The causes of an ineffective meeting can be multiple: poor preparation, repetition, lack of commitment from the participants, poorly defined objectives, sterile debates, endless discussions that do not lead to any decision making... so many disappointments that weaken the productivity of your work teams. 

But how can we overcome the scourge of unproductive meetings? The solution lies in the implementation of simple practices that are, to say the least, essential to the smooth running of a working session. 

## 1\. Invite participants to prepare in advance by collaborating around the agenda

To begin with, all agendas for your meetings should be set and circulated in advance. A meeting is only effective if all participants are willing to contribute to the discussion. As a team leader, invite participants to prepare their contributions in advance to ensure the quality of future discussions. The best way to achieve this goal is to start by creating a common agenda that is accessible and modifiable by all team members. This will reinforce the engagement of the participants during the meeting since they will have contributed to its elaboration beforehand. Empower your teams by giving them a voice!

In addition to making your meetings more productive, working together to prepare for your meetings will be a first step towards a more inclusive internal culture. As a team leader, be sure to value everyone's ideas and contributions. Meetings are the ideal place to shape, grow and communicate your corporate culture.

With WEDO, create your agenda and invite your colleagues to contribute to the different items with the appropriate content (files, paragraphs, private notes...). This way you can collaborate on the preparation of your next team meeting.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_03_1_meeting_agenda_wedo_1024x575_ae325113b3.png)

 Would you like to create collaborative agendas for your meetings? 

::button-primary[Schedule a live demo]{link="/demo"}
::button-primary[Try WEDO for free]{link="/signup"}

## 2\. Ensure that everyone takes part in the discussions and respect everyone's speaking time.

On the day of the meeting, the initiator of the meeting must assume the role of "facilitator" by encouraging free exchange among participants. Be attentive to interactions by keeping a critical and constructive eye. It is also a matter of controlling the dynamics of the meeting while keeping the initial objectives in mind to ensure that they are achieved. Sometimes, one speaker can take precedence over more introverted others. To facilitate exchanges, make sure that everyone is able to give his or her opinion. Create a pleasant atmosphere for constructive and caring discussions among your team members.

What to do concretely when one or two people dominate the conversations?

* Go around the table to ask the opinions of the more discreet participants.
* Be aware of interruptions: if someone is interrupted, make sure they can finish what they are saying.
* Promote a caring environment by reminding that everyone's contribution is essential and that there are no "stupid" ideas or questions.

This environment will be conducive to generating ideas, making decisions and building stronger relationships to move forward together towards common goals.

Ineffective meetings are often characterized by their lengthy duration. If you can't manage to limit the time each person can speak, you will lose valuable time. Keep in mind that bringing a group of employees together in the same room represents a significant cost to the company.

Creating an agenda is the first step towards respecting your employees' time. It will help you stay focused on the purpose of the meeting while avoiding unnecessary digressions.

The second step is to highlight the importance of punctuality. If a participant tends to be late for team meetings, give them your comments as an aside.

Finally, respecting everyone's time also means being able to recognize when a meeting must be cancelled or shortened. If most members are absent or agenda items have already been dealt with at another time, don't monopolize your team's precious time and let them focus on their priorities and possible upcoming deadlines.

## 3\. Take a moment to review the work that has been done and ask questions about constraints and concerns.

As a leader, take the time to recognize the work done by your team during your meetings. Plenary encouragement will enhance the value of the whole group by providing a positive and constructive dynamic. In addition, this practice will have the advantage of subtly showing the way to those who have not worked according to your expectations. Public praise will encourage them to follow the example of what has earned your recognition.

However, make sure that you adapt to everyone's personality. While most people like to be publicly praised, some people may not like public recognition.

Alternatively, invite the rest of the group to give their opinion. You may wish to include a section dedicated to participant feedback in your agenda item list. This is a great way to encourage employees to recognize the work of their colleagues. Acknowledging the work done by your team will lead to a productive dynamic while creating strong group cohesion.

Due to poor communication, the front-line problems of an organization may not be known to management. To avoid this, hold bilateral meetings as well as team meetings to ask colleagues about blockers that could prevent them from doing their jobs.

As a team leader, valuing transparent communication will create an environment that is conducive to problem solving. If your employees are confident, they will dare to talk openly about the obstacles they encounter in their daily work. Together, you will be able to solve them in order to reach the objectives set. So invite your colleagues to talk about their concerns: at your team meetings, go around the table regularly so that everyone can express themselves freely and honestly.

## 4\. Establish efficient monitoring of activities

Follow-up actions are probably the most important part of your team meetings as they will help you achieve your goals. At the end of the meeting, your team members need to be clear about what is expected of them. It is a matter of answering the famous question of "who does what and for when". You don't organize meetings just to discuss various subjects: the main goal is to give substance to concrete actions. The follow-up to the meeting must therefore be treated with as much attention as its preparation. At the end of the meeting, already think about the next one in order to ensure an effective follow-up.

What is the best way to ensure effective monitoring of operations?

One of the most effective methods is to make a clear note after each topic discussed in the meeting of the tasks arising from it. Also think about directly assigning your tasks in order to get your team up and running as quickly as possible.

3 tips for writing clear and punchy tasks:

* Begin with an infinitive verb to suggest action
* Be as precise as possible! Think that the task must be understood by a third person.
* Assign a person responsible for each task and specify its deadline.

WEDO combines dynamic reporting with collaborative task management. Enter your tasks directly in meetings, delegate them to your colleagues and specifying their deadlines. Your team will be able to ensure the follow-up of operations at the end of the meeting.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_03_2_assign_tasks_during_meeting_wedo_1024x575_6b9401c77f.png)

Would you like to create tasks directly during your meetings?

::button-primary[Schedule a live demo]{link="/demo"}
::button-primary[Try WEDO for free]{link="/signup"}

## 5\. Share the report with all participants.

To ensure the success of the follow-up process, make sure to distribute the minutes of the meeting discussions. Your team members should have quick access to support that they can rely on to complete their tasks. A team meeting will fail if participants are not clear about what they need to do after the meeting. To facilitate communication, it is essential to make sure that the minutes of your discussion are well presented: highlight the collective decisions and the tasks to be carried out. Make sure that important information stands out clearly so that it is retained by your colleagues. The record of your discussions will ultimately validate the relevance of your meeting in the eyes of the participants.

With WEDO, distribute reports to participants in just a few clicks directly from the platform.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_03_3_send_meeting_minute_to_assignees_wedo_1024x575_72b855da94.png)

## 6\. Seek input from team members about meeting organization

The opinion of your colleagues counts and will allow you to optimize the conduct of your meetings. If your team is convinced of the relevance of your meetings, it will be better able to deliver quality work. Nobody likes wasting time! Moreover, giving employees the opportunity to express their opinions will also help you develop an inclusive culture and ensure that all your meetings will be useful in the future. Ask your team members concretely what they think would make your meetings more effective.

Alternatively, at the end of the meeting, ask your collaborators to give your meeting a score of 1 to 3 :

* 3: this meeting is well organized and allows me to achieve my objectives.
* 2: the meeting is useful but its organization needs improvement.
* 1: I feel that I have wasted my time, this meeting was not useful to me.

Invite each participant to indicate how many points they tune with their raised fingers and quickly survey the room. Finally, ask the most sceptical participants to communicate the points of improvement they feel are necessary.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_03_end_of_meeting_aa13165fe0.gif)

Do you want to improve the conduct of your team meetings using a technological and easy-to-use tool? WEDO is the solution to make your meetings useful and efficient!

::button-primary[Schedule a live demo]{link="/demo"}
::button-primary[Try WEDO for free]{link="/signup"}

As a team leader, you are regularly called upon to organise meetings but are not convinced of their effectiveness? Rethink the organisation of your work sessions by observing a few key principles. Here are some tips that will improve the conduct of your meetings and the commitment of your teams. 

