What are meeting minutes?
Updated Oct 25, 2026
Definition
Meeting minutes are the written summary of a meeting: who attended, what was discussed, what was decided and who will do what next. Unlike a transcript, they record the outcome, not every word.
What to include in meeting minutes
- Meeting title, date and who attended.
- The main points discussed, one short paragraph each.
- Decisions made, and who made them.
- Action items, each with an owner and a due date.
Formal and informal minutes
Boards and committees keep formal minutes as an official record, often approved at the next meeting. Most team meetings only need short notes: the decisions and the action items.
Meeting minutes vs. a decision log
Meeting minutes
One document per meeting, covering everything that happened in it.
Decision log
Only the decisions, across all meetings, kept up to date as they change.
How Acta drafts meeting minutes
After each meeting Acta writes a summary with the key points, decisions and action items with owners, from the transcript. Report templates write minutes in the format a meeting needs, including templates for board meetings.
Acta report templatesFAQ
Who usually writes meeting minutes?
A secretary or note-taker, or the meeting organizer. With an AI meeting assistant, the draft is written for you and only needs checking.
Should minutes record who said what?
Usually only for decisions and actions. Word-for-word detail belongs in the transcript.