How to write meeting minutes (template + examples)

Good meeting minutes aren't a transcript - they're the short, useful record of what was decided and who's doing what next. Here's exactly what to include, a template you can copy, and a faster way to never miss a decision again.

What meeting minutes should (and shouldn't) contain

Minutes are a decision-and-action record, not a word-for-word log. Skip the small talk. Capture the things someone would need to know if they missed the meeting:

• Basics: date, attendees, and the purpose of the meeting.
• Key points: the main topics discussed, in order.
• Decisions: what was actually agreed (this is the part people forget).
• Action items: each task, its owner, and a due date.
• Follow-ups: anything deferred to next time.

A meeting minutes template you can copy

How to take meeting minutes, step by step

1. Before the meeting: paste the agenda into your template and list the expected attendees. Half the minutes are written before anyone speaks.
2. At the start: note who actually attended and the goal of the meeting in one line.
3. During the meeting: write down decisions and action items the moment they happen. Don't try to capture every sentence; a word-for-word record is a transcript, not minutes.
4. Confirm owners out loud: before moving on, ask "who's taking that, and by when?" and write the answer down.
5. Right after: tidy the notes into the template, add a one-line TL;DR at the top, and send them the same day.

Meeting minutes examples

Here's the template filled in for two common meetings, so you can see what good minutes look like.

Example 1: weekly team meeting

Example 2: client or sales call

Tips for minutes people actually read

• Write decisions as decisions. "We decided to ship the mobile redesign first" beats "we discussed the redesign."
• Always name an owner. An action item without a name is a wish, not a task.
• Send them same-day. Minutes are most useful while the meeting is fresh - a quick recap email closes the loop.
• Keep it short. If it's longer than the meeting felt, no one will read it.

The faster way: let it write itself

Taking minutes by hand means you're typing instead of listening. A real-time meeting co-pilot removes the trade-off: it keeps a live transcript, then produces the minutes for you when the call ends - TL;DR, key points, decisions, action items with owners, and a ready-to-send follow-up email. No bot joins the call, and you stay present the whole time.

That's exactly what Wazomind's meeting minutes do - see how the live co-pilot works, or read why no bot joins your meeting.

Meeting minutes FAQ

What are meeting minutes?

Meeting minutes are the short written record of a meeting: who attended, what was discussed, what was decided, and who owns each next step. They are not a transcript. Good minutes let someone who missed the meeting catch up in under two minutes.

What is the format for writing minutes?

Use five parts in this order: meeting basics (title, date, attendees), a one-line TL;DR, key discussion points, decisions, and action items with an owner and due date. Add a short next-steps line for anything deferred to the following meeting.

Who should take meeting minutes?

Anyone except the person running the meeting, because it is hard to lead and write at the same time. Many teams rotate the job, or use an AI meeting assistant that writes the minutes automatically so nobody has to type during the call.

How long should meeting minutes be?

Usually half a page to one page for a one-hour meeting. If the minutes are longer than the meeting felt, cut discussion detail and keep decisions and action items, which are the parts people actually come back to.

Can AI write meeting minutes?

Yes. An AI meeting assistant can transcribe the call and produce minutes when it ends, including a summary, decisions, action items with owners and a follow-up email. Wazomind does this without a bot joining the call and keeps notes on your device.