This image offers six tips for running a team meeting effectively, featuring a person presenting at a board on a coral background

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6 tips for conducting an effective team meeting

> The platform offers great facilities for exchanges and collaborative work thanks to its very flexible structure.
> Joël Michelot, Logistics Director of the [Ensemble Hospitalier de la Côte](https://www.ehc-vd.ch/).

In its twelfth edition, the quarterly journal [Architecture Hospitalière](https://www.architecture-hospitaliere.ch/) devotes an [article](https://www.architecture-hospitaliere.ch/1718/wedo-collaborer-en-toute-simplicite/) to WEDO and collects testimonials from the two co-founders of the startup as well as from one of its most active users, Joël Michelot, Logistics Director at EHC.

Under Expert insight, WEDO is presented in detail as clarified by co-founders Antoine Sudan and David Dutch. In this article, they go back to the origin of WEDO and explain what the collaborative tool brings to companies in all sectors. As the health sector is currently one of the first markets for the application, the two co-founders describe the specificities of using WEDO in this context, using the example of L'Ensemble Hospitalier de la Côte. The institution now has some 150 users who have been collaborating with the solution for almost two years.

Discover how WEDO fits into such an important organization through the testimony of Joël Michelot who describes how the tool is now part of the daily life of his teams.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_03_architecture_hospitaliere_wedo_0de103a8e3.png)

::button-primary[Read the article]{link="https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/article_wedo_revue_Architecture_Hospitaliere_2020_4ab4ec7820.pdf"}

The magazine of tomorrow's hospital professionals is interested in our solution. Find the explanations of the two WEDO co-founders as well as the testimony of Joël Michelot, Logistics Director of the Ensemble Hospitalier de la Côte (EHC) and WEDO user.

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Hospital Architecture magazine gives the floor to WEDO

> Because feedback from our users is essential to our developments, we have favoured a few recurring requests for this new version. We are thus offering you a variety of new features that will facilitate your daily use of WEDO. 

##  1 - Duplicating a task 

[Duplicate a task](https://help.wedo.swiss/fr/articles/3738725-dupliquer-une-tache) and delegate duplicates directly to your colleagues! All the information in the task detail panel can be duplicated to save you valuable time.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_1_duplicate_task_wedo_1024x575_7663223f56.png)

## 2 - Duplicating an item in a meeting

In addition to tasks, you also have the ability to duplicate elements of your meeting: paragraphs, decisions, and private notes.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_2_duplicate_item_wedo_1024x575_c409146840.png)

## 3 - Subscribe to a workspace

[Subscribe to a workspace](https://help.wedo.swiss/fr/articles/3742045-s-abonner-a-un-espace-de-travail) so you don't miss any information about it! You will be notified each time a task is created or shared in the space.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_3_subscride_to_a_workspace_wedo_1024x575_a34d084d92.png)

## 4 - Sort your search results

When your network is well provided, it is sometimes complicated to find the right information. In order to facilitate this work, you can now sort your search results according to different sorting modes:

* For tasks > by status, planned date, or due date.
* For meetings > by relevance or by date

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_4_sort_search_results_wedo_1024x575_1ddedbbc9d.png)

## 5 - Search through paragraphs

Via the [global search](https://help.wedo.swiss/fr/articles/2614124-la-recherche) you can now search through the paragraphs of your meetings. This makes it much easier to quickly find the right information!

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_5_search_through_paragraph_1024x575_19b6e6a92a.png)

## 6 - Reschedule a checklist

You need to [change the reference date](https://help.wedo.swiss/fr/articles/3749044-modifier-la-date-de-reference-d-une-checklist) of a current checklist? Enter the new date so that all current tasks are automatically rescheduled according to it!

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_6_replan_a_checklist_wedo_1024x575_aebc632b52.png)

## 7 - Add private notes at each step of the meeting

You can personally annotate a meeting regardless of its stage and your access rights. This allows each participant to efficiently prepare their interventions directly from WEDO.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_7_private_note_wedo_1_1024x575_598347d64c.png)

## 8 - Go to the teams page

Access a page grouping [all the teams in your network](https://help.wedo.swiss/fr/articles/3742172-la-page-des-equipes) to get an overview. Filter teams using the Member / Non-member / All buttons. Choose your favorite teams by clicking on the heart icon. These are displayed in your main menu on the left side of the screen so that you can quickly access them.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_8_page_teams_1024x575_239f6fe825.png)

## 9 - Joining a team

[Ask to join a team](https://help.wedo.swiss/fr/articles/3742258-rejoindre-une-equipe) in your network to collaborate with your colleagues. The moderators will then have to approve your request and you will be able to access the workspaces and checklist templates of the team concerned.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2020_02_9_join_a_team_1024x575_191c42cdcb.png)

Duplicating a task or an element of your meeting, subscribing to a workspace, sorting your search results...so many new features that will improve your daily work.

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WEDO V42: 9 enhancements to discover

## Rights management in meetings

In order to make meeting access rights even more flexible, we have added an option that will allow you to choose the specific items to which an attendee can have access. Here are the different access rights that are available: 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_11_1_droits_dacces_2_1024x715_488919b57e.png)

### Manage rights for each item

When you select the purple option to manage rights specifically, you must define the attendee’s access rights for each item. 

In the following example, _Cécile Mayor,_ quality manager, has access to most of the items in read-only mode and can edit items 3 and 5\. However, she will not be able to see the _Finance_ and _Human Resources_ items.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_11_3_gest1_1024x575_683ccc9ce0.png)

### Manage rights according to the meeting status 

You can also set the access rights according to the status of the meeting. By default, those having editing rights (green icon) can modify the items in each step. For instance, _Christiane Pittet_ can modify the content of the meeting regardless of its status:

1. Meeting agenda in preparation
2. Meeting agenda validated
3. Meeting minutes currently written
4. Meeting minutes in review

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_11_4_gestion_des_droits_par_etape_1024x575_e231624190.png)

However, if you do not want _Christiane_ to be able to edit the meeting agenda once it has been validated, you can modify the access rights according to the status of the meeting. Hence, attendees will only have reader rights once the meeting agenda has been validated.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_11_5_gestion_des_droits_par_etape_1024x575_906a13b44a.png)

For attendees who have reader rights only, you can prevent them from seeing the meeting agenda at certain steps. This can be useful if you wish that the draft steps (1 and 4) cannot be seen by other attendees. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_11_6_gestion_des_droits_par_etape_1024x575_ed356b36db.png)

## Complete tasks

From now on, complete your tasks by selecting the check boxes that precede them. Please note that you can always prioritize your tasks : the option to define a priority has simply been moved to the end of the line. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_11_7_terminer_des_taches_1024x575_ea695332f7.png)

Rights management in meetings has been revised to allow you to choose precisely who can see and modify the items of the meeting agenda. Another new feature: the version 40 of WEDO allows you to complete your tasks with just one click. 

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Rights management in meetings revised

## Terminology changes

Our terminology has been adapted. **Paragraphs** allow you to add a text box visible to all the attendees of a meeting. **Notes** are private and only visible to the user who adds them. An easy way to distinguish them is by their yellow background.

## Private notes

From now on, it is possible to add private notes to the items of your meeting agenda. This allows you to prepare your interventions for the upcoming meeting or to add private notes during the meeting. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_1_notes_privees_1024x575_a6cdb0cb62.png)

## Converting elements

If you wish to share your private note with the other attendees, you can simply convert it into a paragraph. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_2_convertir_note_en_paragraphe_1024x575_a92c2a02b7.png)

To save valuable time, you can also convert most of the other elements: 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_3_conversion_d_elements_1_1024x329_220931708f.png)

Please note that it is not possible to convert a task into another element! 

