How to Take Meeting Minutes (With 11 Free Templates)

Ever had an important meeting, and then a few hours later, found yourself wondering, “Wait, what did we just decide again?”. You’re not alone. And if you’re running a small business, moments like that can have big consequences. 

Enter meeting minutes. As it turns out, they’re not just a formality!

Meeting minutes are how decisions get remembered, tasks get followed up, and teams stay aligned. Whether you’re onboarding a new client, checking in with your team, or reporting to a board, keeping solid records can be the difference between momentum and miscommunication.

In this post, we’ll break down exactly what meeting minutes are, why they matter (even for informal meetings), and how to take them without stress. Oh, and we’re giving you free meeting minutes templates to make it really easy to get started. 💃

Schedule without the back-and-forth hassle

Get your next meeting on the books in seconds, at a time that works for everyone.

This sounds simple, but it’s often overlooked. Choose one person ahead of time to take the notes. Don’t just assume someone will do it—when that happens, no one does.

Best practices:

• Avoid defaulting to the same person (often an admin or junior employee). Insead, rotate this responsibility to distribute the mental load fairly.
• Choose someone familiar with the meeting topic, but not leading the discussion.
• If you’re meeting with a client, consider having someone from your team take notes so you can stay fully present.

Trying to remember everything afterward (or furiously scribble down notes) is a surefire recipe for missed details. Take notes as the meeting progresses, and follow the agenda in real time.

Here’s how to make it manageable:

• Follow the meeting agenda as your outline. Use each agenda item as a heading.
• After each section, quickly summarize the discussion out loud and ask the group to confirm or clarify. This ensures everyone’s on the same page and gives your minutes extra accuracy.
• Document decisions right away, including who’s doing what and by when.

📺 Hear why one marketing manager says meeting minutes are a must:

This is one of the most valuable parts of meeting minutes—and the most commonly skipped.

Don’t just write “follow up on campaign strategy.” Instead, be specific:

• “Elena will draft a proposal for the holiday campaign by August 8.”
• “Jay will follow up with the vendor and share a quote by Friday.”
• “The product team will review client feedback and discuss at next Monday’s meeting.”

Clear action items = real results.

So far, we’ve focused on what to do, but it’s also important to note what not to do. And that’s writing absolutely everything down! Remember: you're writing meeting minutes, not a transcript. 

Focus on:

• Key decisions
• Important discussions
• Action items

👍 Rule of thumb: If it’s not helpful in a week or a month, it probably doesn’t need to be included! Just be concise and informative. No one’s going to read through a novel-length doc just to find out who’s handling next week's report.

Minutes are only useful if people can actually find them later. Choose a system that works for your team:

• Email them after the meeting
• Store them in a shared Google Drive folder
• Use project management tools like Asana or Notion to attach minutes to tasks
• Create a shared company Wiki or intranet space for ongoing reference

Formats to consider:

• Google Docs (for live collaboration)
• Microsoft Word or Excel (for those who live and breathe Microsoft)
• PDFs (easy to send and archive)
• Notion or OneNote (great for internal teams)

Consistency is key. Pick a format, name your files clearly (e.g. “Client Kickoff - July 31, 2025”), and use the same folder or system every time.

Listen, not everything belongs in a shared minutes doc, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important for you to remember. What sorts of things are we talking about?

• A client’s tone or body language
• An idea you didn’t get a chance to share
• A sudden inspiration you got from the conversation, but for a different project

We’ve done the hard part for you. Below are fully customizable templates you can download, tweak, and use for any type of meeting. 

Just click the green buttons to get the meeting minutes formats that work for you!

Need a solid go-to for everyday meetings? This flexible template works for just about any type of discussion—just fill in the blanks and you’re good to go.

General meeting minutes template
Date & time:
Attendees:
Absent:
Meeting purpose:
Agenda items/topics discussed:
Topic #1
Topic #2
Topic #3
Decisions made:
Action items:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations: 
Next meeting:

Keep your team in sync with this template built for regular internal check-ins. It’s great for tracking updates, flagging blockers, and moving projects forward together.

[Function] team meeting minutes
Date & time:
Attendees:
Absent:
Meeting purpose:
Agenda:
Team updates:
Project progress:
Issues and blockers:
Decisions made:
Action items:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

First impressions matter! Use this template to capture client goals, needs, and next steps clearly so you can kick off the relationship on the right foot.

[Client name] kickoff meeting minutes
Date & time:
Attendees:
Absent:
Meeting purpose:
Agenda:
[Client] needs and goals:
Proposed solutions and services:
Initial timelines and milestones:
Action items
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

Make ongoing client meetings a breeze with this structured template. It’s perfect for logging progress, feedback, and upcoming tasks without starting from scratch each time.

