to each one and the deadline for carrying them out are established.
  6. Annexes/other matters: Additional notes may be included, either on topics that were not contemplated in the agenda, or auxiliary information to follow up on the topics and actions established.
You can add more elements to your meeting minutes template, or make a more condensed version, depending on your team's needs and objectives. It is essential that the content be clear and concise, maintain a professional tone, and above all, be functional to effectively follow up on the topics discussed at the meeting.

How to take minutes of a company meeting?

Establishing a template for meeting minutes within an organization can be an extremely useful tool for keeping a clear and organized record of discussions, decisions and actions taken during meetings. It can also work to give visibility to actions and allow the follow-up of cross-cutting projects involving different teams, even if not all members attend the meetings.  Here are some tips on how to write company meeting minutes:
  • Establishes a format or structure that is easily replicable for all teams in the company.
  • Make sure the wording is clear and concise wording. Highlight key points and formulate short sentences that are related to topics set forth in the meeting agenda so that
  • If you cite participants' comments in the minutes, be sure to correctly assign the comment to the appropriate person. Likewise, assign to each person the tasks or actions that are assigned to him or her according to the according to the agreements established at the meeting.
  • Include any notes or documents you deem necessary as attachments to the minutes to make the information as complete as possible.

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