Capability template for executive and office support
Board minutes draft
After a board meeting, the secretary gets draft minutes built only from what they supply: notes, agenda, motion text and vote record. Attendance, motions, votes, documents and actions are laid out, and every gap is marked for the secretary to settle.
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The outcome
The secretary opens a complete first draft instead of a blank page. It follows the agenda, lists who was in the room and when they came and went, sets each motion down word for word as supplied, shows the vote as the record gives it, names the documents the board looked at, and lists every action with its owner and date.
Where the record is thin, the draft says so in the place it matters. A vote with no result written down, a decision that appears in the notes but in no motion, an action nobody owns, a closed session with no notes: each is marked and listed at the end, so the secretary spends the time on those few points rather than on typing. The draft states no result the record does not give, and it gives no view on whether a meeting had a quorum or a vote was valid.
The secretary verifies every line against what they know of the meeting. The board approves the minutes. Until then it is a draft.
Who starts the work, and when
The board secretary starts it soon after the meeting, while memory of the room is fresh, once the notes, the vote record and the list of who attended are in hand. The secretary corrects the draft, resolves each marked gap with the chair or the people concerned, and circulates it in the way the board already does.
What they supply
- The secretary's notes, in whatever order they were taken.
- The agenda: item number, title, presenter and documents.
- The roster and attendance: each person, whether they vote, their status, and arrival and departure times.
- The motion and vote record: motion text exactly as it was put, who moved and seconded, the votes for, against and abstaining, any recusal, and the result as the chair announced it.
- The list of documents the board saw, with a reference, title and date for each.
- The meeting details: organization, date, place, chair, secretary, times and the next meeting.
What comes out
One draft in a fixed order: the meeting details, attendance, the proceedings item by item, the documents referred to, the actions, a blank approval line, the gaps for the secretary, and a check that the counts agree with the inputs. Each motion appears with its wording, movers, tally and recorded result. Each gap is marked where it occurs and listed at the end.
An invented example
Illustrative example with invented data. The organization, the directors, the staff, the documents and every figure below are invented. Harrow Meadow Reading Trust is an invented small nonprofit. Wren Dallimore, its board secretary, runs the capability the day after the board meets. First come the inputs the secretary supplied, in full, then the draft the capability returned.
The inputs
1. Meeting details
Organization: Harrow Meadow Reading Trust
Board: Board of Directors
Meeting date: Tuesday 3 November 2026
Place or format: At the reading room, 14 Mill Row, in person
Chair: Ardith Penhale
Secretary: Wren Dallimore, Board Secretary
Called to order: 18:00
Adjourned: 19:25
Next meeting: Tuesday 1 December 2026, 18:00
Run date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Minutes style: action minutes (default)
Name rule: default
2. Agenda
Item | Title | Presenter | Documents
1 | Call to order and attendance | Chair |
2 | Approval of the minutes of 6 October 2026 | Chair | D1
3 | Treasurer's report | Treasurer | D2
4 | Reading room lease renewal | Executive Director | D3
5 | 2027 summer reading programme budget | Executive Director | D4
6 | Other business | Chair |
7 | Executive session | Chair |
8 | Adjournment | Chair |
3. Roster and attendance
Name | Role | Voting | Status | Arrival | Departure | Notes