[Client name]  Bi-weekly sync minutes
Date & time:
Attendees:
Absent:
Meeting purpose:
Agenda:
Progress against goals:
Outstanding tasks and issues:
Client feedback/requests:
Next steps:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

Getting to know a new client or project? This discovery call minutes template helps you capture key info, challenges, and objectives so you can tailor your solutions with confidence.

Discovery call meeting minutes
Date & time:
Client name: 
Attendees:
Purpose of meeting: 
Agenda:
Client's current challenges and capabilities: 
Objectives and desired outcomes:
Budget:
Initial recommendations:
Defined next steps:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

Set your project up for success with this comprehensive kickoff template. It helps you define scope, roles, and timelines while making sure everyone starts on the same page.

Project kickoff meeting minutes
Date & time:
Project name:
Attendees:
Meeting purpose:
Agenda:
Project purpose and objectives:
Project scope and major deliverables:
Team roles and responsibilities:
Detailed project timeline: 
Current blockers:
Defined next steps:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

Whether you’re a manager or a mentor, this one-on-one meeting minutes template makes it easy to track conversations, feedback, and personal development over time. It’s a great way to support growth and stay aligned.

[Your name | Their name] meeting minutes
Date & time:
Agenda:
Personal check-ins: 
Progress on goals:
Feedback and guidance: 
Development and growth update:
Company news:
Next steps:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

Wrapping up a client engagement? Use this template to confirm deliverables, gather feedback, and ensure a smooth transition as the project comes to a close.

[Client name] Offboarding meeting minutes
Date & time:
Client name:
Attendees: 
Absent:
Agenda:
Summary of engagement & achievements: 
Deliverables confirmed & accepted:
Outstanding issues/tasks:
Handoff:
Client feedback & testimonials
Next steps:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:

This lightweight template is ideal for tight-knit teams that meet regularly. Keep track of wins, roadblocks, and tasks without overcomplicating things.

Weekly small team meeting minutes
Date & time:
Attendees: 
Absent:
Agenda:
Weekly goals and progress:
Issues and roadblocks:
Decisions and resolutions:
Next steps:
Task | Owner | Deadline
Relevant links:
Additional notes & observations:
Next meeting:

Stay compliant and organized with this formal board meeting template. It captures everything you need—from decisions to attendance—for audits or future reference.

Board meeting meeting minutes
Date:
Location:
Time the meeting was called to order:
Attendees: 
Absent:
Review of previous board meeting minutes:
Agenda items:
Item 1:
Item 2:
Item 3:
New business:
Item 1:
Item 2:
Item 3:
Open discussion:
Relevant documents:
Time of adjournment:
Next meeting:

Planning school events or reviewing updates? This PTA-friendly template helps you document discussions, officer reports, and agreed actions clearly and efficiently.

PTA meeting minutes template
Date:
Location:
Call to order: Meeting called to order by [name] at [time]
Attendees: 
Review of previous meeting minutes:
Officer reports:
President:
Vice President:
Treasurer:
Principal/presiding teacher: 
New business:
Item 1:
Item 2:
Item 3:
Open discussion/public participation:
Agreed actions:
Task | Owner | Due date
Time of adjournment:
Next meeting:

Easily schedule your next meeting

Whether it’s a PTA meeting, parent-teacher conference, or staff check-in, get your next meeting on the calendar without any back-and-forth.

Meeting minutes might not seem glamorous—but they’re powerful. They keep your business organized, make you look polished and prepared in front of clients, and help your team actually get things done.

By following a few simple best practices (and using the right tools!), you’ll take the stress out of note-taking and make your meetings way more productive.

And hey—while you’re at it, make sure you’re getting your next meeting on the books before you log off. With YouCanBookMe, you can automate scheduling, add private notes, and keep everything in one place. Create your free booking page!

FAQs

Do all meetings need minutes?

Not every single meeting, but any meeting where decisions are made, timelines are set, or responsibilities are assigned should have a record. If it’s something you might need to reference later, even a quick summary is worth jotting down.

How long should meeting minutes be?

Aim for 1–2 pages max. Meeting minutes aren’t a word-for-word transcript of everything that was said during the meeting. Think of them more as a highlight reel of the most important points. They should be clear and scannable, capturing who attended, what was discussed, what decisions were made, and what needs to happen next. 

Can I use AI to take meeting minutes?

Definitely. Tools like Bluedot, Otter.ai, and Fireflies can automatically transcribe and summarize your meetings. Just be sure to review and clean them up afterward—AI is helpful, but it doesn’t always know what’s most important and can sometimes misinterpret what was said.

How detailed should meeting minutes be?

Stick to the key points: major decisions, important discussions, and clear action items. Avoid capturing every single comment or tangent. Ask yourself, “Will this still be useful next week?”—if not, leave it out!

Who should take the minutes?

Anyone can take minutes, and it’s a good idea to rotate the role so it doesn’t always fall on the same person. Just make sure the note-taker isn’t also leading the meeting—it’s too much to juggle at once. Remember to assign a note-taker before the meeting starts so there’s no confusion.