How to take minutes in a meeting: strategies for efficiency and accuracy

Teams often need to follow up after meetings or review what they discussed. Each member also needs to know what action items they are responsible for afterwards. Meeting minutes help manage this as they are a written record of the important points of a meeting.  

Meeting minutes are valuable for teams, aiding communication across the organisation. They provide a brief overview of discussions and enhance team efficiency. If you're the team secretary, you should learn to compose meeting minutes effectively. Clear guidelines and templates can simplify the process and contribute to more productive meetings.  

Here’s what we will cover in this article:  

• What are meeting minutes? 
• What should you include in meeting minutes? 
• Tips on writing meeting minutes 
• Steps to take if you are responsible for taking minutes 
• Meeting minute templates you can use 
• Meeting minute examples in the workplace
• How much time should you be spending on meeting minutes? 
• Can I use AI to write my meeting minutes? 
• Conclusion 
• FAQs 

What are meeting minutes? 

You write meeting minutes to record the decisions made during a meeting. They apply to all organisational groups, such as boards of directors, leadership teams, and investors. They are also known as minutes of meetings, or MoM in Singapore.  

This report serves as a tool to update absent team members. By tracking decisions and tasks, it becomes easier to review them later, and past meeting minutes guide future organisational choices. 

What should you include in meeting minutes? 

Meeting minutes can vary based on the type of meeting documented. Generally, they comprise: 

• Date and time 
• Venue (online or physical) 
• Attendees and absences 
• Approval or amendments to prior minutes 
• Agenda 
• Resolutions 
• Action items 

Personalised additions might consist of the following: 

• Additional documents 
• Tasks to be undertaken 
• Meeting goals 
• Topics for upcoming deliberations 
• Progress reports and voting outcomes 
• Subsequent actions like research or follow-ups 
• Segregating attendees into guests, non-voters, or speakers. 

Tips on writing meeting minutes 

Here are some tips on how to write meeting minutes and how detailed meeting minutes should be. 

1. Create an outline 

Before the meeting, choose or create a template for outlining purposes. Ensure that your template includes distinct sections, like attendee lists or action items, facilitating the organisation of your notes during the session.  

2. Provide meeting information 

Include facts such as the meeting location and time. List the meeting participants.  

3. Record the decisions 

Record all decisions made by the team during the meeting. If these decisions involve voting, specify the number of votes for each option. Additionally, note the number of votes for options not pursued by the attendees. 

4. Be concise 

Avoid attempting to document every detail. Focus on recording the most pertinent or significant ideas discussed during the meeting. It's acceptable if your minutes don't encompass every single meeting detail. 

5. Make an official record of it 

Think about using a device, like a voice recording app, during the meeting. It's usually unnecessary to transcribe the entire recording into your minutes. However, recording can benefit fast-paced meetings with numerous participants or extensive topics. 

6. Attach supplementary documents 

Remember to attach or provide links to relevant supplementary documents when distributing meeting minutes. These resources may comprise papers referenced during the meeting, aiding colleagues in understanding the topics discussed. 

7. Request clarification if needed 

Meetings may become disorderly when multiple individuals speak simultaneously. In Singapore, language mix-ups might also occur. Ensure comprehension of the noted points' outcomes in the minutes and request clarification when needed. 

Steps to take if you are responsible for taking minutes 

Now, we'll dive into the steps for taking meeting minutes.  

1. Planning 

You can structure the key topics for discussion by utilising one of our meeting templates. Employing a meeting minutes template saves time and effort, fostering familiarity with consistent use. 

Carefully consider the items to include in your minutes. In a Harvard Business Review article, Steven G. Rogelberg highlights why meeting agendas are so important: 

“What matters is not the agenda itself but the relevance and importance of what's on it, and how the leader facilitates discussion of the agenda items.”  

2. Record-taking at the meeting 

Before you begin writing your meeting minutes, note the date and time of the meeting. When the meeting begins, capture key points, discussions, decisions made, and action items assigned.  

Additionally, capture the presenters' names and summarise their presentations. Lastly, record the names of both attendees and absentees. 

3. Minutes writing or transcribing 

Review the agenda to understand the meeting in its entirety. Incorporate reminders as notes. Scrutinise actions, motions, votes, and decisions for precision. Refine the record to ensure concise, lucid, and readable minutes. 

As part of your meeting minutes process, record meeting action items in real-time so you can accurately transcribe them. 

4. Distribute the minutes among your team 

After finalising and endorsing the minutes, email them to all participants and absent team members. You can conveniently adjust sharing permissions to "viewer" for Google Docs minutes. Alternatively, convert a word-processing document into a PDF for email sharing. 

5. Signing, filing, and sharing minutes 

After finalising your board meeting minutes, the board secretary must authenticate them by signing. Additionally, your organisation may require the president's signature for formal approval. 

