How to Use Microsoft Copilot for Meeting Minutes

Why are meeting minutes the best place to start with Microsoft Copilot?

If you're looking for an easy, immediate win with Microsoft Copilot, meeting minutes is it.

For most organisations, writing meeting minutes is a task that takes 20–45 minutes of focused work after every significant meeting capturing what was discussed, what was decided, who is responsible for what, and when.

With Copilot in Microsoft Teams, this process can be reduced to 5–10 minutes of review and editing. Here's exactly how to do it.

What do you need before you can use Copilot for meeting minutes?

To use Copilot for meeting minutes in Teams, you need:

1. A Microsoft 365 licence that includes Copilot (check with your IT admin or Microsoft admin portal)
2. Microsoft Teams and the meeting must be hosted in Teams
3. Meeting transcription enabled Copilot uses the transcript to generate notes
4. Participants' awareness in most Australian workplaces, informing participants that a meeting is being transcribed is both courteous and good practice

Note: If your organisation doesn't yet have Copilot enabled, you may be able to access it through Microsoft's non-profit program (if you're an NFP) or by adding it to your existing Microsoft 365 licence. Our Microsoft Copilot consulting service can help you get set up.

How do you generate meeting minutes with Microsoft Copilot step by step?

Step 1: Start the meeting in Teams and enable transcription

Click the '...' (More) menu in your Teams meeting → Start transcription. You'll see a notification that transcription has begun.

Step 2: Run your meeting as normal

Copilot records and transcribes in the background. You don't need to do anything differently during the meeting.

Step 3: After the meeting, open the Copilot panel

Once the meeting ends (or even during the meeting), click the Copilot icon in the Teams toolbar. This opens the Copilot meeting panel.

Step 4: Ask Copilot to summarise

Type a prompt like: 'Summarise the key decisions from this meeting' or 'List all action items with owners and due dates' or 'Write a structured meeting summary with decisions, actions, and next steps'.

Step 5: Review and edit the output

Copilot will generate a structured summary based on the transcript. Review it for accuracy Copilot occasionally mishears names or misattributes statements. Edit as needed.

Step 6: Distribute

Copy the summary into your preferred format (Word, email, SharePoint, or your project management tool) and distribute to attendees.

How do you get better quality meeting minutes from Copilot?

• Set a clear agenda before the meeting Copilot organises outputs better when the conversation is structured
• When assigning action items during the meeting, say the person's name clearly and state the deadline 'Sarah, can you send the updated report by Friday?' this helps Copilot capture it accurately
• Use specific prompts 'List action items with owners' produces better output than 'summarise'
• Always review before distributing Copilot is an assistant, not a minute-taker. Final accountability for accuracy remains with the person distributing the notes

What governance considerations apply when using Copilot for meeting minutes?

A few governance points worth noting for organisations where meeting confidentiality matters:

• Teams transcripts are stored in your Microsoft 365 tenant accessible to your organisation's Microsoft admin
• Copilot does not share your transcript data with Microsoft for training
• For meetings involving confidential client, legal, or beneficiary information ensure all participants know transcription is active before beginning
• Some organisations choose to disable Copilot access to certain meeting types (board meetings with confidential personnel discussions, for example) this is configurable

Free Me Up AI can help your organisation set up the right Copilot configuration and governance framework for your specific context.