October 10, 2026 · 6 min read
Board meeting minutes: what to include (with template)
The minutes of a board meeting or a general meeting of shareholders are the record of what the company decided. They are what auditors, banks, notaries and registries ask for, and what settles a dispute about who agreed to what. Here is what they should include, a template to copy and how to prepare them in a fraction of the time.
What the law asks for
The rules depend on the country and on your company's articles or bylaws, so always check those first. In the UK, for example, every company must record minutes of all directors' meetings and of all general meetings and keep them for at least ten years (sections 248 and 355 of the Companies Act 2006). In the US, the requirements come from state corporate law and the company's bylaws.
This is general information, not legal advice: if in doubt, ask your company secretary or lawyer.
What the minutes should include
The company's name and the kind of meeting (board, annual or extraordinary general meeting); the date, time and place, or that it was held by video call; and how and when it was called, with the agenda.
Who attended, in person or by proxy, and who sent apologies; who chaired and who took the minutes; and confirmation that there was a quorum. Then, for each agenda item, a short summary of the discussion, the exact wording of each resolution and the result of the vote (for, against, abstentions), plus any declared conflicts of interest.
Finally, the time the meeting closed, how the minutes are approved, and the signatures: usually the chair's, and the secretary's where your rules require it.
Template to copy
MINUTES OF THE [BOARD MEETING / ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING] OF [COMPANY NAME] [COMPANY NUMBER].
Held at [place / by video call] on [date] at [time]. Present: [names]. In attendance: [names]. Apologies: [names]. Chair: [name]. Secretary: [name]. The chair confirmed that notice had been duly given and a quorum was present.
1. [Agenda item]. Discussion: [short summary]. Resolved that [exact wording of the resolution]. For: [number]; against: [number]; abstentions: [number].
2. [Agenda item]. [Summary, resolution and vote.]
There being no further business, the meeting closed at [time]. Signed: [chair's name], Chair. [Date].
How to prepare them in minutes
Record the meeting (telling attendees at the start) or, if it's a video call, let SwiftBOL's assistant join it. When it ends, open "Create with AI" and choose "Board or general meeting minutes": you get a draft with the kind of meeting, attendees, quorum, agenda, each resolution with its vote result and signature lines, ready to download for Word.
SwiftBOL never invents names, figures or results: anything that wasn't said clearly is left as a bracketed placeholder for you to complete. The draft has no legal effect until the secretary reviews, completes and signs it with the chair's approval.
Try it with your own audio
SwiftBOL transcribes, summarizes, and structures your meetings and classes in minutes. The Free plan includes 120 minutes of audio a month, no credit card required.