How to write meeting minutes (with a simple template)

Minutes are the official record of what a meeting decided. They protect the organisation and help members who could not attend. Good minutes are short and factual.

What minutes should include

• The name of the organisation, the date, time and venue
• Who was present and who sent apologies
• Whether a quorum was present
• Each agenda item with a short summary of the discussion
• Every decision, with who proposed and seconded it and the result of the vote
• Action items: what, who and by when
• The time the meeting closed and the date of the next meeting

What to leave out

Do not record every comment or personal opinion. Minutes record decisions, not drama.

A simple template

Minutes of the [monthly] meeting of [Organisation] held on [date] at [venue]. Present: [names]. Apologies: [names]. Quorum: yes/no.
1. Previous minutes: approved (proposed by X, seconded by Y).
2. Treasurer's report: [summary].
3. Action items: [what / who / when].
Closed at [time]. Next meeting: [date].

Publish them

Approve the minutes at the next meeting, then publish them to members. In myOrganizationApp, the meetings tool keeps the agenda, attendance register and minutes together.