Ardith Penhale | Chair | Yes | Present | 18:00 | 19:25 |
Corwin Salt | Treasurer | Yes | Present | 18:00 | 19:25 |
Odalys Brenneman | Director | Yes | Present | 18:00 | 19:25 |
Lowell Teague | Director | Yes | Present | 18:10 | 19:25 |
Marit Voss | Director | Yes | Excused | | |
Jessamyn Orr | Director | Yes | Present | 18:00 | 19:05 | Left during item 5
Tobias Quill | Director | Yes | Present | 18:00 | 19:25 |
Pell Marchetti | Executive Director | No | Present | 18:00 | 19:25 | Out of the room 19:15 to 19:22
Wren Dallimore | Board Secretary | No | Present | 18:00 | 19:25 | Out of the room 19:15 to 19:22
4. Motion and vote record
Motion | Item | Time | Moved by | Seconded by | Motion text | For | Against | Abstain | Recused | Result | Notes
1 | 2 | 18:15 | Corwin Salt | Tobias Quill | That the minutes of the meeting of 6 October 2026 be approved as circulated. | 5 | 0 | 1 | | Carried |
2 | 4 | 18:40 | Odalys Brenneman | Jessamyn Orr | That the Trust renew the lease of the reading room at 14 Mill Row for twelve months from 1 January 2027 at a monthly rent of $1,850. | 6 | 0 | 0 | | Carried |
3 | 5 | 19:10 | Lowell Teague | Corwin Salt | That a budget of up to $9,400 be approved for the 2027 summer reading programme. | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | |
5. Documents
Ref | Title | Version or date | Item
D1 | Minutes of the meeting of 6 October 2026 | Circulated 27 October 2026 | 2
D2 | Treasurer's financial statement for September 2026 | 2 pages; circulated 29 October 2026 | 3
D3 | Reading room lease renewal summary | 1 page; circulated 29 October 2026 | 4
D4 | 2027 summer reading programme budget proposal | 3 pages; circulated 29 October 2026 | 5
6. The secretary's notes
18:00 Ardith called us to order.
Item 2: Lowell came in at 18:10, during this item. Corwin moved the Oct 6
minutes as circulated, Tobias seconded. 5 for, 1 abstain (Lowell). Carried.
Item 3: Corwin said cash on hand was $62,300 at 31 Oct and the month
finished with a surplus of $1,150. Odalys asked about the grant
receivable. Corwin said it is expected by the end of November. Report
received, no vote. Corwin to email the October statement to all directors
by 10 Nov.
Item 4: Pell presented the lease renewal, 12 months from 1 Jan 2027 at
$1,850 a month. Tobias asked who holds the insurance policy on the
contents of the reading room. Nobody was sure. Odalys moved, Jessamyn
seconded, 6-0. Ardith to sign the renewal when the landlord's copy
arrives.
Item 5: Pell presented the summer budget, up to $9,400. Jessamyn asked
about volunteer hours and then left at 19:05. Lowell moved, Corwin
seconded, voted 3-2. I didn't write down whether Ardith said it passed.
Pell to draft the summer schedule before the December meeting.
Item 6, about 19:12: Odalys suggested moving the volunteer handbook
revision to January. Everyone agreed, I think.
Item 7: executive session from 19:15, directors only. Pell and I left the
room, back at 19:22. No notes.
Ardith adjourned at 19:25.
Someone needs to find out who holds the contents insurance policy.
The output
BOARD MINUTES DRAFT: Board of Directors, Harrow Meadow Reading Trust
Status: Draft for Wren Dallimore, Board Secretary, to verify. Not approved by the board. Nothing has been sent, filed or signed.
Run date: Wednesday 4 November 2026. Inputs: agenda 8 items; roster 9 rows; motions 3; documents 4; secretary's notes supplied.
MEETING
Meeting of the Board of Directors of Harrow Meadow Reading Trust on Tuesday 3 November 2026, at the reading room, 14 Mill Row, in person.
Chair: Ardith Penhale. Secretary: Wren Dallimore, Board Secretary.
Called to order: 18:00. Adjourned: 19:25.
Next meeting: Tuesday 1 December 2026, 18:00.
ATTENDANCE
Voting members present (6): Ardith Penhale, Chair; Corwin Salt, Treasurer; Odalys Brenneman, Director; Lowell Teague, Director (arrived 18:10); Jessamyn Orr, Director (departed 19:05; note: left during item 5); Tobias Quill, Director.
Voting members absent (1): Marit Voss (Excused).
