How to write meeting minutes, with a template and example
By The unfill.io team · · Updated · 6 min read
Short answer
To write meeting minutes, record what the meeting did, not what everyone said: who attended, what was decided, who owns each action item and by when, and what was left open. Write them in the past tense, keep them neutral, and send them the same day. Boards and committees add formal pieces such as quorum, motions, vote results, approval at the next meeting, and the secretary's signature.
Jump to the template
Here is how to write meeting minutes, in short: write down the outcomes and leave the conversation out. A reader should see who was there, what changed, and who does what by when. Boards and committees add formal parts, because their minutes get approved and signed.
A meeting minutes template you can copy
Rows marked "formal" are for boards and committees.
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Meeting | Name of the group or meeting, date, time, location or call link |
| Attendees | Present, apologies, guests |
| Previous minutes (formal) | Approved, or approved with corrections |
| Agenda item 1, 2, 3... | The decision under each item, in one or two sentences |
| Action items | Task, owner, due date |
| Open items | Questions carried over to the next meeting |
| Next meeting | Date, time, location |
| Signed (formal) | Secretary's name and the date |
Lead each item with the outcome ("Approved", "No decision") and keep action items in one block at the end.
Need this from a recording instead? Get a meeting recap deck →
Meeting minutes format
Whatever template you use, the minutes of meeting format stays the same, in this order:
- Heading: the group, date, time and place.
- Attendance: who was present, apologies, and guests.
- Approval of the previous minutes (formal meetings only).
- One entry per agenda item, leading with the outcome.
- Action items: task, owner and due date.
- Open items and the date of the next meeting.
- Signature and date (formal meetings only).
Meeting minutes example
A short minutes of meeting sample for a made-up company, Brightwell Studio. It's illustrative, not a real meeting. Note what's missing: who argued for what.
Brightwell Studio, product team weekly meeting. March 10, 10:00 to 10:40, Room 3 and video call.
Present: Priya (chair), Sam, Lee, Ana. Apologies: Tom.
1. Launch date. The team agreed to move the launch from February 24 to March 3 so QA has a full week.
2. Pricing page copy. No decision. Ana will bring two versions to the next meeting.
3. Support hours. The team agreed to add Saturday support for the first two weeks after launch.
Action items:
- Lee: update the launch checklist with the new date, by March 12.
- Ana: draft two versions of the pricing page copy, by March 16.
- Sam: set up the Saturday support rota, by March 13.
Next meeting: March 17, 10:00. Minutes taken by Sam.
What are meeting minutes?
Meeting minutes are the written record of what a group decided and agreed to do. Robert's Rules of Order puts it best: "Minutes are a record of what was done at a meeting, not a record of what was said" (Robert's Rules FAQ, question 15).
They tell absent people what changed, settle arguments about what was agreed, and put a name and date on every commitment. The name is commonly traced to the Latin minuta scriptura, "small writing". Informal notes are different; see how to take effective meeting notes.
What to include in meeting minutes
For a team meeting, six things are enough:
- Meeting details. Name, date, start time, room or call link.
- Attendees. Who was there, and who sent apologies.
- Agenda items. One heading each, in order.
- Decisions. One or two sentences per item.
- Action items. Task, owner, due date.
- Next meeting. Date and time, if set.
Board and committee minutes need more. BoardSource's list of basic elements adds quorum, each motion with who moved it and the result, abstainers and dissenters, reports introduced, the ending time, and the secretary's signature.
Leave out side conversations, jokes, opinions about the meeting, and anything off the record.
Who should write the meeting minutes?
- Formal bodies: the secretary, who signs the final version. The bylaws usually set this out.
- Teams: one named person per meeting, ideally rotated. Not the chair: running a discussion and recording it at once means one gets done badly.
- If the chair has to: capture decisions and owners only, then write up straight after.
How to write meeting minutes, step by step
Before the meeting
- Build your page from the agenda: one heading per item, space for decisions and actions.
- Have the previous minutes ready if the group approves them.
- If you plan to record, ask the group first.
During the meeting
- Mark attendance as people join.
- For each item, write what was decided, who will do what, and by when. Skip the discussion.
- Unsure if something was decided? Ask: "Can I minute that as agreed?"