## Ordering items

It is possible to order all the items of the meeting. Simply drag and drop an item to reorder it. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_4_ordre_de_elements_1024x575_124c4c92c0.png)

## Option « Table of attendees »

If you wish to have a detailed contact list of the meeting attendees, there is an option accessible through the settings of a meeting. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_5_parametres_dune_reunion_1024x575_6ea65fc9df.png)

By selecting « extended table view » in the settings of the meeting, the table will appear in steps 2, 4 and 5\. The coordinates of the attendees are listed according to the information of each user’s profile. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_6_tableau_des_participants_1024x575_ac91837cea.png)

During the editing steps, the meeting agenda in preparation and the drafting of the meeting minutes, you can manually edit an attendee’s contact information. It is also possible to change an attendee’s function for a specific meeting. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_7_editer_un_participant_1024x575_ce2682d04e.png)

## Link between a task and a meeting 

Tasks created in a meeting have a link in their details pane that allows you to easily access an item of the meeting agenda. This will allow you to view the task in its context of creation. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_8_lien_tache_reunion_1024x575_19c86d6606.png)

## General ergonomics

### Use the new + button to easily create content. 

You can create your **Workspaces**, **Checklist templates**, **Teams** and **Users** from the + button which is found in the heading at the top of the page.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_9_bouton_plus_1024x575_be06c4f954.png)

### Take advantage of the shortcuts in the main menu

Three buttons have been added to the menu for an easy access to the **Workspaces** and **Checklist templates** to which you have access, as well as to the **Users** page.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_09_10_raccourcis_menu_principal_1024x575_983d87326b.png)

The main menu has been redesigned for simplicity and efficiency; and presents a new palette of colors. 

Private notes allow you to prepare your interventions confidentially during meetings. This latest update includes a new platform design and new functionalities described in the following article. 

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Add private notes to your meetings

## Revision of the Files tab

The Files tab, present in each workspace, works now like a folder. What are the major changes compared to the previous version? No more need to add the same file several times! Files added to the workspace can now be taken back in the future to be attached to a task or agenda item without having to go back to your computer folders. Want to rename, replace or delete a file? All this is now possible at From the Files tab!

In the tab, the files are categorized according to the element to which they are linked :

* Files in the space - those added to the Files tab
* Files attached to tasks in the workspace
* Files attached to meetings in the workspace

### Adding a file to a workspace

You can now directly add a file to a workspace. To do so, go to the Files tab and click on the **Add File button**.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_1_ajouter_un_fichier_dans_un_espace_de_travail_8be8c9bcec.png)

A window opens and offers two options for adding: drag and drop the file or choose it from the button provided for this purpose. 

**New**: you can add several files at the same time.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_2_ajouter_un_fichier_dans_un_espace_de_travail_2_fd12f3ab24.png)

### Files from workspace

Files added to the workspace are now displayed in this category. These are files that are relevant to workspace members without necessarily being linked to a task or meeting. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_3_les_fichiers_de_lespace_ae8873b9f7.png)

### Modification of basic operation

In this new version, files attached to tasks or meetings are no longer added to the default workspace. However, they can be added to the default workspace with a single click. To do so, click **Add to...** via the file information pane.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_4_ajouter_a_lespace_de_travail_a14e0721fe.png)

### Files attached to tasks

By clicking on the funnel button, you first find the **Attached to tasks** filter.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_5_filtre_joints_aux_taches_bc07d34956.png)

Here are only the files attached to the space tasks. When you click on the file, the information pane opens: a link provides direct access to the task to which the file is attached.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_6_volet_informations_lien_vers_la_tache_7d921bfb6c.png)

### Files attached to Meeting

By clicking on the funnel button, you will then find the **Attached to meetings** filter.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_7_filtre_joints_aux_reunions_bf523484c0.png)

Here are only the files attached to the workspace meetings. When you click on the file, the information pane opens, with a link to the meeting containing the file. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_8_volet_informations_lien_vers_la_reunion_f832f4c896.png)

### All files in the workspace

By clicking on the funnel button, you finally find the **All** filter.

This category includes all files in the workspace:

* Files added to the workspace
* Files attached to tasks in the workspace
* Files attached to meetings in the workspace

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_9_filtre_tous_les_fichiers_de_lespace_4e2d0955a8.png)

### Information section

When you click on a file in the tab, an information pane opens on the right side of the screen. It shows the file name, format, location, date and time of addition, file size, user who added it, and links to the items to which the file is linked. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_10_volet_dinformations_fichier_b6bd2b78cd.png)

### Version management 

WEDO now handles conflicts between different versions of the same file. When a file of the same format and name is added to the workspace, WEDO informs you and gives you two options for handling the conflict:

* Replace the existing file with the newly added version
* Keeping both versions of the file in the workspace

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_11_gestion_des_conflits_entre_fichiers_451bf3618c.png)

**Info** : if you wish to keep both versions, a suffix with the version number will automatically complete the name of the added file (ex :\_2 ; \_3 ;\_4 ; etc.).

For each file, you can consult the version history by clicking on the relevant tab. Note that it is possible to download, restore or delete a version.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_12_onglet_versions_fichier_9f2d59107d.png)

### Search through files

A search tool has been integrated into the tab to save you time. The search is only done through the selected filter. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_13_rechercher_un_fichier_dans_longlet_af5ca9ebff.png)

Each user can also search through the files of all the workspaces of which he or she is a member. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_14_rechercher_un_fichier_a_travers_tous_les_espaces_6f59b7d902.png)

## Adding files to tasks and meetings

Whether for tasks or meetings, you can now add multiple files at once. At the addition level, two options are offered to you. 

### Attach a file from disk

First case: the file has never been added to the platform. You therefore want to access the folders on your computer in order to select it. Then click on the option **From disk** and choose the files.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_15_joindre_un_fichier_depuis_le_disque_7ff765ed8b.png)

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_16_joindre_un_fichier_depuis_le_disque_2_abc56b5423.png)

### Attach a file from WEDO

Second case: the file to be attached is a file linked to a workspace of which you are a member. Click on the **From WEDO** option. A window that shows the tree structure of your network opens and allows you to access the right workspace.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_17_joindre_un_fichier_depuis_wedo_f6958ea713.png)

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_18_joindre_un_fichier_depuis_wedo_2_52a75bbd75.png)

## Quick overview of PDF files and images

The **Open** option gives access to a preview of the contents of PDF files and images.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_19_ouvrir_apercu_pdf_6cc6367c30.png)

You can browse the document using the navigation.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_20_apercu_pdf_3a00d6c3de.png)

## Also to be discovered in this version

An improvement for user management: Administrators can now choose which teams users should be affiliated to when creating new accounts.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_21_creer_un_utilisateur_3b483fe7df.png)

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_07_22_ajouter_un_utilisateur_dans_une_equipe_c842e6a6e4.png)

**Any additional questions about file management? Check out the articles in our help center!**

::button-primary[Go to the Help Center]{link="https://help.wedo.swiss/en/collections/1464220-files"}

File management has been completely redesigned! The new structure brought by this update is a first step in the future development of the Files module. Through this article, discover the functionalities offered by the new online version. 

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To prepare and conduct your meetings, WEDO guides you in 5 steps: 

* **Before the meeting – Steps 1 and 2** : preparation of the agenda as a team. The writer or facilitator adds the meeting, establishes the list of items to be discussed and then invites participants to complete the agenda.
* **During the meeting - Step 3 :** the writer writes the minutes in real time. All participants can attend live note-taking.
* **Post-meeting - Steps 4 and 5 :** the writer and participants review, edit and validate the meeting minutes.