Others present (2): Pell Marchetti, Executive Director (out of the room 19:15 to 19:22); Wren Dallimore, Board Secretary (out of the room 19:15 to 19:22).
Attendance unclear (0): None.
Recorded present: 6 of 7 voting members on the roster.
Quorum statement: [for the secretary to complete]
PROCEEDINGS
Item 1. Call to order and attendance (Chair). Documents: none.
The meeting was called to order at 18:00.
No motion recorded.
Item 2. Approval of the minutes of 6 October 2026 (Chair). Documents: D1.
Lowell Teague arrived at 18:10, during this item.
Motion 1, 18:15. Moved by Corwin Salt; seconded by Tobias Quill.
Text as supplied: "That the minutes of the meeting of 6 October 2026 be approved as circulated."
Votes: for 5, against 0, abstain 1. Voting members present at 18:15: 6.
Result as recorded: Carried
Item 3. Treasurer's report (Treasurer). Documents: D2.
Corwin Salt said cash on hand was $62,300 at 31 Oct and the month finished with a surplus of $1,150. A director asked about the grant receivable, and the Treasurer said it is expected by the end of November. The report was received, with no vote. (See G1.)
No motion recorded. Actions A1.
Item 4. Reading room lease renewal (Executive Director). Documents: D3.
Pell Marchetti presented the lease renewal, 12 months from 1 Jan 2027 at $1,850 a month. A director asked who holds the insurance policy on the contents of the reading room, and nobody was sure.
Motion 2, 18:40. Moved by Odalys Brenneman; seconded by Jessamyn Orr.
Text as supplied: "That the Trust renew the lease of the reading room at 14 Mill Row for twelve months from 1 January 2027 at a monthly rent of $1,850."
Votes: for 6, against 0, abstain 0. Voting members present at 18:40: 6.
Result as recorded: Carried
Actions A2, A3 (A3: see G2).
Item 5. 2027 summer reading programme budget (Executive Director). Documents: D4.
Pell Marchetti presented the summer budget, up to $9,400. A director asked about volunteer hours. Jessamyn Orr left at 19:05.
Motion 3, 19:10. Moved by Lowell Teague; seconded by Corwin Salt.
Text as supplied: "That a budget of up to $9,400 be approved for the 2027 summer reading programme."
Votes: for 3, against 2, abstain 0. Voting members present at 19:10: 5.
Result as recorded: [RESULT NOT RECORDED: G3]
Actions A4.
Item 6. Other business (Chair). Documents: none.
Noted from the secretary's notes, not recorded as a motion: at about 19:12 a director suggested moving the volunteer handbook revision to January; the notes say "Everyone agreed, I think." (G4)
No motion recorded.
Item 7. Executive session (Chair). Documents: none.
Closed session: in 19:15, out [not stated: G5]. Present as the notes give: directors only; the Executive Director and the Secretary left the room and returned at 19:22. Content: none recorded.
No motion recorded.
Item 8. Adjournment (Chair). Documents: none.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 19:25.
No motion recorded.
DOCUMENTS REFERENCED
- D1. Minutes of the meeting of 6 October 2026. Circulated 27 October 2026. Item 2.
- D2. Treasurer's financial statement for September 2026. 2 pages; circulated 29 October 2026. Item 3. (G1)
- D3. Reading room lease renewal summary. 1 page; circulated 29 October 2026. Item 4.
- D4. 2027 summer reading programme budget proposal. 3 pages; circulated 29 October 2026. Item 5.
ACTIONS
- A1. Corwin Salt: email the October statement to all directors. Due: by 10 Nov. Item 3.
- A2. Ardith Penhale: sign the renewal when the landlord's copy arrives. Due: when the landlord's copy arrives. Item 4.
- A3. Owner not stated: find out who holds the contents insurance policy. Due: not stated. (G2) Item 4.
- A4. Pell Marchetti: draft the summer schedule. Due: before the December meeting. Item 5.
