Meeting Minutes or Meeting Report - Which Should You Use and Why?

Meetings are an essential part of many organizations and teams. They provide a valuable opportunity for people to come together, share information, discuss issues, and make decisions. To get the most out of meetings, it's important to properly document the discussions that take place. Two of the most common ways to record meeting information are meeting minutes and meeting reports. While these two documents share some similarities, there are also key differences between them in terms of purpose, content, and usage. This article will examine meeting minutes and meeting reports in depth, providing an overview of when each is appropriate and how to effectively utilize them. With a solid understanding of these tools, you can ensure your meetings are properly documented for future reference.

Definition of Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes are the official written record of a meeting. They provide a summary of the key discussion points, decisions made, and actions agreed upon during a meeting.

The purpose of meeting minutes is to capture an accurate account of the meeting's proceedings that can be referenced in the future. Minutes serve as the official documentation for what transpired and what was decided during the meeting.

Key elements that are typically included in meeting minutes:

• Date, time, location of meeting
• Name of organization, committee, or group
• List of attendees and absentees
• Agenda topics covered
• Motions proposed and votes taken
• Decisions and resolutions made
• Action items with owners and deadlines
• Next steps and next meeting information

The minutes are recorded by a designated note taker during the meeting, usually the secretary or a minutes recorder. The draft minutes are circulated after the meeting for review by all attendees before being formally approved at the next meeting.

Purpose of Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes serve to document the discussions and decisions made during a meeting. They provide an official record of what was covered and agreed upon in the meeting.

Some key purposes of meeting minutes include:

• Recording attendance - The minutes list who attended the meeting. This provides a record of who was present and involved in the discussions.
• Documenting agenda items - All agenda items brought up in the meeting are documented, along with key points raised and actions taken. This creates a record of what was discussed.
• Capturing decisions and agreements - Any decisions made or agreements reached during the meeting are noted down. This provides a reference for follow-up actions after the meeting.
• Providing a record of votes - If any voting takes place, the minutes record who voted, what the motion was, and the result.
• Recording assigned actions - Any tasks, owners, and deadlines assigned are captured to enable follow-up progress.
• Creating organizational memory - Well-documented minutes serve as a knowledge bank for an organization's key meetings and decisions over time.

Overall, comprehensive meeting minutes are vital for transparency, alignment, follow-through, and creating an accurate historical record within an organization. They provide a blow-by-blow account of the meeting's proceedings and outcomes.

Contents of Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes typically contain the following key details:

• Date, time, location of meeting: The minutes should note when and where the meeting took place. This provides context.
• Meeting attendees: List all members present and absent. For recurring meetings, indicate any guests.
• Agenda topics: Outline the topics or agenda items discussed, in the order they were covered.
• Discussions: Summarize the key points raised during discussions for each agenda item. Avoid verbatim details, but include relevant facts.
• Decisions: Document all final decisions, motions, votes or follow-up actions agreed upon.
• Action items: Record tasks assigned to meeting participants, deadlines and owners. Tracking action items helps ensure accountability.
• Next steps: Note any future plans, meetings or tasks to be completed.

Overall, meeting minutes serve as an official record of the key information covered and decisions made during a meeting. They provide a recap for those present and a way to inform others not in attendance.

Definition of Meeting Report

A meeting report is a narrative summary of a meeting. It captures the key discussion points, decisions, and action items from a meeting in paragraph form.

Unlike formal meeting minutes that capture a verbatim record, a meeting report summarizes the meeting in a readable, story-like format. It goes beyond a simple listing of agenda topics and provides context around the key items covered.

The meeting report aims to inform readers about the purpose, highlights, conclusions and actions from a meeting. It helps bring people up to speed who were not present at the meeting. The report usually highlights only the most essential information and outcomes rather than attempting to document everything said.

Meeting reports are typically 1-2 pages long. They often follow a basic structure starting with an introduction, then key discussion points and outcomes, followed by next steps and action items. The focus is on synthesizing the main takeaways rather than listing all details.

In summary, a meeting report provides a high-level review of a meeting in an easy-to-read narrative format. It extracts the essential information for readers who need to know what happened without attending the full meeting.

Purpose of Meeting Report

A meeting report is used to communicate the key discussion points and outcomes from a meeting to people who were not present. It provides a summary of the most important information covered and decisions made during the meeting.

