Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
For most recurring team meetings, start with Simple Meeting Notes 1 or Simple Meeting Notes 2. They keep preparation and note-taking lightweight without removing the essentials. Choose Informal Meeting Notes for conversational check-ins, Personal Meeting Notes for private or solo capture, Detailed Meeting Notes when decisions and follow-up work need a clear record, and Formal Meeting Notes for committee, governance, or compliance-oriented meetings.
All six layouts are built into OneNote’s Business template category. The right choice depends less on a universal ranking than on how formal the record must be, how much detail the meeting generates, and how visibly you need to track actions afterward.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWhat is a OneNote meeting template?
Microsoft defines a template as “a pre-designed layout that you can apply to a new page to provide a level of consistency and save time.” A OneNote meeting template is therefore a reusable page design: it gives a meeting page prepared headings and spaces for information such as an agenda, minutes, important points, action items, and follow-up questions.
You can use a built-in design as supplied, edit its text and arrangement, or create a layout of your own. Templates are page designs rather than separate notebooks or databases. Each meeting still gets its own OneNote page in the section you select.
Popular on Amazon
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
The built-in Business category is useful because it covers several levels of formality. A short weekly sync and a governance meeting can use the same application, but they should not produce the same kind of record.
Which built-in OneNote template is best for my meeting?
Use the following as a decision guide. “Best” means the closest fit for the meeting’s purpose, not a claim that one layout is superior in every situation.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
| Template | Best fit | Formality | Detail and follow-up | Practical choice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Meeting Notes 1 | Recurring meetings where you want a quick agenda and concise notes | Low to medium | Light structure; enough room for key points and actions | Start here for a lightweight weekly or project meeting |
| Simple Meeting Notes 2 | Recurring meetings that need the same lightweight approach with a different supplied layout | Low to medium | Light structure; compare the page preview with Simple Meeting Notes 1 | Choose the version whose arrangement matches your writing habits |
| Informal Meeting Notes | Conversational team check-ins, brainstorming, and less scripted discussions | Informal | Flexible capture for discussion points and agreed tasks | Use when a rigid minutes format would slow the conversation |
| Personal Meeting Notes | Private preparation, one-to-one capture, or notes that are primarily for you | Informal | Optimized for your own prompts rather than a shared official record | Use when you are not maintaining the team’s authoritative minutes |
| Detailed Meeting Notes | Meetings with several decisions, dependencies, or substantial follow-up work | Medium to high | More room for important points, decisions, action items, and follow-up questions | Use when someone who missed the meeting must understand what happened |
| Formal Meeting Notes | Committees, governance groups, reviews, or compliance-oriented records | High | Structured minutes and explicit follow-up areas | Use when consistency, traceability, and review matter more than speed |
The two Simple layouts are both intended for a light process; the supplied names do not establish a universal difference in quality or capability. Open the template pane and select the arrangement that gives your recurring meeting the clearest writing flow.
How do I choose between simple, informal, detailed, personal, and formal notes?
Decide in this order: who needs the record, how much detail must survive the meeting, and what happens to unfinished work afterward.
Choose Simple Meeting Notes for a repeatable team rhythm
Simple Meeting Notes 1 or 2 is usually the most efficient starting point for a weekly team sync, stand-up, or project checkpoint. The layout gives you a repeatable page without forcing every speaker into formal minutes. Add only the agenda items, decisions, and actions that the group will actually use.
Choose Informal Meeting Notes when conversation is the main output
Informal Meeting Notes suits a check-in where the discussion may move between topics. It leaves more freedom to capture the order in which ideas arise. It is preferable to a formal layout when the value is context and shared understanding rather than an archival record.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Choose Personal Meeting Notes for your own working memory
Personal Meeting Notes is appropriate when you are preparing for a meeting, taking private notes during a one-to-one, or collecting prompts for your own follow-up. Do not treat a personal page as the team’s official minutes unless you have deliberately edited and shared it for that purpose.
Choose Detailed Meeting Notes when decisions and dependencies matter
Detailed Meeting Notes is the better fit when a decision may be revisited, several people own follow-up work, or absent colleagues need a reliable account. Its additional structure helps separate important points from tasks and questions that remain open.