Through this article, discover some tips to conduct your meetings with WEDO taking into account the 5 proposed steps. You will see that at each step, it is possible to keep the participants informed and make them aware of their role in the preparation and follow-up of the meeting. To give substance to our explanations, we propose a concrete case study:

### The preparation and follow-up of an Executive Committee by Agathe Rost[^1], Executive Assistant 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_1_agathe_rost_assistante_de_direction_1_28994aba97.png)

## Step 1: Meeting agenda in preparation

Agathe Rost, Executive Assistant, decided to prepare the agenda for the next committee meeting in a week's time. The director of the organization, Bernard Macherel\*, sent her by email the list of topics to be discussed. Agathe goes to the workspace dedicated to the Executive Committee and adds a meeting. After entering the title, date, time, duration and location of the meeting, she focuses on the list of participants. The members of the Executive Committee workspace have been added automatically to save her precious time.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_2_etape_1_liste_des_participants_1_c9f6a790ca.png)

Agathe now wishes to manage the different access rights of the participants. For this meeting, Mathilde and Bernard have all the same rights as Agathe. The other participants will only be able to modify the agenda items in steps 1 and 3\. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_3_etape_1_fenetre_gestion_des_droits_dacces_1_ef9ce2fac2.png)

Next, Agathe wishes to add the items to the agenda. With a few clicks, she copies the list of topics previously listed by her director and pastes it into the input bar. The items are created automatically and now appear in the table of contents on the left side of the screen. Agathe can now schedule them as she pleases.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_4_ordre_du_jour_en_preparation_1_a8a936bb7b.png)

The outline of the meeting is ready. Agathe would like to inform participants to add their notes to the agenda items. To do so, she sends an email to participants directly from the platform by clicking on the **button with the envelope**.

The participants are listed as recipients. Agathe takes advantage of the predefined subject and message to save time and clicks directly on **Send by email**.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_5_etape_1_fenetre_envoi_email_1_f43b0491ca.png)

## Step 2: Meeting agenda validated

On the eve of the meeting, the agenda has been completed by all participants and is normally no longer subject to change. After a brief rereading, Agathe can validate the agenda and proceed to step 2 by clicking on **Meeting agenda is ready** in the red banner at the bottom of the screen.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_6_lordre_du_jour_est_pret_1_bf5d544104.png)

Agathe finally has to add a last minute information in one of the agenda items. From the orange banner at the bottom of the screen, she **edits the meeting agenda**.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_7_etape_2_editer_lordre_du_jour_1_fadc608e95.png)

## Step 3: Meeting minutes currently written

On D-Day, Agathe returns to the previously prepared meeting. The meeting is in step 2 - Meeting agenda validated. At the bottom left of the screen, she clicks on **Start Meeting**.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_8_commencer_la_reunion_019e71f2e5.png)

Agathe begins by completing the information about the participants. She checks off the absent and excused persons. She also adds the reason for the apology in the field provided. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_9_etape_3_controle_des_presences_58eb3b17f3.png)

The meeting begins: Agathe is ready to write up the minutes of the discussions. As she writes it, she navigates easily from point to point using the table of contents and adds notes, decisions and tasks to the various points discussed. At the end of the meeting, Agathe clicks on the **End Meeting** button in the yellow banner at the bottom of the screen.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_10_clore_la_reunion_fe0d06e165.png)

## Step 4: Meeting minutes in review

A few hours after the meeting, Agathe would like to review the minutes. She returns to the Executive Committee workspace, resumes the meeting in Step 4 - Meeting minutes in review. To make corrections, she clicks **Edit Minutes** in the purple banner at the bottom of the screen. Once the changes have been made, she clicks **Finish**.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_11_etape_4_editer_le_compte_rendu_6c73d6a8e7.png)

## Step 5: Meeting minutes locked

A few days after the meeting and after a final reading, Agathe can finally move on to the last step. In order to follow up from one meeting to the next, she decides to lock the minutes. The minutes can no longer be modified. 

To do this, she clicks the **Lock meeting minutes** button in the purple banner at the bottom of the screen and follows the procedure required for locking.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_12_verrouiller_le_compte_rendu_c71e61095f.png)

Finally, Agathe sends an email to participants to inform them that the minutes have been locked. They are invited to read it again in order to ensure a follow-up from one meeting to the next. 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_13_etape_5_fenetre_envoi_email_775e9cddb1.png)

The 5 proposed steps frame the overall conduct of a meeting and allow users to situate themselves in the process. At each step, you have the possibility to inform the participants so that they can get involved in the preparation of the agenda and in the review of the minutes. WEDO allows you to improve the management of your meetings while reinforcing the collaborative aspect. 
[^1]: Fictional characters.

#### Would you like to facilitate the preparation and conduct of your meetings? 

::button-primary[Schedule a live demo]{link="/demo"}

Agathe Rost, Executive Assistant, is responsible for preparing the next committee meeting. Through this article, find out how she works with WEDO.

Four individuals in an executive committee meeting around a table, listening attentively and taking notes, overlaid with the text “Preparing and following up an Executive Committee” and “Use case”

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The preparation and follow-up of an Executive Committee

May 23, 2019: The daily newspaper from Geneva (AGEFI) and leading economic and financial media in French-speaking Switzerland, published an article about WEDO. The writer, Sophie Marenne, describes the characteristics of our collaborative tool and highlights one of its main goals: create a direct link between meetings and the tasks that result from them. She also writes about the implementation of the solution in many companies of all sizes and attached to different sectors of activity in French-speaking Switzerland. 

If you wish to learn more about our solution and discover the testimonies of the two co-founders of WEDO in their interview, read the newspaper article! 

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_06_image_article_agefi_2_c3c0192222.png)

[Read article](https://bit.ly/2K0vdls)

The daily newspaper from Geneva (AGEFI), the leading economic and financial media in French-speaking Switzerland, published an article about WEDO. 

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WEDO boosts the efficiency of meetings

## Move a meeting to another workspace

You now have the possibility to move a meeting to another workspace. To do so, first go to the workspace in question (1) and then click the **Meetings** tab (2). Click the button with the **three vertical points** (3) on the meeting you would like to move and then select **Move to…** (4).

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive1_29a147a849.png)

A window will open with a list of all the available workspaces. Select the workspace to which you would like to move the meeting (5).

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive2_ac0d239829.png)

To finalize, click **Move meeting** (6).

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive3_00a6b63d7d.png)

## Create a meeting outside a workspace

Meetings can be created from your personal space. This functionality allows you to organize a bilateral meeting without having to create a single use workspace. You also have the possibility to prepare a meeting agenda in your personal space, and make it accessible at the right moment by moving the meeting to a workspace. 

To add a meeting from your **Personal space** (1), select the **Meetings** tab (2) and click **Add meeting** (3).

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive4_7797334901.png)

## Import tasks from all workspaces 

Tasks that are linked to other workspaces can be imported to the items of the meeting agenda of a specific meeting. This option will be useful if you wish to organize a global meeting in which several tasks from different workspaces will be treated. From the pending tasks box or from the **\+ button** (1), you will be able to access all tasks from the workspaces you are a member of.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive5_ed1cc1aed7.png)

A **drop-down list** (2) which allows you to browse from a workspace to another has been added. To access the pending tasks from another workspace, select the drop-down list and the workspace which contains the tasks you want to import (3), and click on the **tasks to import** (4).

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive6_b44549c3ce.png)

To finalize the importation, click **Import** (5).

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive7_5ef0ecb87f.png)

## Reorder notes and decisions of an item 

It is now possible to change the order of the notes and decisions within an item or a sub-item. When you are browsing through your agenda items, a **drag-and-drop button** will appear in the left margin and your mouse pointer will become a hand. Click on that button and drag and drop the notes and decisions to the desired place.

Information: it is still impossible to change the order between notes, decisions and tasks. They can only be reordered within their categories.

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive8_05dac3f982.png)

![](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/2019_03_diapositive9_457ddc8cf0.png)

**Further questions concerning meetings ? Have a look at the articles in our Help Center !**

[Access to the Help Center](https://help.wedo.swiss/en/collections/3202989-meetings)

The latest WEDO update offers more flexibility in organizing meetings! Discover the new available functionalities throughout this article.

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More flexibility to manage meetings

Trello

Asana

Decisions

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MS Teams

MS Planner

OneNote

Every day, we juggle a series of tasks, from answering emails and attending meetings all the way to cooking dinner or finally folding that pile of laundry staring us down for days. Task management is everywhere around us, whether we realize it or not. 