APPROVAL
Approved by the board on: [date, entered by the secretary after the board votes]
Secretary: [signature line, left for the secretary]
GAPS FOR THE SECRETARY
- G1. Item 3 and D2. D2 is listed as the Treasurer's financial statement for September 2026, but the notes give figures at "31 Oct" and A1 refers to "the October statement", which is not on the document list. The secretary can settle which statement the board saw and whether the October statement needs listing; the Treasurer can confirm.
- G2. Action A3, item 4. The notes say "Someone needs to find out who holds the contents insurance policy." This last line of the notes was placed under item 4 because it matches that item by content. No owner and no due date are stated. The chair can settle who takes it and by when.
- G3. Item 5, motion 3. The Result is blank in the vote record (for 3, against 2, abstain 0). The notes say "I didn't write down whether Ardith said it passed." The chair can settle what was announced.
- G4. Item 6. The notes record "Odalys suggested moving the volunteer handbook revision to January. Everyone agreed, I think." There is no motion row, no motion text and no vote record. The secretary and the chair can settle whether the board decided this and, if so, how to word it.
- G5. Item 7. The end time of the closed session is not stated (the notes say the Executive Director and the Secretary returned at 19:22), and the only list of those present is "directors only". The notes for the item say "No notes." The chair can supply the end time, who was present and any line the board wants in the minutes.
CHECK
Agenda items 8 = items in the proceedings 8. Motions supplied 3 = motions in the draft 3. Documents listed 4 = documents referenced 4. Actions 4. Gaps 5.
Voting members present at each vote, counted from the arrival and departure times supplied: motion 1, 6; motion 2, 6; motion 3, 5. Each equals for + against + abstain + recused, or the difference is a gap. This is a count, not a finding on quorum or on whether a vote was valid.
No resolution is worded beyond the motion text supplied.
Prepared for Wren Dallimore. Nothing has been sent, filed, signed or changed in any record by the assistant. The secretary verifies the record and the board approves the minutes.
Where it fits
- Nonprofits, where the board secretary is often a volunteer or a busy staff member and the minutes are the organization's formal record.
- Education, for school, college and foundation boards that keep minutes of each meeting.
- Executive and office support, because the work is the secretary's: turning a meeting into a record.
- Established businesses, for organizations with a board and a rhythm of meetings already in place.
It is not meeting agenda, notes and follow-ups, which prepares an agenda and a one-page record for whoever runs an ordinary meeting. It is not the board meeting pack, which prepares the board's reading before a meeting. And it is not the decision log, which keeps a running register of decisions across meetings.
What has to change for your company
Decide how full your minutes are: decisions and actions only, or a short account of discussion. Decide whose names appear against remarks; the default is movers, seconders, presenters and action owners only. Set the wording your board uses for the heading, the call to order, the quorum statement and the approval line, and keep that wording in your own hands. A school or college board that works under open-meeting or public-records rules should keep its required wording and format in its own hands too. Agree who confirms a result the chair did not write down, and how quickly the draft goes to the chair. Provide last approved minutes as a sample of your house style.
What has been checked
Fully Powered AI wrote this capability template. It was editorially reviewed on 10 November 2026. It was tried on its invented example on 10 November 2026 in two runs in Claude; the record of the second is published with it. It has not yet been tested in a client environment.
Testing in your environment means running it on a past meeting whose approved minutes you already have, with cases written in advance: a vote with no result recorded, a decision described in the notes but in no motion, a director who left before a vote, an action with no owner. The secretary checks every line against the record before anyone relies on it.
The full capability template
Everything above is the outline. The complete capability template is the working version: the roles, the inputs, the procedure, the exceptions and stop conditions, the output format, the reviewer checklist, the acceptance tests, the instructions for an AI assistant and what to customize for your company. It comes with a download and the link to its folder in Fully Powered’s public repository.
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Next step
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