Also popular on Amazon
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Choose Formal Meeting Notes for an accountable record
Formal Meeting Notes is designed for a committee, review board, governance meeting, or another setting where the record may be checked later. Use it when a consistent sequence of agenda, minutes, decisions, and follow-up is more important than capturing every conversational aside.
How do I apply a OneNote meeting template?
Apply a template before you enter any notes. OneNote applies templates only to a new page with no existing notes; if the page already contains content, create a new templated page and copy the existing notes into it.
Recommended Free Tools
- Open the notebook and section where the meeting page should live.
- Create a blank page.
- Select Insert > Page Templates.
- In the Templates pane, expand Business.
- Select the meeting layout you want, such as Simple Meeting Notes 1, Detailed Meeting Notes, or Formal Meeting Notes.
- Close the Templates pane and replace the prompts with the meeting’s information.
Applying the design to a dedicated page keeps the original page clean and makes the layout repeatable. For a recurring meeting, use a consistent naming convention such as the meeting name followed by its date so that pages remain easy to locate.
What should I put in a OneNote meeting page?
Use the template’s supplied headings as a minimum, then adjust the page to match the meeting’s workflow. A useful sequence is:
- Meeting identity: enter the meeting name, date, location or channel, and the people involved.
- Agenda: list the topics in the order you expect to discuss them. Leave room to add an item that arises during the meeting.
- Meeting minutes or notes: record the substance of the discussion rather than a word-for-word transcript.
- Important points and decisions: distinguish a decision from background information so it can be found later.
- Action items: write the task, owner, and expected next step. If a due date is agreed, include it in the same line.
- Follow-up questions: capture unresolved questions and identify who will obtain the answer.
For a recurring meeting, keep the headings in the same order each time. Consistency lets attendees scan the page quickly and makes it easier to compare what was planned with what was completed.
How can I use a template before, during, and after a recurring meeting?
Before the meeting: prepare a working agenda
Create the new templated page in the meeting’s section and fill in the date and participants. Add agenda topics before the call or room meeting starts, and place any background links or reference material beneath the relevant topic rather than in a separate, unlabelled block.
If the meeting has a standing agenda, retain those headings and add the date-specific items beneath them. This keeps the page recognizable without copying old discussion into the new record.
During the meeting: capture decisions while context is present
Write short statements that preserve the decision, its rationale, and any constraint that affects implementation. Put tasks in the action-items area as soon as ownership is agreed. If the group postpones a question, record it under follow-up questions instead of leaving it buried in a paragraph.
Also popular on Amazon
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
When the conversation changes direction, add a new note beneath the matching agenda item or mark the item as an addition. The template is a guide to organization; it does not require the discussion to follow a script.
After the meeting: make the page usable by people who were absent
Review names, decisions, and action owners while the discussion is still fresh. Convert vague language such as “look into this” into a clearly described task, and move unresolved matters into follow-up questions. Share the page through the notebook or the relevant collaboration space according to your team’s access rules.
Can Outlook fill in meeting details automatically?
Yes. OneNote can insert Outlook meeting details, including the date, location, agenda, topic, and attendee information. Microsoft requires Outlook and OneNote to be installed on the same computer for this command to work.
Use the Outlook information as a starting point, then check it against the actual meeting. An agenda may have changed, a location may be a video channel rather than a room, and an attendee list may include people who did not participate. Keep those corrections in the OneNote page so the record reflects what occurred.
Outlook insertion is most useful when the meeting is scheduled in advance and the calendar invitation is the authoritative source for logistics. It does not replace the note-taking sections for decisions, important points, or action items.
How do Teams meeting notes differ from a OneNote template?
Teams meeting notes are designed for collaboration among invited participants. Attendees can add and edit an agenda, notes, and tasks; changes are visible to the invited participants and saved for later access.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA OneNote template gives you control over the page design and the notebook section where the record lives. Teams emphasizes a shared meeting workspace, while OneNote is useful when you need a reusable layout across meetings or a broader notebook structure. You can use the tools together, but decide in advance which location is the authoritative record to avoid maintaining two conflicting versions.
If some participants need to contribute live, Teams’ shared editing model may be the natural place to collect the first draft. If your group needs a consistent Business template and a long-running notebook archive, create the final record in OneNote after agreeing how updates will be transferred.
