Minutes in a meeting is a written record of the business transactions in the meeting. One can conduct business meetings informally or formally, depending on the company or circumstances. Taking good and correct minutes in a business meeting is the most crucial time and it is a headache saver, which is appreciated by many. Here are some simple steps on how to take minutes.
Things Required:
- Portable tape recorders
- Blank tapes
- Notebook papers
- Computers
Steps:
Taking minutes
- First, you will have to obtain the agenda of your meeting and minutes from the last meeting. Check if there is any document being discussed from the past meeting. If you want, you can use a tape for ensuring the accuracy. Try sitting next to the chairperson for correct clarification or helping the meeting proceed.
- Start writing ‘minutes of meeting of the (exact associate name)’. After this you will have to record the time, date and place of your meeting. Now you will have to circulate a paper amongst the people present in the meeting. The attendees of the meeting will have to sign this paper. This sheet will be helpful later on for identifying the speakers in their seating arrangement in the meeting later. If the meeting is an open meeting, then start writing the name of all the attendees who have the rights of voting.
- Note down who has arrived late or who happens to leave early, so that you can brief the people later on what they have missed. Mention the items in a specific order according to the way they were discussed. If the item eight was mentioned in the agenda, but was discussed before item two, then you will have to keep the old item number, but mention item eight in second place.
- Remember that you will have to record all the motions made by people and the names of the people who have originated them. Note down if the motions were accepted or rejected. How was the vote taken by people, was it by a show of hands, voice or another method and whether there was a unanimous vote. If there are small meetings, then you will just have to write the names of the attendees who approve, abstain or oppose any of the motions.
- You will also have to focus on the recording actions taken by your group. Try not to write the details of every discussion that happens.
Transcribing Minutes
- Start transcribing the minutes as soon as the meeting is over, because at this time the memory of the meeting will be fresh in your head. Follow the same format that was used in the previous minutes.
- Make some prefaced resolutions of the things with phrases like‘resolved that.’ You can attach some long resolutions, supplementary materials or reports on the minutes as the appendix.
- In the end you will have to mention submitted by and write your name and signature. You will have to place the minutes in a chronological manner in a book.
Tips and Warnings:
- You will have to make notes of all the concerns and accomplishments that were discussed in the meeting. Keep writing things as they are happening. For instance, if someone is speaking about one subject, then you move on to another topic. However, the first topic was just left like that, so remember that you must not group two things together.
- Always remember that minutes are very important. The minutes are saved and they are used later on for years. If there is a legal matter involved in this matter, then someone’s reputation may be at stake.
- If you are taking minutes of the meeting does not mean that you cannot participate in debates. Try learning shorthand or typing for writing the minutes of the meeting quickly.
- Always remember that you must not stress yourself, by being very descriptive about every point discussed in the meeting. You must never be afraid to interrupt the meeting and ask for clarification on certain points.
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