# How to Write AI Meeting Notes Templates (8 Ready to Paste) > Default AI meeting summaries run long and skip owners. Learn to write a notes template that fixes it, then paste one of 8 ready-made ones into Voibe or any app. - URL: https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-write-ai-meeting-notes-templates/ - Author: Bala - Published: 2026-11-04 ยท Updated: 2026-11-07 ## How to Write an AI Meeting Notes Template: The Quick Answer Your AI note taker wrote six paragraphs about a 30-minute call, and you still can't tell who's sending the contract. That's no failure of the transcript. The summary was written with no instructions, so it guessed what you wanted. An AI meeting notes template is the set of instructions that turns a transcript into the summary you need. To write one, decide who reads the notes and what they do next, then give the AI rules it can follow: 1. **Name the reader and the purpose.** Say whose file the notes go into and what that person does with them. 2. **List the sections in order.** Use the order the reader works in, with five to seven sections at most. 3. **Give each section one instruction.** Say what goes in it and in what form, such as one line per decision. 4. **Set a length, a voice and a format.** A word limit stops the six-paragraph summary before it starts. 5. **Add a leave-out list.** Name what must never appear, such as account numbers or small talk. 6. **Tell the AI what to do when it isn't sure.** A [CHECK] flag beats a confident guess every time. This is for anyone whose notes go into a file someone else relies on. Think advisors, lawyers, board secretaries, researchers, sales teams and managers. Writing your first template takes about 20 minutes, and testing it takes one meeting you already sat in on. ### Key takeaways | Question | Answer | | --- | --- | | **What is an AI meeting notes template?** | Instructions that tell the AI which sections to write, how long, in what voice, and what to leave out | | **Why do default summaries fail?** | They are generic, too long and often skip who owns each action | | **The two rules most templates miss** | A leave-out list, and a [CHECK] flag for anything unclear | | **How long should a template be?** | Under 2,000 characters, so it also fits the Voibe API's prompt field; the eight below run from 718 to 1,263 | | **Where can I use one?** | Voibe Work custom templates, the Voibe API prompt, and the template features in Granola, Otter, Fathom and Fireflies | | **Does a template change the transcript?** | No. It shapes the summary only; the transcript keeps every word | > **Key takeaway:** An AI meeting notes template names the reader, lists the sections in order, gives each one an instruction, sets a length, voice and format, lists what to leave out, and tells the AI to write [CHECK] instead of guessing. ## What an AI Meeting Notes Template Does, and Why Default Summaries Fail A transcript records everything. A summary has to choose, and without a template the AI chooses for you. Default summaries tend to fail in the same three ways: - **Generic.** The same layout covers a board meeting and a sales call, so neither gets what it needs. - **Too long.** With no limit, the AI retells the discussion instead of recording the outcome. - **Missing owners.** A list of next steps appears, but nobody is named against them, or the AI names the wrong person. A template fixes all three by telling the AI where each kind of line belongs. Take this short, fictional client call between an advisor and a client: ``` [00:02:14] Dana: We agreed to move the rollover into the new account. [00:05:40] Sam: I'll send you the transfer forms by Friday. [00:07:03] Dana: My old account number is 4471... [00:09:22] Sam: The fee review is on the 15th, or maybe the 20th. [00:11:05] Dana: How was your weekend, by the way? [00:12:30] Dana: Can we revisit the bond allocation next quarter? ``` With a template that asks for decisions, action items and open questions, plus a leave-out list and a [CHECK] rule, the summary comes back like this: ``` Decisions - Move the rollover into the new account. Action items - Sam: send the transfer forms to Dana by Friday. Open questions - Revisit the bond allocation next quarter. - [CHECK: fee review date, the 15th or the 20th] Left out: the account number and the small talk. ``` Every line in that summary traces back to the transcript. The account number never made it in, the weekend chat was dropped, and the unclear date was flagged instead of picked. A default summary would most likely have chosen one of the two dates and moved on. ## The Anatomy of a Good AI Meeting Notes Template A good template has eight parts. You can