Also popular on Amazon
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Can I customize a built-in meeting template?
Yes. Microsoft describes templates as reusable page designs that users can customize or use to create their own. Start with the closest Business layout, then edit headings, remove sections that your meeting never uses, and add prompts that improve ownership or follow-up.
Useful customizations include adding a standing decision log, a risks section, a parking-lot area for deferred topics, or a compact action table. Keep the core information visible near the top of the page so attendees do not have to search through decorative or rarely used sections.
When a change becomes part of your team’s normal process, save or reproduce that design as your team’s standard page layout according to the OneNote version and permissions you use. Test the customized page on a blank page before relying on it for an important meeting.
Which OneNote versions support these instructions?
Microsoft’s support guidance for these meeting-template instructions lists OneNote for Microsoft 365, OneNote 2024, OneNote 2021, and OneNote 2016. Labels and pane placement can vary slightly by version, but the documented route is Insert > Page Templates, followed by the Business category.
If your installation does not show the same categories, confirm which OneNote application you opened and whether your account has access to the notebook. The template names in this guide are the built-in Business layouts identified in Microsoft’s guidance; an organization may also provide its own custom templates.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What commonly goes wrong when applying a meeting template?
The template option is missing or unavailable
First make sure you are in the OneNote desktop application and viewing a notebook section where you can create pages. Then look for Insert > Page Templates and expand Business. If the command is present but the design does not apply, create a genuinely blank page and try again.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The page already contains notes
Templates are not applied over existing page content. Preserve the original page, create a new blank page, apply the desired layout, and copy the notes into the matching sections. This avoids accidentally deleting material while giving the new page the correct structure.
The layout is too formal for the meeting
Switch to Informal Meeting Notes or one of the Simple Meeting Notes layouts. A template should reduce friction; if participants spend more time completing fields than discussing the agenda, remove unused sections or customize a lighter design.
Also popular on Amazon
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
The record is too vague to support follow-up
Move from a Simple or Informal layout to Detailed Meeting Notes, and make action ownership explicit while the meeting is in progress. Separate decisions and open questions from general discussion so a reader can identify what must happen next.
People are editing different copies
Choose one authoritative page and tell participants where it is. If the meeting is run in Teams, use its shared notes for live collaboration or deliberately transfer the agreed record to OneNote; do not assume that two independently edited pages will merge automatically.
How should I handle formal or sensitive meeting records?
Use Formal Meeting Notes when the page may be reviewed by a committee, auditor, manager, or other stakeholder who was not present. Keep the agenda, decisions, important points, and follow-up information in predictable locations, and avoid mixing private observations from Personal Meeting Notes into the official record.
Access is controlled by the notebook, section, and collaboration permissions you use. Before sharing, check that the intended participants can open the page and that material meant for a restricted audience is not stored in a broadly shared section.
Which template should I standardize for a team?
Standardize the lightest layout that still captures the information your team repeatedly needs. For many recurring teams, that means Simple Meeting Notes 1 or 2 with a small customized action area. Move to Detailed Meeting Notes when decisions and dependencies are routinely lost, and reserve Formal Meeting Notes for meetings that require a durable, accountable record.
Review the choice after several meetings. If pages are consistently missing ownership, add a clearer action prompt; if fields remain empty, remove them. The purpose of a standard is predictable, useful notes—not completing a form for its own sake.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use OneNote meeting templates in OneNote 2016?
Microsoft’s listed support versions include OneNote 2016 as well as OneNote for Microsoft 365, OneNote 2024, and OneNote 2021. The exact visual styling may differ, so follow the labels shown in your installation while looking for the Business category.
Why do some template headings appear in fixed positions?
Microsoft notes that many template designs include content that appears in specific places on the page. That positioning is part of the supplied layout; edit the page after applying it if your meeting needs a different order.
Can Teams attendees edit a meeting page after the meeting ends?
Teams meeting notes remain available for later access, and invited participants can add or edit the agenda, notes, and tasks. Your organization’s Teams permissions still determine who can open or change the notes.
Is a personal notes page suitable as official minutes?
Only after you review it for completeness, remove private commentary, and share it through the agreed team location. Personal Meeting Notes is intended for your own capture, so it does not automatically establish a shared or authoritative record.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
