Updated August 08, 2023
Monthly meeting minutes record the primary discussions, actions, and decisions of a regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Usually transcribed by a secretary or another authorized individual, meeting minutes make a note of all major business decisions and resolutions that occurred throughout the entirety of a meeting. Meeting minutes are neither a complete transcript of the meeting nor a monthly meeting agenda. Instead, meeting minutes only serve to register an immediate report of the meeting’s notable business while omitting any minor topics from the record.
Table of Contents |
Formatting (8 parts)
The formatting of meeting minutes will vary depending on the nature of the meeting. However, most meetings follow a similar structure that emphasizes old and new business as well as significant resolutions (seen below).
I. Meeting Details
- Main Title (top of page) – “Monthly Meeting Minutes for [ORGANIZATION’S NAME];
- Chairperson’s/Meeting Organizer’s name;
- Secretary’s name (if any);
- Date & Time; and
- Location.
II. Attendees
- List attendees.
III. Absentees
- List absentees.
IV. Call to Order
- Approval of previous meeting minutes; and
- Approval of the current monthly meeting agenda.
V. Old Business
- List outstanding discussion items from the previous meeting;
- Describe any issues and/or resolutions from the “old business” discussion; and
- Record any decisions made through a vote.
VI. New Business
- Document new orders of business;
- Describe any questions, concerns, or issues that arise;
- Log any reports or other documentation that is distributed; and
- Record any decisions made by vote.
VII. Other Items
- Announcements;
- Nominations;
- Upcoming scheduled votes; and
- Any other business matters that are discussed.
VIII. Adjournment
- Record the time of the meeting’s end;
- Meeting Chair/Organizer and Secretary approve minutes; and
- Minutes are distributed to all attendees and absentees.
Sample – Monthly Meeting Minutes
Download: PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument
