Free template
Minutes of meeting format
The fields every set of minutes needs, in the order people read them: who was there, what was discussed, what was decided, and who does what by when.
The template
Copy it, or download it and fill it in by hand.
Minutes of meeting
Send the minutes within a day. Decisions and actions first matter more than a full record of the discussion.
| Meeting | Its name, such as “Monthly operations review”. |
|---|---|
| Date and time | With the time zone if people are in more than one. |
| Place or link | The room, the site, or the call link. |
| Chaired by | Who ran the meeting. |
| Minutes by | Who wrote these minutes. |
| Present | Everyone who attended. |
| Apologies | Who was invited but could not come. |
Agenda
List the items in the order they were taken.
Discussion
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| The agenda item. | Two or three lines: the points made, not who said every word. |
Decisions
| Decision | Agreed by | When |
|---|---|---|
| One sentence each. | Who made the call. | The time in the meeting, if you know it. |
Action items
| Action | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Starts with a verb. | One name, not a team. | A date, not “soon”. |
Next meeting
| Date, time and place | So nobody has to ask. |
|---|
The same template, filled in by Velkri
A 45-minute call on Google Meet
- Meeting
- Monthly operations review
- Date and time
- 3 Nov 2026, 10:00–10:45
- Place or link
- Google Meet
- Chaired by
- Priya Nair
- Minutes by
- Velkri, confirmed by Priya Nair
- Present
- Priya Nair, Mark Ellis, Jonah Weiss, Ana Silva
- Apologies
- Dev Rao
Agenda
- 1. October numbers
- 2. Site 2 opening
- 3. Night shift rota
Discussion
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| October numbers | Orders up 8% on September; returns flat. Overtime cost is above plan at site 1. |
| Site 2 opening | Racking is in. Forklift training is the last open item before opening. |
Decisions
| Decision | Agreed by | When |
|---|---|---|
| Site 2 opens on 17 November | Priya Nair | 14:20From: Ops review · 14:20 |
| Supplier runs the forklift training | Priya Nair | 21:05From: Ops review · 21:05 |
Action items
| Action | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Book forklift training for 12 people | Jonah Weiss | 7 NovFrom: Ops review · 22:30 |
| Send site 1 overtime breakdown | Mark Ellis | 5 NovFrom: Ops review · 09:15 |
Next meeting
- Date, time and place
- 1 Dec 2026, 10:00, Google Meet
Confirmed by Priya Nair
Velkri joined the call, wrote the minutes in this format, and proposed the decisions and actions. Priya confirmed them; the times open the recording there.
How to use it
Four habits that make it work.
- 1
Fill in the header before the meeting
Name, date, place and the people invited. Mark apologies as they come in.
- 2
Note the agenda items as you go
Keep the discussion to two or three lines per item: the points made, not a transcript.
- 3
Write decisions and actions as they happen
Read each one back before moving on: “So we are agreeing…”. Every action gets one owner and a date.
- 4
Send within a day
Minutes that arrive a week later are rarely read. Ask people to reply with corrections, then file them.
Questions
Minutes of meeting format
What is the format of minutes of meeting?
A header (meeting name, date, place, chair, who was present and absent), then the agenda, a short summary of the discussion, the decisions, and the action items with an owner and due date, then the next meeting.
Who writes the minutes of a meeting?
Usually a named minute taker or the meeting’s secretary, not the chair. Whoever writes them, the chair should check them before they go out.
How long should minutes be?
As short as possible. One page is enough for most meetings; the decisions and actions are the part people come back to.
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.