How to Write Meeting Minutes: A Template and How to Finish 90% During the Meeting
Minutes take a long time because you write them after the meeting. Reconstructing what people said from memory eats more time than the meeting itself. This guide covers the three elements every set of minutes needs, a template you can use as-is, a routine for finishing almost everything during the meeting, and how to review the minutes before sending them out.
The three things every set of minutes needs
Minutes are not a replay of the meeting. People who read them later only want three things: what was decided, who will do what, and why. If those three are written down, you can drop the order of the discussion and the exact wording.
| Element | What to write | What happens if it's missing |
|---|---|---|
| Decisions | Each decision in one definite sentence | The same discussion is repeated at the next meeting |
| Action items | Who, by when, what | Something was decided but nobody acts on it |
| Key points and reasons | Options that were rejected, and why | Six months later nobody knows why it was done this way |
The third item, rejected options and the reasons, is often skipped, but it pays off the most later. If only the decision is recorded, someone unfamiliar with the background will bring the same option up again and the discussion starts from scratch. A single line such as “Option A not adopted because the cost exceeds the budget” prevents that round trip.
A template you can use as-is
If the order is the same every time, readers can jump straight to what they need and the writer only has to fill in the blanks. These eight headings are enough.
| Heading | What to write | When to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting name, date, place | Weekly project meeting #12 / 10 Sep 10:00–11:00 / online | Before the meeting |
| Attendees and absentees | Names. List absentees too | Before the meeting |
| Agenda | Paste the agenda as it is | Before the meeting |
| Decisions | Definite statements in a numbered list | During the meeting |
| Action items | A table of owner, deadline and task | During the meeting |
| Key points | Options not adopted and the reasons | During the meeting |
| Next meeting | Date and what needs to be decided next | At the end of the meeting |
| Notes | Links to shared materials and so on | Any time |
The order matters. Put decisions and action items near the top. Most readers only look at what was decided and at their own tasks. If you write a long background first, they never reach the important part.
- End decisions with a definite verb: “Will consider moving towards…” is not a decision. If nothing was decided, write it as an action item saying who will decide by when.
- Always give action items a named owner: “Sales team to handle” means nobody acts. Write a person's name, not a department.
- Write deadlines as dates: not “by next week” but “by 17 September”. Relative expressions change meaning when read later.
- Use a plain, concise style: polite phrasing isn't needed. It's shorter and makes facts and opinions easier to tell apart.
- Aim for about 300–500 words for a 30-minute meeting: if you go far beyond that, you are probably writing too much.
Finish 90% during the meeting
Minutes feel like a burden because you reconstruct them afterwards from memory and recordings. If you fill them in as the meeting goes, they are almost complete when it ends.
- 1
Fill in the template up to the agenda before the meeting
The meeting name, date, attendees and agenda can all be written beforehand. Paste the agenda and create an empty heading for each item. Do that, and on the day you only need to drop in the content.
- 2
Write while sharing your screen
If everyone can see what you write, mistakes get pointed out on the spot. That removes the back-and-forth of checking afterwards, and attendees speak more carefully knowing they're on record.
- 3
Capture only decisions and action items in real time
Don't try to follow every argument. Only type when you hear “so we've decided” or “I'll take that away”. A line or two of key points added afterwards is enough to capture the flow.
- 4
If something is drifting into vagueness, confirm it out loud
Ask, “So Sarah will get a quote by next Friday, is that right?” This is the minute-taker's privilege and the most valuable part of the job. Pin it down now and you'll never face something you can't write up later.
- 5
Read the decisions aloud five minutes before the end
Read them to everyone and get agreement. Any objection can be fixed on the spot, and you can distribute the minutes as an already-confirmed record.
Meetings whose minutes are always long are often meetings that are too long themselves, or that spend too much time on status reports. Record how much time each agenda item actually took and look at it as an allocation: you'll find items you can cut. Seeing the time allocation gives you material for restructuring the next agenda.
FAQ
- What should meeting minutes include?
- The core is three things: decisions, action items (who, by when, what) and the key points of discussion. Add the meeting name, date, attendees, agenda and next meeting as standard fields. There's no need to transcribe remarks word for word unless rules require it, as for shareholders' or board meetings. The most often forgotten item is “options not adopted and why”; a single line of it prevents the same idea being raised again later.
- Any tips for writing minutes faster?
- Write them during the meeting, not afterwards. Fill in the meeting name, attendees and agenda before it starts, and on the day capture only decisions and action items while sharing your screen. Don't follow every argument; only type when you hear “decided” or “I'll take that away”. If something is about to drift by vaguely, pin it down on the spot: “So that's Alex, by Friday, correct?”
- How long should meeting minutes be?
- About 300–500 words for a 30-minute meeting is a good guide. If you're far beyond that, explanations unrelated to the decisions or copied remarks have probably crept in. Most readers only look at decisions and their own tasks, so it matters more that those two are at the top and easy to find than how long the minutes are.
- When should minutes be shared?
- The same day as the meeting, ideally within two hours of it ending. Speed is worth more than perfection. Sent while memories are fresh, attendees can spot errors and start their action items sooner. If you write them during the meeting while sharing your screen and read the decisions aloud five minutes before the end, they're ready to send as soon as it finishes.
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