But here's the catch: managing tasks is more than checking boxes. It's making sure the right boxes are checked at the right time, by the right people.

For individuals, good task management can mean less stress and more time to spend on what matters most to them. For teams and organizations, it's the difference between controlled chaos and seamless collaboration. When done well, task management becomes a superpower, moving businesses toward growth and ensuring projects are delivered on time (and with fewer sleepless nights).

In this guide, we're going to explore strategies, tools, and best practices that turn task management into a fine-tuned system. Whether you're wrangling your own to-do list or leading a team toward big goals, this can be your roadmap to staying on top of your game. 

Let's get started!


The Ultimate Guide to Task Management: Strategies, Tools, and Best Practices

If your meetings are dragging or worse, ending with more confusion than clarity, the problem probably started before anyone joined the call. Most teams don’t struggle with talking. They struggle with focus. And that starts with how you plan the meeting.

An effective meeting agenda is what keeps the conversation on track, the goals in sight, and the meeting time under control. Without it, you’re relying on memory, improvisation, and hope.

In this post, we’re breaking down how to create an agenda that works. Not one that just fills space, but one that drives outcomes. You’ll learn how to define your purpose, choose the right amount of time, structure discussion points, and set your team up for real progress.

## What Is a Meeting Agenda, Really?

Before we move forward, let’s clarify what the meeting agenda even is. A meeting agenda outlines what you’re going to talk about, in what order, and how much time you’ll spend on each topic. But more than that, it’s a tool for making meetings intentional.

At its best, a meeting agenda does three things:

- **Clarifies the purpose** of the meeting
- **Guides the discussion** so people stay on topic
- **Keeps the meeting time in check**

It also gives everyone a chance to prepare, so you're not spending half the call just getting people up to speed. Whether it’s two bullet points or a fully structured outline, a meeting agenda should help your team move forward, not just fill the hour.

![Infographic titled “What to Include in a Productive Meeting Agenda.” Lists six elements: purpose, items with outcomes, time estimates, item owners, facilitator role, and prep/documents.](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/what_to_include_in_a_productive_meeting_agenda_en_0a88ad8f42.png)

## Define the Purpose Before You Write a Word

No agenda should start with “what should we talk about?” It should start with why you’re meeting in the first place.

That purpose is the anchor. It’s what helps you decide who to invite, what to include, and how to guide the discussion. A vague goal like “check in on progress” doesn’t give anyone a reason to show up prepared. A clear purpose like “agree on final pricing structure for Q3 launch” tells everyone what the finish line looks like.

If you can’t define the goal, don’t create the agenda, cancel the meeting. That’s not a failure. It’s a time-saving win. So before you even think about listing topics, write down the outcome you’re aiming for. Then build everything else around it.

## Align the Agenda with the Meeting Type

Not every meeting needs a ten-point plan. Some need structure. Others need space. The key is knowing the difference.

Before you create an agenda, take a step back and ask: **What kind of meeting is this?**

A quick check-in? A decision-making session? A team-wide deep dive? Each of these requires a different level of detail, pacing, and time commitment. Cramming the same structure into every format is how short meetings turn long, and long meetings turn painful.

For example:

- **One-on-ones** work best with a few open-ended prompts and room for discussion.
- **Project reviews** need clearly defined talking points and time frames.
- **Brainstorming sessions** should include guardrails but leave flexibility for idea flow.
- **Decision-focused meetings** benefit from a tight agenda that outlines key questions, owners, and expectations.

A productive meeting agenda doesn’t just list topics, but matches the format to the purpose and fits within a realistic amount of time. If the structure doesn’t support the outcome, the meeting won’t either.

## Break Down Topics into Actionable Segments

A list of discussion topics isn’t a meeting agenda. Not a useful one, anyway.

If you want your meetings to stay focused and lead to real outcomes, each item on the agenda needs to be actionable. That means going beyond labels like “budget,” “product update,” or “customer feedback.” Those are categories, not direction.

Start by reworking broad topics into clear, outcome-driven prompts. For example:

- Instead of **“budget,”** write **“Finalize Q3 campaign allocations”**
- Instead of **“product update,”** use **“Decide whether feature X is ready for rollout”**
- Instead of **“customer feedback,”** try **“Identify top 3 issues from support tickets to prioritize next sprint”**

This shift does two things:

1. It gives participants a clear sense of what they’re expected to weigh in on.
2. It makes it easier to tell when the discussion is finished, because there’s a decision, answer, or action coming out of it.

Framing your agenda around prompts like “What do we need to decide?” or “What’s blocking us from moving forward?” turns your meeting into a working session, not a wandering conversation. And if a topic doesn’t have a clear outcome? It probably doesn’t belong on the agenda. At least not this time.

A good rule of thumb: If you’re adding an item to the meeting agenda, ask yourself what needs to happen as a result of talking about it. If there’s no clear answer, it might not belong in the meeting.

## Estimate Time Frames Thoughtfully

Time is one of the easiest things to mismanage in a meeting and one of the hardest to get back once it's gone. That’s why assigning time frames to each agenda item matters.

You don’t need to calculate down to the minute, but every agenda should include a realistic estimate of how long each item will take. This keeps the conversation moving and helps prevent less important topics from eating up the entire meeting.

Start with a rough total: How much meeting time do you actually have? Then, break it down by priority. High-impact items, like key decisions or blockers, should go earlier in the agenda and be given enough breathing room. Informational updates or less urgent items can come later and be time-boxed more tightly.

For example:

- 5 minutes: Quick status update
- 20 minutes: Discuss launch blockers and assign owners
- 10 minutes: Align on messaging changes for the sales deck
- 5 minutes: Review next steps and assign action items

It’s also smart to build in a small buffer at the end. That way, if a discussion runs long, you don’t lose the final five minutes that should’ve gone to confirming who’s doing what. Being deliberate about time shows respect for your team’s schedule and forces you to clarify priorities, which leads to [more productive meetings](https://wedo.com/features/meetings), even when time is short.

## Assign Roles and Owners Before the Meeting Starts

Every agenda item should have a clear owner. This doesn’t mean one person has to do all the talking, but someone should be responsible for introducing the topic, sharing any necessary context, and guiding that part of the discussion. Without ownership, conversations tend to stall or drift.

Clarify this before the meeting begins:

- Who’s leading each topic?
- Who’s taking notes?
- Who’s responsible for capturing action items and decisions?

Assigning roles doesn’t need to be complicated. In small, recurring meetings, it may be the same person every time. In larger or cross-functional sessions, it helps to rotate responsibilities or assign based on who brings the most context.

You’ll also want to identify a facilitator. Their job is to keep the agenda on track, manage the flow of conversation, and step in if time runs over or discussion gets stuck. In some cases, this will be the meeting organizer. In others, it may be a neutral lead who can keep things focused.

When people know what they’re responsible for going in, they show up prepared and your meeting runs smoother from the first minute.

## Share the Agenda Early and Revisit It Live

Once the agenda is built, don’t keep it to yourself. The earlier your team sees it, the more effective the meeting will be.

Circulating the agenda ahead of time, ideally the day before, gives participants space to review what’s on the table and prepare accordingly. It also opens the door for feedback. Someone might catch a missing item, suggest a better order, or offer input that helps sharpen the discussion points before the clock starts ticking.

Sharing the agenda in advance sets expectations. It tells your team: here’s what we’re here to do, and here’s how we’re going to use our time. No one should be hearing the meeting’s purpose for the first time when the call begins.

Once the meeting starts, revisit the agenda briefly. Ask:

- Does this plan still make sense?
- Are there any last-minute changes that need to be acknowledged or reprioritized?

Even a quick check-in helps anchor the group before diving in. And if something comes up mid-meeting that wasn’t on the agenda? Note it, park it, and keep the meeting focused on what matters now. You can always address new issues at the end or in a follow-up.