Unlike minutes which capture a chronological record of everything said, a meeting report focuses on synthesizing the critical takeaways, conclusions, and next steps. It is written from a third-person perspective and typically structured around the agenda topics.

The purpose of a meeting report is to:

• Inform stakeholders who did not attend the meeting about the main points covered and conclusions reached. This keeps them up to date on important discussions.
• Document the key takeaways, action items, and decisions made so that follow up can occur after the meeting.
• Provide a record of the meeting that summarizes its overall purpose and outcomes. This is more concise and readable than comprehensive minutes.
• Allow those present at the meeting to review the most vital information covered and share this with others who need to stay informed.
• Serve as a basis for follow up and future progress reporting on action items arising from the meeting.

So in summary, a meeting report communicates essential information from a meeting to a wider audience, while minutes serve as a detailed record for those present. The report format makes information quick and easy to digest.

Contents of Meeting Report

A meeting report provides a summary of the key discussions, decisions, and action items from a meeting. Unlike formal minutes, a meeting report is written in paragraph form and highlights the most important information from the meeting.

The report will summarize the major topics covered and provide an overview of the key points made during the presentations and discussions. It should note any important decisions that were made and clearly capture action items and next steps.

The report aims to inform those who did not attend the meeting on what transpired and what was decided. As such, it focuses on the highlights rather than trying to provide a verbatim transcript. The report should summarize the essential information in a clear and concise manner.

Any key decisions or votes taken should be noted, along with the final resolutions. The report should also list action items, making it clear who is responsible for each task, their due dates, and any other relevant details. Providing this information ensures follow-up after the meeting.

While meeting minutes focus on comprehensively documenting the proceedings, a meeting report synthesizes the vital information into a readable summary. It enables those who did not attend to get an overview of the key outcomes and actions from the meeting.

Key Differences

Formality

Meeting minutes tend to be more formal and structured in their format, while meeting reports allow for a more conversational tone. Minutes follow a set template, adhering to standards like Robert's Rules of Order. Reports have more flexibility in style.

Level of Detail

Minutes capture a high level of detail about the meeting, including who attended, the agenda, discussions, motions made, actions taken, and next steps. Reports summarize meetings at a higher level without transcript-like detail.

Purposes

The purpose of minutes is to provide a historical record and document decisions made. Reports aim to inform readers about key outcomes, takeaways, and next steps from a meeting. Minutes help establish facts about the meeting that happened. Reports share insights and communicate what the meeting accomplished.

When to Use Each

The choice between meeting minutes and a meeting report depends on the purpose and audience. Here are some guidelines:

Use Meeting Minutes When:

• You need a formal record of what was discussed and decided in the meeting. Minutes serve as the official record.
• Attendees and stakeholders outside the meeting need a brief overview of the key points. Minutes summarize the highlights.
• People were assigned action items and deadlines that need to be tracked. Minutes document tasks and responsibilities.
• Legal or regulatory requirements dictate that formal minutes be taken. Some boards and councils require minutes.

Use a Meeting Report When:

• You need to communicate more details and context from the meeting. Reports allow more elaboration.
• People who didn't attend need a thorough understanding of what happened. Reports provide more background.
• You want to analyze or interpret the significance of the meeting. Reports allow for more commentary.
• The meeting covered complex or technical topics. Reports can explain and clarify better than minutes.
• You want to showcase the outcomes and accomplishments of the meeting. Reports highlight achievements.

So in summary, opt for minutes when you mainly need a record of actions and decisions. Use reports when you need to communicate what happened in greater depth.

Conclusion

Meeting minutes and meeting reports serve different purposes in documenting meetings. The key differences are:

• Meeting minutes objectively capture the basic facts of a meeting - who attended, what was discussed, and any decisions made. They are meant as a record for those in attendance.
• Meeting reports summarize the key discussion points and outcomes of a meeting but in a more narrative style. They are created for the benefit of those not present at the meeting.

The purposes can be summarized as:

• Meeting minutes are for documenting the meeting events and decisions as an official record.
• Meeting reports are for communicating insights from the meeting to a broader audience.

In general, meeting minutes tend to be brief while meeting reports allow for more analysis and detail. Minutes focus on facts whereas reports focus on narrative.

Both meeting documents have a role to play in helping organizations effectively run meetings and disseminate information. The purposes and audiences dictate when to use minutes versus reports. Well-crafted minutes and reports support transparency, alignment, and productivity.

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