Board and general meeting minutes template

Board or general meeting minutes record who attended, what was discussed and what was resolved. This template sets out the usual sections in the order they tend to appear. It’s a general guide: the exact form depends on your articles and the law, so check it with your company secretary or legal team.

When to use it

  • General meetings of members or shareholders, ordinary or extraordinary.
  • Meetings of the board of directors.
  • Similar governing bodies in associations or foundations, adapting the names.
  • When you want a tidy draft for whoever takes the minutes to complete and sign.

The template

  1. 1

    Meeting details

    Which body is meeting (general meeting or board), whether it’s ordinary or extraordinary, date, time, place or format (in person, remote or hybrid) and how and when it was called.

  2. 2

    Attendance and quorum

    Members, shareholders or directors present and represented, what they represent at a general meeting, who chairs and who acts as secretary, guests (advisers, auditors) and whether the required quorum is met.

  3. 3

    Agenda

    The items as they appeared in the notice of meeting, numbered, so each resolution can be matched to its item.

  4. 4

    Discussion

    A summary of what’s discussed under each item and any contributions someone expressly asks to be recorded in the minutes.

  5. 5

    Resolutions and votes

    The wording of each resolution, the result of the vote (for, against, abstentions) and any objections or reservations someone wants put in writing.

  6. 6

    Any other business

    Questions and requests raised at the end, who raised them and whether they’re answered in the meeting or left open.

  7. 7

    Close and approval

    Closing time, how the minutes are approved (in the same meeting or later, as your articles and the law provide) and the signatures required, usually the secretary’s with the chair’s approval.

To get it right

  • Keep the notice of meeting and the agenda to hand: the minutes should follow its items.
  • Note resolutions word for word at the time; the discussion can be summarised.
  • Say at the start that the meeting is being recorded, and check with the secretary whether your articles say anything about it.
  • Check attendees’ names and roles before you circulate the draft.

With Echo, without writing it

  1. 1

    Create the analysis type

    In Settings, AI analysis, click “New template” and call it “Board minutes”. Under “General instructions” you can ask for a tone or for anything that mustn’t be left out.

  2. 2

    Add the sections

    For each section of this template, fill in “Section title”, choose the “Format” (List or Paragraph) and describe in “What it should include” what’s explained above. “Add section” takes you up to 12. Click “Save template”.

  3. 3

    Use it in your meetings

    Choose it under “Type of analysis” before you start in Live or Record, set it as your “Template for your uploads” or, in a meeting that’s already transcribed, pick it in the Summary tab and click “Generate”.

  4. 4

    Have it applied automatically

    In Settings, Automations, click “New automation”, type words such as “board, general meeting” under “Has in its title” and choose your template under “Analyse it as”. It applies when no other type was chosen at upload.

Frequently asked questions

Can Echo’s transcript serve as the minutes?

No. The minutes are drafted and signed by whoever is legally responsible. Echo gives you the transcript with who said what, and a draft with these sections so writing them takes less time.

Can I limit who sees the recording?

Yes. In a team workspace you can keep it in a restricted folder and choose who has access under “Who has access”. Owners and admins always have access.

Where is the audio processed?

Transcription and AI run on our own servers in the EU: recordings aren’t sent to other companies to be transcribed.

Is this template legal advice?

No. It sets out the usual sections in general terms. For your company’s specific requirements, check with the company secretary or your legal team.

Other templates

Try it with your next meeting.

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