A step-by-step method to taking minutes. Minutes are simple notes written at a meeting that remind you of what was discussed and agreed upon. They don't have to be long or elaborate, written in a fancy language, or have perfect grammar. As long as they help the other participants remember what was said at the meeting, you've done your job well. Taking minutes is a useful tool for keeping track of meetings and topics under discussion. It can also serve as a record of decisions made by the group. Ideally, all major decisions should be put into writing and recorded by someone who was present at the meeting. This person can be anyone who is willing to take on this role; it may even be the same person who holds each meeting. No one else needs to know about the minutes except those who were present at the meeting -- unless you want them to see things differently next time they meet. You can use any word or phrase to note down points during the meeting. The only rule is that these notes must be taken seriously -- which means that you must write them down soon after the meeting has ended. People usually start taking minutes right after the meeting has ended. However, if there was nothing specific to write down, then there's no need to leave immediately after talking business. You can stay longer if you want to go over more details or discuss issues raised by others.