Struggling with writing up minutes

[PeanutandBananas]

Ive taken them twice so far and struggle with writing them up to make them look professional. How do I do them and put them in better English?

Put them into ChatGPT and ask it to do it for you....

Minutes of meetings don’t need to be be in better English, they need to be an accurate record of what was said in the meeting.

Have you access to Copilot at work? If so switch this on, after notifying the meeting, and let it take notes. You can then check through these and amend for any errors, AI is not infallible, before issuing.

otherwise the suggestion above to use ChatGPT is good. The best minutes are succinct, bullet points and with clear actions and owners.

Minutes need to be clear and short.
And although obviously grammar and spelling are important the point of the minutes is more important.

So you need a line or two of the point, the date that it has to be actioned by and who's responsibility it is .
Don't be afraid of asking for clarification of a point during the meeting .
Don't leave it untill after the meeting as the phrase/ wording/ time line has to be agreed by everyone.

I haven't tried using AI to help me ( I haven't had to take them for about 2.5 yrs ) However I have tried using the record feature on Teams / zoom or even using my phones voice recorder it's a helpful back up but there is no way I'd rely on it solely

( check with everyone that it's OK to record them before the meeting starts )

Problem with using AI is that it is so very obvious to anyone reading it.
id be mortified if my work thought I’d used AI. And yes I have a number of processing and spelling issues so I’m not a whiz at these things at all.

Practice doing it and get someone to peer review is my advice. Make sure you fully understand what’s being said so you can follow up with informed questions and understand and actions feedback.

You don’t have to copy and use exactly what Chat GPT writes for you, but might it be worth using as a guide, for you to then write your own?

Why? I’d rather have a “AI tone” than poor grammar and spelling. It’s much easier on the reader than battling through poor SPAG.

OP - If the meeting is recorded on Teams, it can be set to take a transcript. Use Copilot to create the first set of minutes and then edit for any nuances that Copilot hasn’t fully recorded.

how bizarre that using available technology to make work both easier and better should be seen as “mortifying”

our work is embracing Co-pilot and although reports are hand written they get put through Co-pilot for a tidy and a polish at the end.

in OP’s case, as long as the notes are clear and accurate who really cares what tool she used to help?

a note if caution though is that Ai is only as good as the person using it. You do still need to check and edit it.

@PeanutandBananas The key thing for minutes are

• action points with deadline and who is responsible for delivery.
• decisions made
• outcomes
• risks and issues raised.

You don’t need the waffle I.e there was a discussion about washing up. It was decided Jane will draw up a rota by 15/06.

It’s good practice to use AI for something like minutes, why waste time on a task when this is exactly what the technology is there for? My work encourage its use. Obviously you have to check it but it’s not that onerous. If the meeting is on teams you can have copilot read through the transcript and produce bulleted and clear notes and actions. Saves a ton of time.

We’re actively encouraged to use it for minutes. As a lead professional in endless meetings, it saves me countless hours.

There's a difference between transcribing waffle everything that was said and writing effective minutes. Assuming there isn't a formal requirement to write as though you're dialling in from 1927, you can strip it down to the absolute bare essentials.

Take some time to set up a table in word.

Title
Date and location
Attending: name (Initials) role of committee member
In Attendance: name (initials) role of visiting person
Clerk/Governance Professional: you (initials)
Apologies: name (initials)
Absent: name (initials)
Meeting start time:
Meeting end time:

Now look at the agenda and use those for headings
Have something standard for 1.0 - like declarations - No new declarations were made/AAA submitted a new declaration

2.0 Previous Minutes - APPROVED

Rest of meeting:

Short explanation - eg,

3.0 Maintenance

Two cupboard door locks in Distribution Building faulty, affects security (BBB)

Budget available for repair (CCC)

Questions/Comments

Q. Is there budget available for upgrading to Acme 4000? Improved specification should reduce likelihood of failure vs. temporary repair & cost effective in view of risk to stock (EEE)
A. Yes (CCC)

APPROVED: repair/replacement using upgraded locks
ACTION: Site team to replace by end of week (FFF - the person to tell Site to do it/put through the purchase order/petty cash)

Bunfights are written down as

Discussed at length.

NOT APPROVED
ACTION: To discuss at next meeting

Continue on in the same manner. Anybody who leaves early, add their leaving time on the front page and note they left at the end of an item. If they arrive late, note (from 9.35am) on the front page.

Separate page to copy and paste the actions from the minutes and RAG when you're getting ready for the next meeting.