Meeting minute templates you can use 

Template 1 

[Meeting name/title] meeting minutes 

Date: [Date of the Meeting]  

Time: [Time of the Meeting]  

Location: [Location of the Meeting] 

Attendees: 

• [Name 1] 
• [Name 2] 
• [Name 3] 
• [Name 4] 
• [Name 5] 
• [Name 6] 

Agenda: 

1. Welcome and Introductions 
2. Review of Previous Meeting Minutes 
3. Discussion Item 1: [Topic] 
4. Discussion Item 2: [Topic] 
5. Action Items 
6. Next Meeting Date and Time 
7. Adjournment 

Meeting Proceedings: 

1. Welcome and Introductions: [Chairperson/Leader] welcomed all attendees and introduced the purpose of the meeting. 
2. Review of Previous Meeting Minutes: [Secretary/Designated Person] summarised the key points from the previous meeting. Attendees provided any corrections or amendments to the minutes. 
3. Discussion Item 1: [Topic]: [Discussion summary, decisions made, actions assigned, etc.] 
4. Discussion Item 2: [Topic]: [Discussion summary, decisions made, actions assigned, etc.] 
5. Action Items: [Action item 1]:
   ⁠[Assigned to: Name, Deadline: Date] 
   ⁠[Action item 2]: [Assigned to: Name, Deadline: Date] 
   ⁠[Action item 3]: [Assigned to: Name, Deadline: Date] 
6. Next Meeting Date and Time: The next meeting is scheduled for [Date] at [Time] at [Location]. 
7. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at [Time]. 

Minutes Prepared by: [Name/Designation of the person preparing minutes] 

Approved by: [Chairperson/Leader or Designated Approver] 

Template 2 

Date: [Date of the Meeting]  

Time: [Time of the Meeting]  

Location: [Location of the Meeting] 

Attendees: 

• [Name 1] 
• [Name 2] 
• [Name 3] 
• [Name 4] 
• [Name 5] 
• [Name 6] 

Minutes Approval: The meeting minutes held on [Date] were reviewed and approved as drafted. 

Meeting Agenda Item 1: [Topic] [Summary of discussion, decisions made, etc.] 

Meeting Agenda Item 2: [Topic] [Summary of discussion, decisions made, etc.] 

Action Items: 

1. [Action item 1]: [Assigned to: Name, Deadline: Date] 
2. [Action item 2]: [Assigned to: Name, Deadline: Date] 
3. [Action item 3]: [Assigned to: Name, Deadline: Date] 

Next Meeting Date: [Date]  

Next Meeting Time: [Time]  

Next Meeting Location: [Location] 

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at [Time]. 

Minutes Prepared by: [Name/Designation of the person preparing minutes] 

Approved by: [Chairperson/Leader or Designated Approver] 

This template helps record meeting minutes in an organised manner, guaranteeing all pertinent details are accurately and completely recorded.  

Adjust the template as necessary to meet your group or organisation's unique needs and cultures. 

Meeting minute examples in the workplace  

Example 1 

​​[Meeting name/title] meeting minutes 

Date: April 3, 2024 

Time: 10:00 AM 

Location: Conference Room A 

Attendees: 

• Nur Hidayah 
• John Tan 
• Ain Hidayah Soong 
• Muthusamy 
• Kaw Tin Tin 
• Arvin  

Agenda: 

• Welcome and Introductions 
• Review of Previous Meeting Minutes 
• Discussion Item 1: Quarterly Sales Report 
• Discussion Item 2: Marketing Strategy Update 
• Action Items 
• Next Meeting Date and Time 

Adjournment 

Meeting Proceedings: 

Welcome and Introductions: 

Sit Fatimah, the chairperson, welcomed all attendees and introduced the purpose of the meeting. 

Review of Previous Meeting Minutes: 

Arvin summarised the key points from the previous meeting. Attendees provided any corrections or amendments to the minutes. 

Discussion Item 1: Quarterly Sales Report: 

Kaw Tin Tin presented the quarterly sales report, highlighting key metrics and trends. After discussion, it was decided to allocate additional resources to the underperforming regions and to initiate a new customer feedback survey. 

Discussion Item 2: Marketing Strategy Update: 

Muthusamy updated the marketing strategy, outlining upcoming campaigns and advertising channels. The team agreed to incorporate more social media advertising and explore influencer partnerships. 

Action Items: 

• [Action item 1]: Analyse customer feedback survey results [Assigned to: John Tan, Deadline: April 10, 2024] 
• [Action item 2]: Draft proposal for regional resource allocation adjustments [Assigned to: Nur Hidayah, Deadline: April 7, 2024] 
• [Action item 3]: Research potential influencer partnerships [Assigned to: Ain Hidayah Soong, Deadline: April 15, 2024] 

Next Meeting Date and Time: 

The next meeting is scheduled for April 17, 2024, at 10:00 AM in Conference Room A. 

Adjournment: 

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 AM. 

