How Should Meeting Minutes Be Prepared? Things To Exclude

An overview of meeting minutes

Everything that happens during a meeting is recorded in meeting minutes. In these minutes, you will find a summary of key issues discussed, motions proposed or voted on, and upcoming activities. People who weren't present at the meeting can read the minutes of the meeting to be informed or to stay on top of what was decided during the meeting. Generally, they are taken by a group member.

Is there anything that should be avoided from the minutes of a meeting?

· When writing, don't switch tenses. Don't use the present tense.

· Record only the outcome of the debate, not the debate itself. Include the discussion points and the decision.

· Keep your observations and opinions to yourself.

· Do not use verbatim quotations. Make sure you summarize everything.

· If you are confused, do not continue the meeting. Ask for clarification if you miss a key point or change the topic in the minutes.

· Summarizing documents shared during a meeting is not a clever idea. Describe how the papers are used in the minutes and attach them as attachments to the minutes.

Minutes should include the following information:

· You should always include the date, time, and possibly location of your meeting on your template.

· Participant list. Consider specific positions that may be useful for your organization, including a chair, secretary, or committee member.

· The minutes of the previous meeting are approved.

· Agenda for the meeting. The minutes should be a summary of the original agenda for the meeting.

· The vote counts.

· Assignments. Identify which meeting participants are responsible for any action items raised during the meeting.

· Share documents in the meeting. The minutes should include a copy of anything passed around during the meeting.

· Meeting recording. Add a recording (video or audio) to your digital meeting notes if your meeting was recorded.

Agenda for a pre-planning meeting

Meeting minutes are more effective when they are well-planned. It is, therefore, imperative for the person taking minutes to have access to the meeting agenda-preferably as a digital file that he or she can copy and use to take notes.

Having this information in advance will help the reporter anticipate what is going to happen next.

Additional hints

· Keep meeting minutes during the meeting and refine them afterward. While you are still fresh in your memory, you should record information from the meeting.

· Keep meeting notes digitally. You'll need to share and store the minutes online, so don't handwrite them first unless you plan on typing them up again.

· As shorthand for people's full names, use their initials.

· Take a recording device with you. Record the meeting if you can't keep up with it and need a reference for later (with permission from everyone).

Final words

Minutes of a meeting are mandatory for organizations that wish to keep track of meetings, topics, votes, and decisions. Whether it is a board meeting, team meeting, or project check-in, minutes can be used for any type of gathering.