Business internal correspondence: Transcripts of meetings

Transcripts can be extremely important legal documents on sensitive issues.

They're very common in negotiation, or disputes.

A transcript is a verbatim version of a meeting.

Unlike minutes of meetings, the transcript is required to accurately record all matters arising in the meeting.

Transcripts are usually requested by participants, and must be provided to them, or disputes will inevitably arise.

Transcripts can be required to meet court standards of evidence.

This means that the transcript must be in a form acceptable to a court. That's also a good indication of how important transcripts can be.

Standardized transcripts

For efficiency, transcripts should be easy to read and use.

Please note: Deficiencies in quality of transcripts can be a legal issue.

When using electronic media, the best test of quality is that all subjects are easy to search within the document.

Recording transcripts

Meetings used to be recorded by stenographers, but this practice is winding down as new media make other forms of recording possible.

It's advisable to use a recording method which is reliable and operates on an easily accessible operating system. Recording meetings can be done on Flash compatible software, for example.

Transcription services

There are transcription services available around the world, which will record and transcribe your meetings for you. It's advisable to get quotes, and an indication of standards of transcription.

Formal record keeping of transcriptions

Because transcripts can be so important, a good record keeping system is very important. Generally speaking, a file containing copies of the media used to record, and hard copies of the transcript as a document are kept on file.

Note: The example given here is a summary of materials, in their final form as records. As you can see, the materials have been compiled as outlined above. You'll note from the file reference that this is part 2 of an existing file.

It is highly advisable to keep all transcripts separate and easy to find in a filing system, using standardized file creation systems.

Transcript of meeting between ABC Inc Board Of Directors and Mr. Jack Smith, representing DEF Inc.

File reference: F/DEF 2010/02
Date: 24 March 2010
Time: 11AM - 2:25 PM

Transcription recording by:

Global Transcripts Inc. under contract to ABC Inc

Media: Windows XP SP2
Copies sent 26 March 2010 by courier from Global Transcripts Inc. to:
…….. for ABC Inc Board Of Directors
Mr. Jack Smith

The copy of media and hard copy appended to this file is certified to be a true transcript of the meeting, and accepted as such by the participants.

Signed
……… on behalf of ABC Inc
Date: 27 March 2010
……… Mr. Jack Smith on behalf of DEF Inc.
Date: 2 April 2010

Disclaimer

Please note:

This text is intended for advisory and guideline purposes only.

Any business letter can become a legal document, so check your content properly before issuing.

Any executable or statutorily defined document should be checked for compliance with legal requirements, and you should seek legal advice regarding its contents.