- In formal meetings, write each motion word for word, who moved it, and the result.
- In the last two minutes, read the decisions and action items back to the room.
After the meeting
Write up the same day if you can, in short complete sentences:
- Past tense. "The team agreed to move the launch to March 3."
- Neutral. "Sam raised concerns about the timeline", not "Sam complained".
- Decisions belong to the group. "The committee approved the budget", not "Priya got the budget through".
- One format throughout. Same headings, same order.
Then have the chair or meeting lead check it.
Formal vs informal minutes: what changes
| Team meeting minutes | Formal minutes (board, committee, association) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who writes them | Anyone, often rotated | The secretary |
| Attendance | Who was there | Present, absent and excused, and whether there was a quorum |
| Decisions | Plain sentences | Each motion, who moved it, and the result |
| Votes | Rarely recorded | The result; the count when one is ordered or the vote is by ballot |
| Discussion | Left out | Usually left out; some boards include brief summaries |
| Approval | Not needed | Approved at the next meeting, with any corrections |
| Sign-off | None | Signed by the secretary |
Your bylaws or adopted parliamentary authority override any template, ours included.
Why did the secretary bring a stopwatch to the board meeting? They'd been asked to take the minutes.
How to write minutes from a recording
A recording lets you follow the meeting instead of writing through it. But a transcript is not a deliverable: nobody forwards a transcript; they forward the decision and the name next to the action item. For consent, setup and transcription, see how to record meeting minutes.
That's the part unfill.io does:
- Upload the recording. It's split into timestamped topics; uncheck the small talk and pick the Meeting recap deck.
- Get minutes-style recap slides: topics discussed, who said what, decisions, action items with owners and dates, and next steps, plus a recap email draft.
See what AI meeting minutes from a recording look like, or meeting notes to slides for everyday team meetings. Try 2 decks free, no card required (see pricing).
Our rule: don't record what wasn't said. We once ran a lecture through the Sales follow-up deck, and instead of inventing decisions and owners, the slides said "None captured in this recording".
When unfill.io isn't the right tool: formal minutes. It doesn't produce legal minutes with motions, seconds, vote counts, quorum or an attendance roll, and its output is PowerPoint, not a Word document or PDF. For a board, treat it as a draft and review it against your bylaws before filing. It doesn't record meetings live.
How to approve, share and store meeting minutes
- Approve. Teams: the meeting lead checks the draft. Formal bodies: the minutes are approved at the next meeting, with corrections made in the text first.
- Share. Where the team works, action items at the top, absent people included.
- Store. One place, consistent names ("2026-03-10 Product weekly"). Ask your lawyer or accountant how long to keep signed board minutes.
Questions
What are the minutes of a meeting?
The minutes of a meeting are the written record of what a group decided and agreed to do: who attended, each decision, and each action item with an owner and a due date. They record outcomes, not the full conversation. Formal minutes are approved at the next meeting and signed.
How do you write minutes for a meeting?
Start from the agenda and note who attended. Under each item, write the outcome in one or two sentences, then list the action items with owners and due dates in one block. Send the minutes the same day, after the chair has checked them.
How long should meeting minutes be?
As short as they can be while recording every decision and action item. A team meeting usually fits under a page; board minutes run longer.
Should meeting minutes be written in past tense?
Yes. Use the past tense and the third person, for example "The committee approved the budget", throughout.
Who is responsible for taking meeting minutes?
In a formal body, the secretary. In a team, whoever is assigned at the start, ideally not the person running the meeting.
Do meeting minutes have to be approved?
Formal minutes are usually approved at the next meeting, with corrections made first. Team minutes just need a quick check by the meeting lead.
Should meeting minutes record who said what?
Usually not. Minutes record what was decided and done. Formal minutes do record who moved each motion and the vote result.
Are meeting minutes legally required?
For many corporations and nonprofits, board minutes are expected. Requirements depend on your state, bylaws and organization type, so check with your lawyer or accountant.
What is the difference between meeting minutes and meeting notes?
Notes are informal, for the note-taker or team. Minutes are the shared record of decisions and actions, approved and kept in formal settings.
Can AI write meeting minutes?
AI can draft them from a recording. unfill.io makes minutes-style recap slides and a recap email, not formal legal minutes, so review anything before filing it.
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