Meeting minutes template with action items (free)

Meeting minutes

MEETING MINUTES
Organisation / team: [Name]
Meeting: [Meeting name]
Date and time: [DD/MM/YYYY, start to finish]
Location / link: [Room or video link]
Chair: [Name]
Minute-taker: [Name]

ATTENDEES
Present: [Names]
Apologies: [Names]

1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES
[Notes]

2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
[Accepted as a true record / amended as follows]

3. ACTION ITEMS FROM LAST MEETING
[Item] – [Owner] – [Done / In progress / Carried over]

4. AGENDA ITEMS
4.1 [Topic]
    Discussion: [Key points, not a transcript]
    Decision: [What was agreed]

4.2 [Topic]
    Discussion: [Key points]
    Decision: [What was agreed]

5. MOTIONS (if applicable)
Motion: [Wording]
Moved: [Name]  Seconded: [Name]  Result: [Carried / Not carried]

6. ACTION ITEMS
| Action item                          | Owner    | Due date   |
|--------------------------------------|----------|------------|
| [Verb + clear outcome]               | [Name]   | [DD/MM]    |
| [Verb + clear outcome]               | [Name]   | [DD/MM]    |

7. NEXT MEETING
[Date, time, location]

Meeting closed at [time].

How to take meeting minutes

Prepare from the agenda. Copy the agenda items into the template before the meeting starts.
Record decisions, not dialogue. For each item, note the key points in a sentence or two, then the decision.
Capture action items as they happen. Owner and date, every time.
Tidy up the same day. Minutes written a week later are fiction.
Circulate and approve. Send them to attendees, then accept them as a true record at the next meeting.

Tips for the minute-taker

Ask the chair to summarise each decision out loud before moving on.
If a decision isn't clear, ask. It's your job to get it right.
Use names, not "someone will". Every action item needs one owner.

Minutes vs recap

Formal groups like boards, committees and associations need minutes. Most working teams only need a meeting recap and an action items tracker.

In BOO Workspace, the notetaker records and transcribes the call, and Lilly AI drafts the action items for you to review. Accept them and they become tasks on the right board, linked back to the meeting.

Skip the typing

Or let Lilly fill it in.

In BOO Workspace, a notetaker joins your Google Meet, Zoom or Teams call. Afterwards, Lilly AI drafts every action item with a proposed owner and due date. You accept the ones you want and they land on the right board.

See how Lilly works

Every action item gets a suggested owner and due date.
Nothing lands on a board until you accept it.
Recurring meetings carry open items into the next one.
Transcription always completes, even if AI credits run low.

Good to know.

What should meeting minutes include?

The date, attendees and apologies, the agenda items discussed, decisions made, any formal motions, action items with owners and due dates, and the time of the next meeting.

Do meeting minutes need to be word for word?

No. Minutes record decisions and key points, not a transcript. Keep each item to a few lines. If you need the full conversation, keep a recording alongside the minutes.

What's the difference between minutes and notes?

Minutes are a formal, agreed record, usually approved at the next meeting. Notes are informal and for the team's own use. Boards, committees and associations usually need minutes.

Can I record the meeting instead of taking minutes?

A recording helps, but people won't rewatch it. In BOO Workspace, a notetaker records and transcribes Google Meet, Zoom and Teams calls, and Lilly AI drafts the action items so the minute-taker can focus on decisions.

More templates.

Action items templateA free action items template and tracker to copy. Capture every meeting action item with an owner, due date and status, so nothing slips.Meeting recap templateA free meeting recap template and recap email to copy. Summarise decisions, action items and next steps in five minutes, and send it before people forget.Weekly team meeting agendaA free weekly team meeting agenda template. A 30-minute format covering wins, priorities, blockers and action items, so the meeting stays short.

A meeting minutes template with action items built in.

How to take meeting minutes

Tips for the minute-taker

Minutes vs recap

Minutes that turn into work

Or let Lilly fill it in.

Good to know.

Let Lilly write the next one.