Meetings are a vital part of the business to give actions to the issues and discuss important matters. With the diverse events occurring every day, it's hard to recap the things discussed during a certain meeting and the motions needed to be done and so meeting minutes exist. Truly, being appointed as a minute-taker is not an easy job, yet crafting meeting minutes is just a piece of cake. With the help of our well-constructed Simple Meeting Minutes Templates in Microsoft Word. These are printable in A4 & US Sizes with suggestive headings. Subscribe now and record the purpose of your meeting.
How to Construct a Simple Meeting Minutes in Microsoft Word
Did you know that 'minutes' in meeting minutes have nothing to do with time, but with 'small'? Interestingly, in the 1800s history, it came from a Latin word 'Minuta Scriptura' meaning small notes. Therefore, meeting minutes are regarded as a tangible record of everything, happening in a meeting. The fact that the board meeting minutes are a legal document, although having no standardized format, should be taken seriously. Until now, it is still used as a tracker of decisions made, a goal reminder and a source of reference for participants who were unable to attend the meeting. Usually, the secretary or a non-participating member is assigned to take such a crucial task. So, if you are the minute-taker, take your responsibility confidently by doing the meeting minutes. Here are some steps you can follow:
1. Prepare the Details
Nothing goes wrong with well-planned meeting minutes in line with the meeting's preparation. Initially get a copy of the meeting's order and items on the agenda as an outline or guide in taking notes. If not, you may end up being in a frantic state while sequencing your note-taking. Consider asking the director about the corporate meeting whether long and detailed or short and direct so you can have a base data in constructing the meeting's minutes.
2. Get a Template
If you are new in writing an annual meeting minute, you may feel the burden of the job. Hence, templates are commendable. So, if you need one, with just a few clicks on this page, you can select from our wide variety of meeting minute templates. These templates are professionally made, so you don't need to fret yourself on the aspects of quality. Saving much of your time while maintaining a polished appearance.
3. Take Records
Meeting minutes need to capture the purpose of the monthly meeting. Ideally, a meeting will commence if the quorum has been reached, so consider having an attendance sheet. When taking records during the meeting, include details such as the organization's name, who called the order, date, and start/end time. Also, take note of addressed conflicts, motions made—abstained & agreed, and an overview of the next meeting. Since all of this information cannot be put into writing even with multi-tasking, you can opt to an electronic device recording then, have it transcribed.
4. Have it Validated and Share
After writing or transcribing the discussions of the staff meeting, briefly check for misspellings and grammar errors. Moreover, you need to have the meeting minutes be approved by the chair of board members or the executive director. Immediately address the suggested changes that need to be done before proceeding to the circulation of copies. Secure a copy of the legal document into the company's official records for future references. Then, distribute it to everyone within 24 hours following the meeting. It is done so that the members would know the next projects and solutions that have been made.