Why Taking Minutes is Important and What to Include in Them

Why Taking Minutes is Important and What to Include in Them

Every project needs consistent and up to date minutes to prevent internal and legal trouble in the near future. Most people don’t realize how important minutes can be. Therefore in this article, we are going to look at all the reasons why you need to take minutes and want to include in yours (see also minute taking courses in London)

The Importance of Taking Minutes

The following are some of the most common reason why you would want to take minutes and ensure they are accurate;

  • Minutes can help to avoid repetition and hence save a lot of time. Imagine if you left a meeting where some important issues were discussed and then a month later the another meeting to discuss the same project was called, except because no one took minutes in the previous meeting, the same issues are discussed in this meeting. You would have wasted a whole month.
  • Speaking of meetings to discuss the same project, minutes help you keep track of the project. Without them, it would be impossible to know who was supposed to do what and progress would be non-existent.
  • Minutes also document very important information that you may need later. For example, if a vote was taken during the meeting, it easy to know who voted for what in case of a lawsuit later.
  • Minutes will also offer legal protection and can be very useful when a lawsuit is filed or an audit is needed.

What Should You Include in Minutes

Now that you know why you should always take minutes, you may be wondering what to include in them. The following are just some of the basics;

  • Date time and Location is very important for obvious reasons. Having a record of exactly when a vote was taken or a decision was made may come in handy in the future.
  • The meeting’s purpose is also important because you have a reference point for re-analyzing minutes in the future.
  • You should also include the names of the attendees and those who were absent and why they were absent.
  • The agenda of the meeting should also be included in the minutes. The agenda should actually be distributed before the meeting and everything about the meeting should reflect the agenda. Anything that deviates from the agenda should be excluded.
  • Every decision made during the meeting, big or small should be noted in the meeting. Also, note down any key points made during the meeting as well as any conflicts and dissension.
  • The actions required or the next steps in the project should also be included in the minutes as well as those you’ve agreed to assign those tasks.

Before every meeting you should read the previous meeting’s minutes and designate someone to take the minutes in the current meeting. The company should also agree on the format to be used to take the minutes. After the meeting read over the minutes to see if they are clear and legible and that everything is included. If there are points that are unclear, address them and make sure you clarify or correct the minutes to reflect the consensus. Transcribe and share the minutes with the attendees of the meeting and other relevant stakeholders. Don’t forget to file them where others can easily find them once everyone agrees on the content.