(2) Meeting Minutes Template: 7 Vital Writing Tips

Writing the Minutes of the Meeting – a Short Guide

The minutes of a meeting are an integral part of a meeting’s documentations. The minutes records everything discussed during the meeting and ensure that everyone is on the same page. They also serves as a reference for those who were unable to attend the meeting, or for those who are conducting research on a related topic. They form an official document, and their value is incalculable as they permanently records all decisions made during a meeting and the circumstances that led to the decisions.

How to Write Meeting Minutes Part 1
Meeting Minutes Template Free Download Part 2
Additional Sources Part 3

Part 1

Given their importance, writing down minutes during the meeting is critical. Here are some points to consider when taking the minutes of a meeting:

Take down the minutes as the discussion is taking place.

Write down everything you hear during the discussions and try to compose coherent sentences. If you wait until the meeting ends before you record the minutes, you are likely to forget a large proportion of the relevant matters discussed during the meeting.
Do not forget to state essential information

such as: the company or organization name, the title of the meeting (e.g., “4th Board Meeting”, “7th Project Status Meeting”, etc.), the date, time, and venue of the meeting, reference number, and most importantly, the agenda of the meeting.
First, list all completed actions from the previous meeting, even if these were not the first item discussed.

If an assignment was not yet complete, provide a status update, as reported by the person or department concerned.
The most important things to state in the minutes of a meeting are the names of the attendees and those who were not able to make it;

the tasks assigned and the person or unit tasks were assigned to and the decisions made during the meeting.
Using a meeting minutes template will make the task easier.

Your team can create one or can search the Internet for a free template to download. When choosing a template from those available on the Web, take into consideration all the fields or sections that need to be filled up. Make sure that these areas are relevant to your project or to the organization and that the discussion includes all those items.
Use tables when writing down the minutes of the meeting.

Aside from the fact that a narrative in a tabular form is easier on the eyes, it is also effective when people want to see the points which are directly relevant to them.
As soon as the minutes of the meeting is ready, send them out immediately.

Make sure to send a copy to all the attendees and, to those who were not able to attend, so they will have an idea what was discussed during the meeting. Ensure that the minutes of the meeting is circulated before the next meeting.

The key to effective minutes of the meeting is to be thorough with the statements. Be sure to check all the facts and figures, and as much as possible, write everything down as it happens so that you don’t miss anything out.

Part 2

Meeting Minutes Template: Free Download

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Part 3

(2) Meeting Minutes Template: 7 Vital Writing Tips | Free Download

Writing the Minutes of the Meeting – a Short Guide

Take down the minutes as the discussion is taking place.

Do not forget to state essential information

First, list all completed actions from the previous meeting, even if these were not the first item discussed.

The most important things to state in the minutes of a meeting are the names of the attendees and those who were not able to make it;

Using a meeting minutes template will make the task easier.

Use tables when writing down the minutes of the meeting.

As soon as the minutes of the meeting is ready, send them out immediately.

Meeting Minutes Template: Free Download

Additional Sources