The agenda doesn’t just guide the meeting, it helps protect it. From distraction. From drift. From wasted time.

## Use the Agenda to Drive Follow-Through

The meeting might end, but the work rarely does. That’s why your agenda should do more than guide the conversation, it should support what happens next.

As the meeting unfolds, capture notes directly within the agenda itself. Add action items beneath each section, tag owners, and clarify deadlines while the details are still fresh. If you’re using a tool like [WEDO](https://wedo.com/features), this can happen in real time, no need to create a separate recap after the fact.

It also helps reduce duplication. Instead of rewriting what was discussed into a new doc or follow-up email, the agenda becomes the single source of truth. Everyone knows where to find the context, the decisions, and what they’re responsible for.

And when the next meeting rolls around? You’ve got a record to refer back to and a head start on planning the next agenda.

![nfographic titled “The Agenda Lifecycle.” Shows seven steps from planning to follow-through: define the goal, match structure to meeting type, assign time and owners, share early, use it live, track actions, and continue next meeting.](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/the_agenda_lifecycle_en_e5a828bf8f.png)

## How WEDO Helps You Build Better Agendas

Everything in this guide becomes easier and more consistent when you use the right tool.

[WEDO](https://wedo.com/features) is built for teams who want to stop repeating conversations and start making real progress. With WEDO, you can plan, structure, and manage your meeting agenda all in one place, before, during, and after the call.

Here’s how it helps:

- **Create and share agendas fast** using a [collaborative workspace](https://wedo.com/blog/why-collaborative-task-management-is-key-to-team-productivity) that’s linked to each meeting
- **Assign owners and time frames** to every item, so responsibilities are clear and the meeting stays focused
- **Take notes in real time** directly inside the agenda view, no switching between tabs or apps
- **Track decisions and action items** as they happen, and carry them forward to the next meeting
- **Revisit agendas and outcomes** easily, with everything stored and searchable in one shared timeline

No more scattered notes, lost follow-ups, or guessing what happened last time. WEDO makes it easy to build habits around structured, productive meetings, and to keep your team aligned every step of the way.

Ready to see it in action? [WEDO](https://wedo.com/features) helps you turn better planning into better outcomes. [Try it out for free](https://wedo.com/signup) and see how much time and momentum you can save.

Learn how to create a productive meeting agenda that keeps discussions focused, decisions clear, and meeting time under control.

“How to Create a Productive Meeting Agenda.” Pink background with a blue icon showing a paper and pencil.

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How to Create a Productive Meeting Agenda

We’ve all been in meetings that felt productive, until no one could remember exactly what was decided. Tasks get repeated. Deadlines drift. And the one person who thought they were supposed to follow up? Turns out it wasn’t them.

And that’s exactly why you need meeting minutes.

Far from being a boring formality, well-written meeting minutes are what turn conversation into action. They document what was discussed and decided, who’s responsible for what, and when things need to happen. Whether you’re meeting with a project team or sitting on a board of directors, minutes provide a clear, easy-to-read written record that keeps everyone aligned and accountable.

Minutes can also serve as an official record, especially important in formal settings like board meetings, where decisions can have legal and financial consequences. But even in more casual team syncs, effective minutes ensure the key points don’t get lost in the shuffle once the meeting ends.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through every step of the process, from preparing to take notes in real time, to writing and distributing meeting minutes with clarity and confidence. We’ll share what good minutes look like, how to stay consistent with or without a template, and how platforms like [WEDO](https://wedo.com/features) make the process smoother for everyone involved.

## What Are Meeting Minutes, Exactly?

Let’s clear something up right away: meeting minutes aren’t a transcript. You don’t need to capture every word said in the room. Instead, they’re a focused, structured summary of what actually matters: key points discussed, decisions made, and any action items that need to move forward.

At their core, meeting minutes are a written record of what happened and what was agreed upon. They help teams stay aligned, avoid rehashing the same conversations, and keep projects moving in the right direction. For leadership teams and board members, they’re also a way to maintain transparency and ensure that decisions are traceable over time.

In formal settings like board of directors meetings, meeting minutes serve as an official record of how the organization is governed. That means accuracy, structure, and neutrality matter. Following a process like Robert’s Rules of Order can help ensure consistency and fairness, especially when voting or making formal motions.

That said, even the most informal stand-up or team huddle benefits from some form of minute-taking. Whether you call them meeting notes, recaps, or follow-ups, the goal is the same: to make sure everyone leaves with the same understanding of what happened, and what needs to happen next.

Here’s what you’ll typically find in a solid set of meeting minutes:

- The date, time, and location of the meeting
- A list of attendees and any absentees
- A reference to the [meeting agenda](https://wedo.com/features/meetings)
- A summary of key points and discussion topics
- Noted decisions, votes, or outcomes
- Any assigned action items and due dates
- The time the meeting was adjourned

No matter the format or formality, good minutes help ensure nothing slips through the cracks, especially when the next meeting rolls around and you need to build on what came before.

![Infographic titled “How to Write and Share Effective Meeting Minutes” showing three stages: before the meeting (confirm agenda and attendees, assign minute taker, prepare template), during the meeting (capture key points and responsibilities), and after the meeting (format, check, and share minutes).](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/how_to_write_effective_meeting_minutes_en_ae14f6d476.png)

## Before the Meeting: Set the Stage for Strong Minutes

Great minutes don’t start when the meeting begins. They start with preparation.

Before anyone sits down (or logs in), there are a few key things you can do to make writing meeting minutes smoother, faster, and more accurate, especially if you’re the minute taker.

### Start with a Clear Meeting Agenda

Think of the meeting agenda as your outline. It tells you what topics will be covered, in what order, and often who’s leading each item. Not only does this help participants stay on track, but it gives the minute taker a framework for capturing notes in real time. Each agenda item becomes a section in your minutes, making the final document much easier to organize.

If no agenda has been shared in advance, ask for one. Or, if needed, create a basic version yourself based on the meeting’s purpose. Even a simple bulleted list can help.

### Confirm the Date, Time, and Location

It sounds obvious, but meeting minutes that skip the basics like date, time, and location can lose their context fast. Whether it’s a recurring sync or a once-a-year strategy session, make sure you record these details accurately. If the meeting is remote or hybrid, include the platform used (Zoom, Teams, etc.) as part of the location.

### Know Who’s in the Room

Before the meeting starts, prepare your list of attendees and note anyone who’s expected but absent. You’ll need this information later when writing the minutes and it’s much easier to track in real time than to guess after the fact. For formal sessions like minutes at a board meeting, getting this list right is especially important.

### Assign a Minute Taker (and Make It Official)

If it’s your job to take minutes, be clear on your role. If it’s someone else’s job, make sure they’re ready. The minute taker should be prepared to listen actively, capture relevant details without distraction, and stay objective.

In more structured environments, like corporate boards or nonprofit governance meetings, assigning a designated recorder or secretary ahead of time is common practice and often required by procedure or bylaws.

### Brush Up on Robert’s Rules if Needed

If the meeting follows [Robert’s Rules of Order](https://robertsrules.com/), reviewing the basic motions, formats, and terminology will help you capture minutes that reflect what actually happened, not just what was said. While not every organization uses these rules, knowing how they work will make you a stronger and more confident minute taker.

## During the Meeting: What to Capture and How

When the meeting kicks off, so does your job as the minute taker. Your goal is to capture the key points, discussions, and decisions that reflect what actually happened, not how it was said. The trick is to stay focused, organized, and ready to write in real time.

### Stick to the Facts, Not the Dialogue

Good meeting minutes summarize the essentials:

- What was discussed
- What was decided
- What actions were assigned
- Who’s responsible
- And when the meeting was adjourned

Skip small talk, side conversations, and personal commentary. Your goal is a clean, easy-to-read record that helps the team move forward, not a play-by-play transcript.

