What good minutes record, and what they leave out

Minutes are not a transcript. They are the official record of what a meeting decided, and they need to stand up long after everyone has forgotten the discussion.

When a decision is questioned months later, the minutes are what people turn to. For South African companies they are also a legal record: the Companies Act requires minutes of board and shareholder meetings, and the resolutions adopted, to be kept for seven years.

Record decisions, not conversations

Good minutes capture the outcome of each agenda item: what was decided, who will act, and by when. They summarise the main points of discussion where those points explain the decision, but they do not attempt to record who said what, word for word.

The essentials every set of minutes needs

• The name of the body, and the date, time and place of the meeting, or the platform if it was held online.
• Who attended, who sent apologies, and confirmation that a quorum was present.
• Declarations of interest, and any member who stepped out for an item.
• Each decision, worded clearly enough to be acted on without further explanation.
• Actions, with a responsible person and a deadline.
• The date of the next meeting.

What to leave out

Opinions that did not shape the outcome, side conversations and heated exchanges rarely belong in the minutes. Neither do the minute-taker's own interpretations. If the chair summarised the meeting's position, record the summary.

Write them while the meeting is fresh

Minutes drafted within a day or two are far more accurate than minutes reconstructed a week later. A prompt draft also gives the chair time to review it before the next meeting, where the minutes are formally approved.

Whether we attend in person, join online or work from your recording, the aim is the same: a clear, accurate record that the chair can sign with confidence.