Minute Notes Template

Formal minutes record what a board, committee, club or association decided — not everything that was said. This template walks you through each section in the standard order, records motions with who moved and seconded them and the vote count, and produces neatly formatted minutes ready for approval at the next meeting. Download them as a Word-compatible file or plain text, or print.

What minutes are for

Minutes are the official record of a meeting. Their job is to show what was decided, who is responsible for what, and that the meeting was properly constituted — not to transcribe every comment. Good minutes protect the organisation: they show that decisions were made with a quorum, that conflicts of interest were declared, and what the vote was. For companies, charities and many associations, keeping minutes is a legal or constitutional requirement.

The standard order of formal minutes

1. Name of the organisation, type of meeting, date, time and place.
2. Attendance: members present, apologies and others in attendance.
3. Opening and confirmation that the meeting is quorate.
4. Declarations of interest, if your rules require them.
5. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising.
6. Each agenda item: a short summary, any motion and the result.
7. Action items with owners and deadlines.
8. Any other business, date of the next meeting and closing time.
9. Space for the chair to sign once the minutes are approved.

Recording motions and votes

Write the motion exactly as it was voted on. Many organisations don’t record the names of how individuals voted unless someone asks for their vote to be recorded. The template marks a motion as carried when votes for exceed votes against — a simple majority. If your rules need a two-thirds majority or a set number of votes, adjust the result by hand.

How to use the template

1. Fill in the meeting details, the chair and the minute-taker.
2. List members present, apologies and non-members in attendance, one per line.
3. Set the quorum from your constitution; the template checks it.
4. Add each agenda item with a brief summary, any motion and the vote, and any action.
5. Check the formatted minutes in the preview, then download a Word-compatible .doc, a text file, or print.

Your agenda items are saved as a draft in this browser so you can finish later. Nothing is uploaded.

Worked example

A residents’ association committee with a quorum of five meets with six members present, so the meeting is quorate. The Treasurer’s report is accepted unanimously (6–0–0). A motion to hire a marquee is carried 4–1 with one abstention, and the secretary is given the action to book it by 30 October. An update on street lighting from a council officer needs no vote, but the chair takes an action to write to the council. The template numbers the items 1 to 6, records each motion and lists the next meeting date, ready to be approved and signed at the next meeting.

Tips for the minute-taker

• Get the agenda and previous minutes before the meeting.
• Write in the past tense and third person: “The committee agreed…”.
• Record decisions and reasons briefly, not a play-by-play of the discussion.
• Ask the chair to restate a motion if it isn’t clear before the vote.
• Note when anyone arrives late or leaves early if it affects the quorum.
• Write up the minutes within a day or two while memories are fresh.
• Circulate a draft to the chair before sending to all members.

Approving minutes

Minutes become the official record once the next meeting approves them — usually by a simple motion that they are “a true and accurate record”. Corrections are made at that point and noted in the new minutes. The chair then signs and dates the approved copy, which is kept with the organisation’s records. Many organisations keep minutes permanently; check your constitution and any legal requirements where you are.

Minutes for different organisations

Company board minutes must meet company law and often record directors’ declarations of interest and formal resolutions. Charity trustees need to show they acted in the charity’s interests. Clubs, parent-teacher associations and residents’ groups follow their own constitution, which usually sets the quorum and voting rules. The same basic structure works for all of them; adjust the headings to match your rules.

Action items that get done

An action item should say who will do what, and by when: “J. Morgan to book the marquee by 30 October”. Collect the actions at the end of the minutes or in a separate action log, and review them as a standing item at the start of the next meeting. The pack includes an action log workbook for tracking them between meetings.