Meeting Minutes Sheet

What this sheet is for

Take minutes that stay useful, by giving most of the page to the two things anyone actually reads them for later: what was decided and who agreed to do what.

Who it is for

Committees, clubs, residents' associations, charities, school groups, small businesses and anyone who has been handed the minute book.

How to use it

1. Fill in the header before the meeting starts, including the finish time.
2. Write the decision as a sentence that would make sense to somebody absent.
3. Put every action in the actions table with a name and a date, even the small ones.
4. Read the actions back before people leave. That is when errors get caught.
5. Circulate within a few days — minutes agreed a month later are half-remembered.

What is on the sheet

The layout is fixed at a size that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the A4 and Letter files are visually identical and print at full size on either. Rows are set at a height that an adult can actually write a date and a few words into with a pen — most printable tables are built in a word processor and never tested with one.

Questions

How much of the discussion should I record?

Enough that the decision makes sense, and no more. Minutes are not a transcript, and a long minute is less likely to be read or approved.

Do minutes have to be kept in a particular form?

That depends on what kind of body you are and where you are. Registered charities, companies and public bodies often have specific duties about records and how long to keep them; a book club does not. Check what applies to you — this sheet takes no position on it.