Meeting minutes template

Copy this meeting minutes template

Select the text in this block and copy it into a document. Replace each bracketed field. Add a row for each decision or action, and remove sections that your meeting does not need. The template is usable on its own.

MEETING MINUTES

Meeting: [Name and purpose]
Date and time: [Date, start and finish, time zone]
Location or call: [Room or platform]
Chair: [Name]
Minutes prepared by: [Name]
Attendees: [Names and roles]
Apologies: [Names, if applicable]
Status: [Draft / reviewed / approved]

1. PREVIOUS ACTIONS
Action: [Task]
Owner: [Name]
Status: [Done / open / blocked]
Update: [What changed]

2. AGENDA ITEM: [Topic]
Discussion: [Brief factual account]
Decision: [Exact agreed result, or no decision]
Reason or condition: [Relevant context]
Open question: [What still needs an answer]

3. ACTIONS
Task: [Specific next step]
Owner: [Name, or unassigned]
Due: [Date, or to be confirmed]
Dependency: [What must happen first]

4. NEXT MEETING
Date and time: [Details, or to be confirmed]
Proposed topics: [Open items]

5. REVIEW
Reviewed by: [Name]
Corrections: [Changes made]
Approved on: [Date, where required]

Write decisions so they stand on their own

A reader should understand the decision without reconstructing the whole conversation. Name the subject and the agreed result. Include a condition if it changes what the team can do next. “Proceed after finance confirms the budget” is different from an unconditional approval.

If the group discussed an option without choosing it, write “no decision” and explain what information is needed. Avoid language that makes a suggestion sound approved. Minutes are useful because they preserve the difference between a discussion and a commitment.

For formal meetings, check whether your organization requires motions, votes, declarations, or other records. Add those fields to the template as needed. The general template is a starting point for ordinary work meetings, not a replacement for your organization's required process.

Make the action list specific

An action needs a task someone can begin. “Look at the budget” leaves too much open. “Send the revised budget assumptions to the project lead” gives the owner a clearer job. Add the agreed due date and any dependency.

Do not assign a task to someone just because they mentioned the topic. Confirm responsibility with the group. If no owner or deadline was agreed, say so and resolve it after the meeting.

Draft minutes from the recording

Meeting.ai can record in person through a phone or browser. Its Meeting Bot joins Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. You can also upload an existing audio or video file. Tell participants about recording and follow the rules for the discussion.

Use the transcript and notes as source material for the draft. Ask the agent to organize the minutes by agenda item, separate decisions from open questions, and keep unassigned actions visible. Meeting.ai can create editable documents and PDFs, so you can review the draft in the format you need.

Review before circulating

Check participant names, dates, amounts, decisions, and action owners. Compare ambiguous points with the transcript and ask the chair or participants to clarify them. Mark the document as draft until the relevant review is complete.

Send the minutes to the intended readers and carry unfinished actions into the next agenda. A useful set of minutes helps the next meeting start from the existing record, with a clear view of what was completed and what still needs attention.