Free meeting minutes template, built with AI

What are meeting minutes?

Meeting minutes are the official written record of a meeting. They capture who attended, what was discussed, what was decided and who’s responsible for what next. Good minutes stop the “I thought we agreed…” problem, keep absent colleagues informed, and give boards and committees a formal record they may be legally required to keep.

Minutes aren’t a transcript. You don’t write down everything that’s said, only the outcomes. This meeting minutes template keeps you focused on what matters: decisions and action items.

What to include in meeting minutes

• Meeting details: name of the group, date, time and location or video link.
• Attendees and absentees, plus who chaired and who took the minutes.
• Agenda items, each with a short summary of the discussion.
• Decisions made, written clearly so there’s no doubt later.
• Action items, each with an owner and a due date.
• Next meeting date and time.

How to take meeting minutes, step by step

1. Prepare before the meeting

Get the agenda in advance and set up the template with the meeting details and agenda items already filled in. You’ll only need to add outcomes during the meeting.

2. Record attendance

Note who’s present, who sent apologies and whether the meeting has a quorum, if that matters for your group.

3. Summarize, don’t transcribe

For each agenda item, write one or two sentences on the discussion and then the outcome:

“Sam presented the Q4 campaign. Decision: 60% of Q4 paid budget goes to LinkedIn, 40% to search.”

4. Capture every action

Whenever someone agrees to do something, write down what, who and by when. If no one owns it, ask the chair before moving on.

5. Note the next meeting

Finish with the date and time of the next meeting so everyone leaves with it in their calendar.

What to do after the meeting

Tidy up your notes and send the minutes within 24 hours, while everyone still remembers the discussion. Ask the chair to review them first for formal meetings. Start the next meeting by reviewing last time’s action items; it’s the simplest way to make sure things actually get done.

Tips for better meeting minutes

• Use the same template every time so people know where to look.
• Write in plain, neutral language and avoid recording opinions or who said what, unless required.
• Put the action items table at the end where it’s easy to find.
• Store minutes in a shared folder so anyone can look up past decisions.

Meeting minutes questions