Say it like this
- Can someone take notes during the meeting?
- I will send the meeting notes to the team after we finish.
- Did you catch those meeting notes from yesterday?
Use it at work
During a meeting
- Who's taking meeting notes today?
- I'll add that to the meeting notes.
After a meeting
- I've shared the meeting notes with action items.
- Please check the meeting notes and correct anything I missed.
Looking back
- It's in last week's meeting notes.
- The meeting notes say we agreed on Friday.
Don't say this
Use 'take notes' as the action verb, not 'create notes.' 'Create meeting notes' is possible but less natural than 'take notes.'
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| meeting notes | Record of what was said and decided | Note-taker | After each meeting |
| minutes | Formal meeting notes | Secretary, board | Formal meetings |
| action items | Tasks from the meeting | Everyone | Part of the notes |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your colleague is about to lead a meeting. What do you ask?
2. After the standup, I always _______ the meeting notes to our team Slack channel so everyone stays informed.
3. Which sentence uses 'meeting notes' incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this in natural tech English: 'I wrote down everything we talked about in the meeting and I will send the document to everyone tomorrow.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Can someone take notes during the meeting?"
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More about meeting notes
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"Sarah, could you share the meeting notes from the architecture discussion so everyone knows the decision we made?"
- in an email
"Attached are the meeting notes from our sync with the product team covering the Q3 roadmap priorities."
- in a Slack message
"I have uploaded the meeting notes to our Confluence page; please review the action items assigned to you."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Often confused with 'minutes' (official formal record). Meeting notes are usually informal and personal, while minutes are the official documented record.
- ✕The meeting notes are the official record of what happened.✓The minutes are the official record; the meeting notes are informal notes for reference.
Meeting notes are personal or informal records, whereas 'minutes' is the formal, official documentation of a meeting.
- ✕Can you meeting notes this decision?✓Can you note this decision in the meeting notes?
Meeting notes is a noun, not a verb. Use it as a noun phrase or use 'take notes' or 'document' as the verb.
Other forms(4)
- meeting notes noun
"The meeting notes clearly outlined the three action items we need to complete."
- take meeting notes noun phrase
"Who will take the meeting notes for this sync?"
- share meeting notes noun phrase
"Please share the meeting notes with anyone who could not attend."
- review meeting notes noun phrase
"Before we close, let us review the meeting notes to confirm everything is accurate."
Often used with(7)
- take meeting notes · To write down information during a meeting
- share meeting notes · To distribute the notes to team members, usually by email or document link
- review meeting notes · To check the notes for accuracy before finalizing and sharing
- send meeting notes · To distribute notes, often via email to attendees or broader team
- upload meeting notes · To place notes in a shared repository like Confluence or Google Drive
- detailed meeting notes · Comprehensive notes with full context and details
- action items in meeting notes · Specific tasks assigned during the meeting that are documented in notes
Similar words(4)
- notes · More casual, shorter form; commonly used in tech
- minutes · More formal and official; the documented record of a formal meeting
- summary · A condensed version; less detailed than full meeting notes
- recap · An informal summary of what was discussed; often spoken or brief
Opposites(2)
- unrecorded discussion
- undocumented meeting
Questions(5)
- What is the difference between meeting notes and minutes?
- Meeting notes are informal, personal records written during or after a meeting to capture key points and action items. Minutes are the official, formal record of a meeting, often with standard formatting and legal implications. In most tech companies, meeting notes are more commonly used and are less rigid than minutes.
- Who should take meeting notes?
- Anyone can volunteer, though it is often helpful to rotate the responsibility. In larger companies, there may be an administrative person assigned. The person taking notes should be able to write quickly, understand the technical content being discussed, and be able to organize information clearly.
- What should be included in meeting notes?
- Good meeting notes typically include the meeting date and attendees, agenda items discussed, key decisions made, any important information shared, and action items with assigned owners and deadlines. Some teams also include timestamps or links to relevant documents.
- Is 'meeting notes' formal or informal?
- Meeting notes are generally neutral to informal. They are less formal than official minutes but more structured than casual conversation. The tone depends on your team culture and how the notes will be used.
- How quickly should meeting notes be shared?
- Meeting notes should be shared within 24 hours of the meeting while the content is still fresh. Many teams share notes the same day, especially if action items have tight deadlines. Sharing promptly helps team members remember what was discussed and start working on their assigned tasks.