### Follow the Agenda to Stay on Track

Use the meeting agenda as your framework. As each item comes up, create a section in your notes. Even if the meeting strays off course (as they often do), organizing your notes by agenda topic will help you bring clarity to the final minutes later on.

### Capture Key Decisions and Action Items Clearly

If a decision is made, note it. If someone is assigned a task, write down who it is and what the expected outcome or deadline is. These are the moments that make meeting minutes important, because they turn discussion into accountability.

Examples:

- “The team voted to approve the Q3 marketing budget.”
- “Lena will draft the onboarding checklist by June 5.”
- “IT will explore new access control tools before the next meeting.”

These are the kinds of lines your teammates will search for later. Make them easy to find.

### Track Motions, Votes, and Formal Items Accurately

If you’re recording minutes at a board meeting or any session that follows Robert’s Rules of Order, be extra precise. Record motions as they were stated, note who made and seconded them, and include the vote outcome (unanimous, majority, abstentions, etc.).

This is where your minutes become a binding official record, not just a helpful summary.

### Write While It’s Fresh in Your Mind

Whenever possible, write as you go or immediately after. Waiting too long makes it easy to forget small but important details. If you're juggling a complex discussion, jot down shorthand or timestamps and come back to clarify later while it’s still fresh.

You can also use collaborative platforms like WEDO to track and organize notes in real time, tag action items, and mark who said what, without slowing down the meeting itself.

## After the Meeting: Writing and Formatting the Minutes

Once the meeting wraps, the real work begins: turning your notes into a clear, structured, and shareable written record. This is where your role as the minute taker shifts from listener to editor. The goal: make the minutes useful for anyone who was there or anyone who wasn’t.

### Start with the Basics

Every set of meeting minutes should begin with the essentials, such as date, time, type of meeting, attendees, a reference to the meeting agenda or its main topics and the name of the person taking the minutes

This information grounds your minutes and provides clarity for anyone reviewing them later, especially important for compliance, audits, or recordkeeping.

### Keep It Clear, Concise, and Neutral

Write in a tone that’s professional but straightforward. Your job is to document, not interpret. Stick to the key points and decisions, and avoid unnecessary details or side remarks. Use past tense, avoid first-person language, and keep the structure consistent.

For example:

- ✅ “The board approved the updated financial policy.”
- ❌ “I thought the policy was really smart and everyone seemed to like it.”

Let the facts speak for themselves.

### Highlight Decisions and Action Items

This is what most people are scanning the minutes for: what was discussed, what was decided, and who’s responsible for what. Use formatting (bolding or bullet points) to make these stand out. The more scannable the document, the more useful it becomes.

Consider separating action items at the bottom of each agenda section or collecting them in a final summary section at the end of the minutes.

### Use Templates to Save Time and Stay Consistent

Even if your organization doesn’t have a formal format, a solid meeting minutes template can make the whole process faster and more consistent. It reduces guesswork, ensures you don’t miss required sections, and keeps your minutes easy to read.

Most templates include:

- Headers for each agenda item
- A dedicated field for decisions or votes
- Space for action items and deadlines
- A final note on when the meeting was adjourned

Using a digital platform like WEDO allows you to build reusable templates and streamline your minute-taking process in real time, so you’re not starting from scratch every time.

### Double-Check for Accuracy

Before sending anything out, take a moment to verify names, decisions, and dates. If a vote took place, make sure the count is correct. If someone committed to a deliverable, make sure it’s recorded under their name, not someone else’s. These small errors can lead to big confusion later.

## Sharing and Storing Minutes the Right Way

Once your meeting minutes are written, don’t let them sit in your drafts folder. The sooner they’re shared, the more useful they are, especially when details are still fresh in your mind and action items are time-sensitive.

![Infographic titled “Sharing and Storing Meeting Minutes the Right Way” with key tips such as using a clean, scannable format, making them easy to access, sending within 24–48 hours, sharing with the right people, and storing securely.](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/sharing_and_storing_meeting_minutes_the_right_way_en_598dc52b30.png)

### Send Minutes Promptly After the Meeting

Aim to distribute meeting minutes within 24 hours, or 48 at most. Timely sharing helps maintain momentum, reinforces accountability, and allows attendees to catch any errors or misunderstandings early.

If your minutes include pending approvals or corrections (common in board meetings), make that clear when you send them out.

Sample note:

*“Attached are the draft minutes from the May 10 meeting. Please review and reply with any edits or additions by Friday at 5 PM.”*

### Make It Easy to Access and Read

No one wants to dig through long email threads to find the latest version. Use a clear subject line, share minutes in a familiar format (PDF, Google Doc, or a WEDO-linked doc), and make sure the structure is easy to read, especially the key points, decisions, and assigned action items.

In tools like WEDO, you can take minutes in real time and publish them directly to a shared workspace, where teams can view, comment, and follow up without delay.

### Share with the Right People

Who needs to receive the minutes depends on the type of meeting:

- For a team sync: Just the attendees and relevant stakeholders
- For a project update: Add any external collaborators or managers
- For minutes at a board meeting: Include all board members, the executive team, legal counsel (if applicable), and anyone responsible for follow-up

Check your organization’s policy to see whether minutes need to be formally approved before wider distribution.

### Store Them Somewhere Secure (and Searchable)

Once shared, meeting minutes become part of your organization’s knowledge base. Treat them like any other official record: keep them organized, version-controlled, and backed up.

Cloud-based systems, including WEDO allow you to tag, search, and link minutes to specific projects, making it easier to find what and when was said down the road. That kind of traceability is especially useful when reviewing past decisions or resolving disputes.

## How WEDO Helps You Write and Distribute Better Meeting Minutes

Writing and sharing effective meeting minutes doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right structure and the right tools it becomes a seamless part of how your team works.

[WEDO](https://wedo.com/features) is designed to make that process easier from start to finish. Instead of scrambling between emails, documents, and post-it notes, you can plan your meeting with a shared agenda, assign roles in advance, and take notes in real time, right where the conversation is happening.

Once the meeting wraps, your notes are already structured and ready to go. You can publish a clean, easy-to-read summary, notify the right people, and keep tasks moving, all from a single platform. And because everything is stored securely and searchable by topic, project, or participant, you’ll never have to dig through old files or threads to find out what was decided.

Whether you’re capturing an informal team huddle or formal minutes at a board meeting, [WEDO](https://wedo.com/features) helps you stay consistent, compliant, and organized. [Try it for free](https://wedo.com/signup) for your next meeting and see how easy it can be to turn discussions into decisions, and decisions into action.

Learn how to write and share effective meeting minutes, from real-time note-taking to final distribution, with tips, templates, and tools from WEDO.

“The Complete Guide to Writing and Sharing Effective Meeting Minutes.” Purple background with a blue icon showing a laptop and a document.

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The Complete Guide to Writing and Sharing Effective Meeting Minutes

In the fast-paced world of administrative management, executive assistants play a crucial role. The Swiss army knives of any organization juggle many tasks and deadlines while supervising those of others. Faced with these challenges, they often find themselves overwhelmed by routine, repetitive responsibilities. We immersed ourselves in the daily lives of 6 executive assistants who use the WEDO platform to understand the workings of their organization, the challenges they face, and the tools they have put in place to facilitate their management.

According to our study, the most time-consuming tasks for executive assistants revolve mainly around administrative functions. These activities, while necessary, tend to monopolize a significant proportion of their working time, preventing them from concentrating fully on more crucial aspects of their role, such as operational and strategic development.

Among the most time-consuming tasks in their job descriptions, the executive assistants surveyed identify the following:

**1. Meeting preparation:** preparing agendas and presentation documents, taking and sharing minutes, following up on decisions and tasks delegated at meetings,

**2. Diary management and meeting organization:** planning and coordination of appointments, team meetings, and conferences, taking care to avoid scheduling conflicts,
**3. Document preparation and management:** drafting, proofreading, and organizing important documents such as reports, presentations, correspondence and contracts,

**4. Project coordination:** managing and following up on specific projects, liaising between different departments, and meeting deadlines.