Minutes Prepared by: Nur Hidayah Chairperson 

Approved by: Nur Hidayah, Chairperson 

Example 2 

Date: April 3, 2024 

Time: 2:00 PM 

Location: Conference Room B 

Attendees: 

• Mosyi  
• Ain Hidayah  
• Harshini  
• Eric Chee 
• Tan Jie Qi 
• Erica Tan 

Minutes Approval: 

The meeting minutes held on April 1, 2024, were reviewed and approved as drafted. 

Meeting Agenda Item 1: Project Status Update 

Mosyi summarised the current project status, highlighting milestones achieved and upcoming deadlines. After discussion, it was agreed that task completion should be prioritised according to the revised timeline. 

Meeting Agenda Item 2: Budget Review 

Erica Tan presented the budget review for the current quarter, identifying areas of overspending and potential cost-saving measures. The team discussed strategies to reallocate funds and reduce expenses. 

Action Items: 

• [Action item 1]: Finalise project timeline adjustments [Assigned to: Eric Chee, Deadline: April 5, 2024] 
• [Action item 2]: Implement cost-saving measures outlined in the budget review [Assigned to: Tan Jie Qi, Deadline: April 10, 2024] 
• [Action item 3]: Schedule meeting with stakeholders to communicate project updates [Assigned to Harshini, Deadline: April 7, 2024] 

Next Meeting Date: April 17, 2024 

Next Meeting Time: 2:00 PM 

Next Meeting Location: Conference Room B 

Adjournment: 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 PM. 

Minutes Prepared by: Ain Hidayah, Project Manager 

Approved by: Eric Chee, Team Leader 

How much time should you be spending on meeting minutes? 

Prioritising quality is paramount in crafting meeting minutes. While accurately capturing essential discussions and decisions is crucial, excessive time spent on this task can hinder effectiveness.  

Allocating 15–30 minutes is typically sufficient for most meetings, balancing efficiency and accuracy. However, more intricate discussions or significant gatherings may require additional comprehensive documentation time. 

Templates can provide structure and consistency to the process, helping to streamline it and save time. Instead of transcribing every detail, focus on key points to distil information effectively. 

Can I use AI to write my meeting minutes? 

You can consider using AI to write your meeting minutes. Meeting note-taking is no longer a time-consuming task with inaccuracies and missed details. The introduction of AI in this field has ushered in a new era of precision, efficiency, and convenience.  

AI-driven tools can efficiently listen, translate, summarise, and assess meeting content. They transform lengthy recordings into actionable insights and recommendations within minutes. This technological advancement not only saves time but also enhances team productivity. 

Benefits of using artificial intelligence for meeting notes 

Including AI in your meeting and note-taking procedure provides several benefits: 

1. Improved accuracy  
   ⁠AI algorithms aim to accurately capture spoken words, minimising errors and ensuring comprehensive detail retention. 
2. Time efficiency  
   ⁠Automating note-taking enables team members to engage in discussions actively and ensure that all information is accurately recorded. 
3. Improved organisation  
   ⁠AI tools classify and store notes in an orderly fashion, making finding and retrieving information simple. 
4. Accessibility  
   ⁠With AI, you can get meeting notes from anywhere and anytime. This helps remote and distributed teams collaborate more effectively. 

Drawbacks of using artificial intelligence for meeting notes 

There are some drawbacks to using artificial intelligence for meeting minutes: 

1. Technical knowledge  
   ⁠AI might have trouble with technical jargon and nuanced conversations. 
2. Data specificity  
   ⁠It's necessary to have accurate training data tailored to your meeting context. 
3. Ethical problems  
   ⁠There are confidentiality and privacy issues with data storage. 
4. Misinterpretation risk  
   ⁠AI may misinterpret discussions or overlook crucial details, reducing accuracy. Before employing an AI notetaker app in your next meeting, consider whether you would trust it like a traditional recording device. If uncertain, it's wise to reconsider using an AI notetaker. 

Conclusion  

In essence, succinct meeting minutes are vital for efficient communication. Balancing technology with human judgement is key. Instead of seeing AI as a substitute, consider it a supplementary tool. Active engagement and thorough assessment are crucial for precise documentation and collaboration. 

FAQs 

1. What is the purpose of meeting minutes? 
   ⁠Meeting minutes document discussions, decisions, and actions, enhancing an organisation's accountability, clarity, and consistency. 
   ⁠
2. How can I improve my note-taking skills in meetings? 
   ⁠Enhance your note-taking skills in meetings by staying focused, highlighting essential points, employing acronyms, and structuring notes logically. Afterwards, review and summarise your notes to ensure clarity. 
   ⁠
3. Are there any tools to automate meeting minute generation? 
   ⁠Otter.ai, Microsoft OneNote, and Google Docs can generate meeting minutes automatically. 
   ⁠
4. What are the best practices for sharing meeting minutes with team members? 
   ⁠Share meeting minutes promptly after the meeting via email or collaboration platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams. Ensure clarity, conciseness, and understanding for all team members. 
   ⁠
5. How long should meeting minutes be retained for reference? 
   ⁠Retain meeting minutes for as long as the decisions and actions discussed remain pertinent, typically six months to several years, based on organisational requirements.