To create effective content, then, for minutes, the minute-taker tries to accurately set down the most important points of discussion and the action decisions made by the group. Group members need this information to do their jobs. There is no one way to organize minutes of meetings, but there are some widely observed conventions. It's important to identify the nature of the document right at the top where it can be spotted immediately by a reader. It's logical to include the title Minutes, the name of the group, and when the meeting took place.
Most groups also record in the minutes who attended the meeting, and who was absent.
If you know you must miss a meeting, call the minute taker and express your regrets. Usually before considering the business scheduled for the meeting, members will check to determine that the record of the last meeting is accurate. After this, the order of events of the agenda may vary and, thus, the order of the minutes. It is common to deal first with reports because that can often be done quickly so members are still fresh when they reach the most important items of the meeting. There is one other convention that some groups follow.