Minutes and action points in five steps

What are minutes, and how are they different from notes?

Minutes are the formal record of a meeting. A Rutgers University guide for minute takers says minutes require accurate recording for record keeping, decision making and further action, and that they document decisions and accountability. Use them for board meetings, steering committees, consortium or partner meetings, and any meeting where decisions affect others.

Our guide on meeting notes for stronger reporting covers informal working notes. This article covers the formal step: how to produce minutes that others can approve and rely on, and how to follow up actions.

Step 1: What do you prepare before the meeting?

Prepare so that you write less during the meeting.

1. Get the agenda and the previous minutes.
2. Make a list of expected attendees, and a sign-in sheet if people attend in person.
3. Prepare your format with the headings filled in.
4. Check the open actions from the last meeting. They go on the agenda.
5. Choose a back-up, such as a notepad or a recording with consent, in case something goes wrong.

The Rutgers guide lists the essential elements as the type of meeting, the organisation or department, the date and time, the chair, the main topics and the time of adjournment. For formal meetings it adds the approval of previous minutes and all resolutions.

Step 2: What is the format for formal minutes?

Use the same format every time.

Keep the language neutral and in the past tense. Record what was agreed, not personal opinions.

Step 3: How do you write decisions and actions?

Write each decision as a full sentence so it can stand alone. Write each action in three parts: the task, one named owner and a date.

Where several people contribute, name one owner and list the others as support. A group cannot answer a reminder. If a decision was unclear, ask the chair to confirm it before the meeting moves on.

Step 4: How do you circulate and approve minutes?

1. Write the draft the same day, while memory is fresh.
2. Send it within 24 hours, with decisions and actions in the email body.
3. Set a date for corrections, for example two working days.
4. Update the draft and mark it clearly as a draft until approved.
5. Ask the group to approve the minutes at the start of the next meeting, and record the approval.
6. File the approved version with a stable name and date, so nobody works from different copies.

Rules for approval differ. A board may have its own rules in its constitution. Check your governance documents.

Step 5: How do you track action points?

Minutes only matter if actions get done. Keep one action log for the project and update it after every meeting.

Then follow this routine:

• Review the log in the first 10 minutes of every meeting.
• Mark each action done, open, late or cancelled, and record why.
• Do not delete old lines. Keep the history.
• Send a short reminder to owners two days before each due date.
• Carry unfinished actions forward and ask: is the date realistic?

For a simple tool, see our article on issue logs and action trackers. A spreadsheet works well offline, which helps in low-connectivity settings.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Writing a transcript. Minutes are not a record of every word.
• Actions without owners or dates. They will not happen.
• Late circulation. People forget and the record weakens.
• Sharing sensitive details. In insecure contexts, leave out names of community members, exact locations and security details, or keep them in a restricted file.
• Several versions in circulation. Keep one approved file.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a trusted training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We run Report Writing, Project Management and Effective Communication Skills training, online or in person across Myanmar, in English and Burmese. See our training services or contact us to plan a session for your team.

Sources

• Taking Minutes for Meetings — Rutgers University Human Resources