A meeting notes template you can start using now
Date, who came, what you decided, who does what by when. Copy the template below, or keep each meeting as a dated note in your project.
Updated 7 November 2026
At a glance
- Takes
- Five minutes, right after the meeting.
- Write
- Who came, what you decided, who does what by when.
- Skip
- Who said what. Nobody reads it.
- Keep
- Each meeting as a dated note in the project it belongs to.
A meeting notes template
Copy this and fill it in during the meeting. The Decided and Next lines matter most.
Meeting: Date: Who came: Decided: Open questions: Next: who does what by when
Filled in:
Meeting: website kickoff with Anna Date: 26 October Who came: Anna, Tom, me Decided: four pages, bookings through her calendar. Open questions: who writes the About page? Next: Anna sends photos by Friday; I send the first draft by Wednesday.
A shorter template for a 1:1
For a regular meeting with one person, three lines are enough:
Since last time: Worries: Next, and who does it:
For one thread per person, see 1:1 notes for each direct report.
What makes meeting notes useful
- Each next step has one name and one date.
- Decisions are written as decisions: “We launch on 24 March”, never “we discussed the launch”.
- They go out the same day, while people can still correct them.
- Next time, you start by reading the last Next line.
Keep every meeting with its project
A folder of meeting documents makes you open them one by one. In a thread of notes per project, each meeting sits in date order next to the work it led to, so the last note says what was agreed.
That’s what ThreadPage is for. It’s free in your browser with no account: paste the template into a note and send it.
Questions
What’s the difference between meeting notes and minutes?
Minutes are a formal record, often required and approved at the next meeting. Meeting notes are for the people doing the work: what was decided and who does what.
Who should take the notes?
Anyone but the person leading the meeting. Rotate it if nobody wants the job.
How long should they be?
Short enough to read in a minute. If a section is empty, leave it out.
Start with one thread.
Free in your browser. No account needed to start.
Project notes: one running log per project
Keep notes, tables and screenshots with each project. Before you switch, leave the next step in its thread. When you return, the context is there.
Free nothing to set up1:1 notes for each of your direct reports
Private notes per person: 1:1s, wins, worries and what each of you promised. When reviews come, the year is already there.
Free nothing to set up