Free template
Decision log template
One row per decision: what was decided, why, who decided, and where it was agreed. Download it for Excel or Word, or copy it into the tool you already use.
The template
Copy it, or download it and fill it in by hand.
Decision log
One row per decision. Keep superseded rows and point the new row at them, so the history stays readable.
Decisions
| ID | Date | Decision | Why | Decided by | Options considered | Where it was agreed | Status | Replaces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-001, D-002… never reuse a number. | The day it was agreed, not the day you wrote it down. | One sentence someone outside the meeting understands. | The reason, in a line. Future you will ask. | The person or group who had the say. | What else was on the table. | The meeting and time, the thread or the email. | Proposed, Confirmed, Superseded or Reversed. | The ID this decision overrides, if any. |
| Example: D-001 | 2026-10-07 | Launch the new site on 12 May | Print proofs need two more weeks | Dana (client), Ana | Keep 28 April with a soft launch | Client call, 7 Oct, 12:04 | Confirmed | |
The same template, filled in by Velkri
Two client calls and one thread
Decisions
| ID | Date | Decision | Why | Decided by | Options considered | Where it was agreed | Status | Replaces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-014 | 7 Oct | Launch moves to 12 May | Print proofs need two more weeks | Dana (Kestrel) | 28 April soft launch | Client call, 12:04 | Confirmed | D-009From: Client call · 7 Oct · 12:04 |
| D-015 | 9 Oct | Logo lockup B for launch | Reads better at small sizes on cups | Dana (Kestrel) | Lockup A, wordmark only | Client review, 18:40 | Confirmed | From: Client review · 9 Oct · 18:40 |
| D-016 | 10 Oct | Packaging on recycled board | Client brief asks for it; adds 6% to print | Ana, Mark | Virgin board with a recycled sleeve | #kestrel thread | Confirmed | From: #kestrel · 10 Oct |
Confirmed by Ana Silva
Velkri proposed each row from the call or thread it came from; Ana confirmed them. Every “where” opens the exact moment.
How to use it
Four habits that make it work.
- 1
Start a row the moment something is agreed
Write the decision as one sentence, with the date it was agreed. Do it in the meeting or straight after, not at the end of the week.
- 2
Say why, and what else was considered
One line of reason and the options you turned down. This is what stops the same debate coming back next month.
- 3
Record where it was agreed
The meeting and time, the thread or the email. When someone asks “who agreed to this?”, this column answers.
- 4
Never delete, supersede
When a decision changes, add a new row, mark the old one Superseded and put its ID in Replaces.
Questions
Decision log template
What should a decision log include?
At least the decision, the date, who decided, why, and where it was agreed. Options considered and a status (proposed, confirmed, superseded) make it far more useful later.
Is a decision log the same as meeting minutes?
No. Minutes record one meeting; a decision log runs across all of them and keeps only what was decided. Many teams copy the decisions out of each set of minutes into the log.
Excel or Word?
Excel if the log is shared and grows past a page: you can filter by status and sort by date. Word if it goes into a report or gets printed and signed.
Stop filling it in by hand.
Velkri takes the notes on your calls and in the room, proposes each decision and action, and your team confirms them.