Why write meeting minutes?

Meetings, considered as a necessary means of communication and collaboration to move projects forward, allow participants to speak and make decisions, and are becoming increasingly inevitable at work.

At the end of each meeting, minutes should be sent to all concerned persons, including absentees and those excused.

To send minutes, they must first be written. However, many people may consider this task time-consuming and resist doing it, wondering what the benefit is of writing meeting minutes.

What is the benefit of writing minutes?

There are many good reasons to write meeting minutes. Here are a few:

Minutes serve as a reference. They can be referred to for a refresher on what was decided during the meeting.

• Minutes keep a written record of everything said or decided by the participants during the meeting.
• Minutes serve as a basis for preparing the next meeting.
• Minutes serve as a communication channel. They inform people who were absent or excused from the meeting about the decisions made, so everyone concerned with the topic discussed will not feel left out and can follow the progress of the topic in peace, knowing exactly what is expected of them and their colleagues.

What are the key pieces of information to include in meeting minutes?

Meeting minutes are a crucial document that summarizes the discussions and decisions made during a meeting. Here are the key pieces of information to include:

1. Basic information:
   • Date, Time, and Place: Indicate when and where the meeting took place.
   • Participants: List of people present and possibly absent.
   • Facilitator or Chair: Name of the person who led the meeting.
2. Agenda:
   • Topics Discussed: Summarize the agenda items and topics discussed.
3. Details of discussions:
   • Summary of discussions: Provide an overview of the main discussions, including the different viewpoints expressed.
   • Questions raised: Mention important questions that were asked and by whom.
4. Decisions made:
   • Actions decided: Note all decisions made during the meeting, including actions to be taken, those responsible for these actions, and deadlines.
5. Action items:
   • Assignments: Who needs to do what, with specific details on assigned tasks.
   • Deadlines: Deadlines for each action or project.
6. Supporting documents:
   • Documents Discussed or Presented: Refer to all documents, presentations, or other materials used or mentioned during the meeting.
7. Next steps and follow-up dates:
   • Next meeting: Date and place of the next meeting, if applicable.
   • Follow-up items: Topics to be discussed or finalized at the next meeting.
8. Final remarks and observations:
   • Additional comments: Add any remarks that might be relevant for understanding the minutes or for the record.

By including these elements, your minutes will be complete and provide a clear and useful written record for all participants and those who could not attend.

How to write good meeting minutes?

Good minutes should be concise, clear, and structured.

They should objectively and faithfully transcribe the course of the meeting, highlighting essential elements such as identified priority actions and various decisions made.

To achieve this, it is advised to:

• Write the minutes during the meeting or immediately after it ends.
• If you choose to write the minutes after the meeting, take notes to ensure you do not forget anything.
• In this regard, there are tips to help you record everything, such as recording meetings via Teams or other video conferencing applications if the meeting is remote, or using your voice recorder in the case of an in-person meeting. Whatever the solution chosen, it is advisable to inform participants of the recording.
• Use a meeting minutes template and pre-fill it with the names of participants, the place and time of the meeting, and the agenda to save time in writing.
• Separate the list of information, decisions, and identified actions.
• Regarding the list of information, recall all informational points discussed during the meeting.
• Concerning the list of decisions, accurately report the list of decisions made during the meeting and recall the decision-makers for each decision.
• For the list of actions, recall the identified actions and indicate the names of the responsible parties and desired deadlines.
• Include in the minutes links or screenshots of any working documents used during the meeting to allow participants to refer to them if needed. For example, add links to mind maps created during the session, files, or dashboard images shared with participants.

Here is an example of clear and structured meeting minutes:

How to choose the right tool for your meeting minutes?

When it comes to writing and managing meeting minutes, choosing the right tool is essential to ensure efficiency and organization. LUCKiwi stands out as an ideal solution for professionals seeking to optimize this task. This centralized system greatly facilitates the search and storage of minutes, as everything is securely saved in the cloud. No more worries about data loss: your important information is always at your fingertips, accessible from anywhere via the internet. Additionally, LUCKiwi integrates advanced features, such as the ability to add charts directly from our project management tool, enriching your minutes with relevant visual data. Another significant advantage is the ability to export your minutes in PDF format, allowing for easy distribution and sharing while maintaining professional formatting. With LUCKiwi, you benefit from a multitude of advantages that make managing minutes not only simpler but also more comprehensive.

Download the meeting minutes template

Conclusion:

In conclusion, you now know the importance of writing meeting minutes. You can now prepare your meeting minutes template for your next meetings.

Article written by Sara MOUDRIK HORN