---
title: "Meeting Minutes Template: Print or Copy | Common Cove"
description: "Fill in a meeting minutes template: attendance, apologies, motions with mover, seconder and result, and actions. Print it or copy it as Markdown or text."
url: https://commoncove.sbs/meeting-minutes-template/
---

# Meeting minutes template

Fill in the form as the meeting goes, and the minutes write themselves on the sheet beside it: attendance, decisions, motions with their result, and who is doing what by when.

## What goes in the minutes

Minutes are a record of what was done at a meeting, not of what was said. That is how *Robert's Rules of Order* puts it, and it keeps minutes short and fair: who chaired, who attended and sent apologies, whether the last minutes were approved, every motion in its exact wording with its mover and result, and the actions agreed.

## Using the template

Fill in what applies and leave the rest blank: empty parts are left out, and the preview updates as you type. Add as many items, motions and actions as you need. Then print the sheet or save it as a PDF, or copy it as Markdown or plain text for an email or a shared document.

- Write the wording of a motion down before the vote and read it back.
- Record vote counts only when a count was taken; otherwise “Carried” is enough.
- Note late arrivals and early departures if they affect the quorum.
- Mark the minutes as a draft until the next meeting approves them.

## Sources

- Robert's Rules Association, [Frequently asked questions](https://robertsrules.com/frequently-asked-questions/), questions 15 and 16 (minutes record what was done, not what was said; corrections and “approved as corrected”; *RONR*, 12th ed., 48:2, 48:4).
- Michigan State University Academic Governance, [Writing minutes](https://acadgov.msu.edu/About/Writing-Minutes) (essential elements, based on *RONR* 12th edition; seconders optional).

## Questions

**Should minutes record the discussion?**

Generally not. Robert's Rules says minutes should mainly record what was done, not what was said. If your group wants a brief neutral note of the main points, keep it short and avoid quoting people.

**Do I need to record who seconded?**

Only if your group wants it. Guides based on Robert's Rules treat the seconder's name as optional, so the template leaves it out when that box is empty.

**How are corrections made?**

When the draft comes up for approval, corrections are made in its text, and the next minutes simply say the previous minutes were approved as corrected.

**Where is my draft kept?**

In this browser's local storage only, so it survives a reload. It can include people's names: clear the form when you finish on a shared computer.