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Meeting Minutes
The biggest and most common mistake people make with minutes is to try to write down what people say. According to Robert’s Rules, minutes should record what is done and not what is said (p. 468).
If you are the secretary or clerk of your board, do your best to persuade your group that summary minutes or action minutes will serve the organization much better than detailed minutes.
When you have prepared the draft of your minutes, save it as an electronic file clearly marked DRAFT. It can then be circulated to the members in advance of the meeting.
At the meeting, the members vote to correct the minutes, if necessary, and to approve them.
Once the draft minutes have been approved, save them as an electronic file without the word “draft.” Incorporate any corrections, either by using a different font in the electronic version, or by writing out corrections in longhand on the paper version.
The printed, signed version of these minutes, showing all corrections made by the body, with the date of approval indicated and initialed by you, becomes the official record of the body’s action. It must be carefully preserved. Destroy the draft version.
Our Mastery Lesson includes extensive information and samples:
Post your questions about meeting minutes to our blog, Robert’s Rules in Real Life.
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Action Minutes Serve the City Best
Examine the differences between detailed minutes and action minutes and learn why action minutes may serve your city best.
Introduction to Minutes
Become familiar with different types of minutes and how to prepare, process and preserve them.