Internal and external communications, administrative support, and human resources management closely follow those.

## How to lighten the administrative load for an executive assistant?

When asked what tools were used to monitor collaboration before WEDO was integrated, the most common programs were Outlook, Word (for taking minutes), and Excel. However, these tools had significant limitations. Respondents reported difficulties related to the cross-functionality of information between different team members. For example, these tools were not conducive to **active, real-time collaboration when taking PVs**, making this task often cumbersome and time-consuming, and necessitating numerous round-trips. The systematic use of e-mail to distribute these documents wasted considerable time without guaranteeing effective communication.

Furthermore, the limited nature of these tools prevented efficient tracking of tasks and projects. Users faced significant challenges maintaining a clear, up-to-date overview of projects. In short, although these tools are widespread and familiar, their use in team collaboration and project management needs to be improved.

This situation underlines the importance of cross-functional tools and solutions to lighten the administrative workload. With the implementation of WEDO, the executive assistants surveyed were able to optimize their administrative processes.

### 1. Meeting preparation and management

![computerized agenda for real-time note-taking](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/reunion_ENEN_aad2ef7f0e.png)

One of the most time-consuming aspects of the job is the preparation of meetings. With WEDO, executive assistants benefit from automated management and considerable time savings in preparation and follow-up. The platform enables uniform management of minutes, clear distribution of post-meeting tasks, and automatic tracking of topics from one session to the next. Users report an average time saving of 55% for these tasks.

![save time spent on meetings](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/55_ENEN_83c8604c19.png)

WEDO's meeting module lets you integrate blocks of paragraphs, tasks, file attachments, personal notes, votes and signatures, among others.

![testimonial Regula Oberdorfer](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Regula_Oberdorfer_ENEN_1a54d3c30f.png)

### 2. Project management and task tracking

![efficient task management](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/tasks_ENEN_be99588a59.png)

Project management and tracking represent another major challenge. WEDO simplifies this task by offering clear delegation possibilities, the creation of checklist templates to standardize processes, and real-time task tracking. This leads to better prioritization and more efficient day-to-day management.

![testimonials Aline Volery and Nicole Thalmann](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/testimonials_Aline_et_Nicole_ENEN_11a8dc6cff.png)

### Use case: facilitating HR processes and the transmission of specifications

When executive assistants are involved in HR processes, the integration of WEDO proves to be a major asset. The platform makes it possible to standardize on-boarding and off-boarding procedures by means of specific checklists. These checklists, drawn up for each stage of the process, automatically assign the relevant tasks to the team members concerned. This method ensures structured, efficient management of personnel transitions, eliminating the operational uncertainties often associated with the question "What steps should I take?".

By simplifying these processes, WEDO not only eases the workload for HR managers, but also contributes to a clear, documented handover of tasks and knowledge from one employee to the next.

![simplified hr processes](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Modeles_checklists_ENEN_fdf58af70f.png)

One of the decisive advantages of WEDO, highlighted by our management assistants, is the ease with which recruitment interviews can be documented in real time. Each exchange can be recorded directly in a standardized (and customized if required) agenda, enabling these interactions to be saved methodically and instantaneously.

### 4. Transmission of information

WEDO lets you link documents to tasks or meetings, ensuring that all the necessary information is in the right place. Global search makes it easy to retrieve documents, and to find a specific file based on a keyword found in the PDF file.

In terms of communication, WEDO users particularly appreciate the immediate visibility of entries and the ability to restrict access to certain information.

![Alexandra Locher](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Alexandra_locher_ENEN_e53527e95c.png)

**We asked our users to rate the platform on a scale of 1 to 10, to qualify the positive impact WEDO has on their daily tasks.**

![Best collaborative software for executive assistant productivity and organizations](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/preparation_reunion_note_ENEN_1_d92c7629a1.png)

![Alicia Aubert](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/Alicia_Aubert_ENEN_5d3644b8f7.png)

Executive assistants can greatly ease their workload by equipping themselves with a collaborative platform. Do you have any questions or doubts about WEDO's compatibility with your needs? We'll be happy to give you a short 30-minute demonstration.

::button-primary[Try WEDO for free]{link="/signup"}

::button-primary[Schedule a live demo]{link="/demo"}

In the fast-paced world of administrative management, executive assistants play a crucial role. The Swiss army knives of any organization juggle many tasks and deadlines while supervising those of others

An executive assistant speaking on the phone with colleagues blurred in the background, overlaid with the text “How to make an executive assistant’s daily life easier” and “Use case”

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Making daily life easier for executive assistants

Held once a month, quarter, or half-year, as required, these privileged meetings provide a confidential and open communication space, encouraging in-depth discussion of individual and collective objectives. They create a valuable opportunity to discuss each employee's specific challenges and needs, fostering better mutual understanding. Moreover, these meetings provide a framework for recognizing individual achievements and contributions, reinforcing a sense of accomplishment and belonging to the team. Thanks to these personalized exchanges, bilateral meetings contribute to more effective personnel management, more focused professional growth, and solid, fulfilling working relationships.

## Key topics for a bilateral meeting

During a bilateral meeting between a team leader and an employee, several key topics must be addressed to ensure effective communication and optimal management. Here are some of these topics:

### 1. Ongoing assessment
Discuss objectives for the current period and assess progress and results achieved. Identify successes and areas requiring further attention.

### 2. Professional Development
Explore opportunities for employee development, training, and professional growth. Identify skills to be strengthened and possible progression paths.

### 3. Feedback
Exchange constructive feedback on work performed, highlighting strengths and addressing areas for improvement. Encourage open dialogue to stimulate continuous learning.

### 4. Needs and Challenges
Allow employees to express their needs regarding resources, assistance, or support to accomplish their tasks. Discuss possible obstacles and find solutions together.

### 5. Work-Life Balance
Address workload-related issues, stress levels, and work-life balance. Identify measures to support employee well-being.

### 6. Projects and Initiatives
Discuss future projects, new initiatives, and potential employee contributions. Encourage active participation and creativity.

### 7. Management feedback
Offer employees the opportunity to share their feelings about management, work methods, and team communication. Foster an environment of trust and continuous improvement.

### 8. Focus on Vision
Ensure that the employee understands and adheres to the team or company's overall vision, values, and goals.

### 9. Resources and Support
Identify the resources required for the associate's success and ensure that he/she has the proper support to carry out his/her tasks.

### 10. Long-Term Planning
Examine longer-term perspectives and discuss the employee's career aspirations and how these align with team or organizational goals.

_"Enabling discussions in bilateral meetings, in a more intimate way and with a long-term vision, brings a notable benefit to the employee's career in the company. It makes them feel valued, heard and recognized above all. Setting clear, long-term objectives is a real motivator for them."_

**Marie Rudaz-Jaeggi**, *[AmbitionSuccess.ch](http://ambitionsuccess.ch/)* - MORGES

Team leaders and employees can establish fruitful collaboration, foster professional development, and maintain a positive working climate by addressing these topics regularly and in-depth at bilateral meetings.

## Use WEDO to keep track of your bilateral meetings!

![1_1 ENFR.png](https://wedo-assets.sos-ch-gva-2.exo.io/1_1_ENFR_78b8a89537.png)

With WEDO, you can prepare your agenda jointly with your manager or colleague. In this way, each participant can prepare the questions or topics to be addressed.

Generally speaking, the agenda items for a bilateral meeting are recurrent. WEDO enables you to set the topics so that they recur from one time to the next to ensure that discussions are followed up and that objectives evolve.

Once completed, the minutes are locked and remain available to both participants for consultation.

::button-primary[Schedule a live demo]{link="/demo"}

During a bilateral meeting between a team leader and an employee, several key topics must be addressed to ensure effective communication and optimal management.

A smiling person listening to their counterpart in a one-on-one meeting, overlaid with the text “Topics for a one-on-one meeting” and “Use case”

Meetings

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