Board meeting minutes template

What are board meeting minutes?

Board meeting minutes are written summaries of the discussions, decisions, and actions during a meeting between a board of directors. During board meetings, directors come together to discuss the long-term goals and high-level strategic decisions that affect the company.

Your board meeting minutes can include as much or as little detail as you’d like. The more detailed your notes are, the more helpful they’ll be when you refer back to them.

What is a board meeting minutes template?

A board meeting minutes template gives you a simple structure you can use to keep records of the actions and discussions during board meetings. You don’t have to waste time outlining or organizing your board meeting minutes when you use a template, so you can focus more time and energy on keeping detailed notes.

Why are board meeting minutes important?

Board meetings allow directors to discuss high-level decisions that impact the company and how those decisions align with long-term goals. This information can be used to hold effective team meetings and ensure that all teams align with the company's goals.

Whether planning a project or considering entering a new market, documenting board meeting minutes can help align your actions with your goals.

What should board meeting minutes include?

When writing board meeting minutes, you want to include the essential details about the meeting, a list of items on the agenda, motions and votes, and decisions. You don’t want your meeting notes to be too complicated, but you should still include any key details you might want to refer back to later.

Benefits of taking board meeting minutes

Supports strategic planning

Board meeting minutes provide a documented history of discussions and decisions, aiding in strategic planning. When you refer back to your board meeting minutes to create an action plan or make an important decision about a project, you’ll know how to find the items on the agenda, motions and votes, and the final decisions made by the board of directors.

Increases productivity

Board meeting minutes outline action items and decisions, ensuring team members focus on key tasks and responsibilities. This clarity helps streamline workflows and prevents important tasks from being overlooked or delayed.

Improves communication

Sharing minutes after meetings keeps everyone aligned, reduces miscommunication, and promotes effective collaboration. Maintaining a record of meeting minutes ensures that meaningful discussions and decisions are up to date, streamlining communication and teamwork among board members and teams.

Enhances accountability

Accountability plays a key role in project collaboration. It starts with having a list of clearly documented decisions and action items. Everyone participating in these meetings is accountable for the actions and decisions discussed, which are clearly outlined in the board meeting minutes.

Simplifies record-keeping

Reflecting on your past performance is one of the most essential parts of continuously improving. With board meeting minutes, you have a detailed record of meetings that you can reference or use to track your progress. Meeting notes can also help you create project documentation that aligns with your high-level strategy.

Use the meeting minutes template to set agendas, take notes, and share action items with your team.

How to write board meeting minutes

Step 1. Prepare for the meeting

First things first - you need to prepare for the meeting. Review the agenda and any supporting documents to familiarize yourself with the discussion topics. Record as many necessary details as you can before the meeting begins.

Step 2. Record meeting details

Before the meeting starts, outline some of its key details. Your weekly meeting notes should include the date, time, location of the meeting, and a list of attendees and absences. These details will help you determine which meeting minutes to refer to in the future.

Step 3. Document key discussions and decisions

When the meeting starts, and people brainstorm important decisions, note key discussions and decisions. Ensure you record everything clearly and concisely without leaving out any key details.

Step 4. Capture action items

Next, you can capture action items and assign them to specific individuals. Tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities should be clearly outlined and assigned to a particular person. You can use our action plan template to streamline this step.

Step 5. Review and format the minutes

Once you’re finished writing your board meeting minutes, proofread your notes and make sure everything is structured correctly. This is the last chance you’ll have to organize your minutes before distributing them.

Step 6. Distribute and store

Now, it’s time to distribute the meeting minutes to board members and archive a copy for your records. Each board member should receive a copy.

Tips for writing board meeting minutes

Customize your approach to taking board meeting minutes based on your business needs. Focus on key areas relevant to your meetings, and review and edit the notes after each meeting to ensure you captured relevant information.

It’s also important to be unbiased and accurate when recording the minutes. Objectivity is crucial because you’re trying to create a collaborative culture that aligns with your long-term goals.