write all of them in a few lines each, and the copy-paste templates further down follow the same pattern. Default summaries rarely have parts 7 and 8, and those two stop the most mistakes. ### 1. Purpose and reader Open with one sentence that says what the meeting is and who reads the notes. Notes for an advisor's client file need different things from notes for a deal team. The AI can't tell which you want unless you say so. ### 2 and 3. Sections, each with its own instruction List the sections in the order the reader uses them, then give each one a single instruction about content and form. Decisions might be one line each. Action items might need an owner, an action and a deadline. Keep it to seven sections or fewer, because a long list produces thin, padded sections. ### 4, 5 and 6. Length, voice and format - **Length:** a word limit, such as 250 words. It is the single fastest fix for summaries that run long. - **Voice:** plain, neutral and third person suits most files. Ask for neutral language in 1:1s and HR meetings so feedback isn't dramatized. - **Format:** bullets for most sections, and a table wherever there are owners and dates. ### 7. The leave-out list Name what must never appear in the summary: account numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, health details, small talk, and anything said off the record. A summary gets forwarded far more often than a transcript, so it should be the safe version by default. ### 8. The uncertainty rule Tell the AI to write `[CHECK: what is unclear]` whenever a name, number or date is unclear, and to list every flag at the end. Our guide to [AI meeting minutes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-meeting-minutes/) uses the same flag for motions and vote counts. It turns guesses into a short to-do list for whoever reviews the notes. ## How to Write an AI Meeting Notes Template, Step by Step Start from a meeting you run often, because a template pays off on the tenth meeting rather than the first. Then work through these steps in order. 1. **Collect two or three past summaries.** Mark what you deleted, what you added by hand, and what you had to look up in the transcript. 2. **Write the purpose line.** Finish this sentence: the reader is a certain person, who will use these notes to do a certain thing. 3. **Turn your edits into sections.** Whatever you kept adding by hand becomes a section, and whatever you kept deleting goes on the leave-out list. 4. **Write one instruction per section.** Say what goes in and in what form, and ban anything the transcript can't support, such as a risk score nobody gave. 5. **Set the length, voice and format.** Pick a word limit near the length of the best summary you've edited by hand. 6. **Add the leave-out list and the [CHECK] rule.** Copy them from the templates below if you're not sure where to start. 7. **Check the length.** Keep the whole template under 2,000 characters, so it works as a Voibe API prompt too. 8. **Test it on a real meeting.** The testing section below shows how to do it without guessing. If you'd rather fill in blanks, start from this skeleton and replace every bracket except the [CHECK] rule: ``` You are writing notes from a [meeting type]. The reader is [who], who will use them to [what they do next]. Sections, in this order: 1. [Section]: [what goes in it, and in what form]. 2. [Section]: [what goes in it, and in what form]. 3. [Section]: [what goes in it, and in what form]. Rules: - Maximum [number] words. [Bullets, a table, or short paragraphs.] - Write in [voice: plain, neutral, third person]. - Leave out: [personal data, account numbers, small talk]. - Do not invent owners, dates or decisions that nobody stated. - If anything is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear] instead of guessing. ``` Write the instructions as rules rather than wishes. An instruction to avoid long summaries leaves the length to the AI, while a maximum of 250 words leaves nothing to interpret. ## 8 AI Meeting Notes Templates You Can Copy Each template below is under 2,000 characters. Paste it into a Voibe Work custom template, the Voibe API's `prompt` field, or another note taker's template editor without trimming. Swap the section names for your own words, and keep the leave-out list and the [CHECK] rule. ### 1. Client intake template for financial advisors This one follows an advisor's intake workflow, from goals to documents requested. It rounds amounts and keeps account numbers out of the file. Voibe Work ships its own client intake template, and this version is for firms whose intake runs differently. ``` You are writing notes from a first meeting between a financial advisor and a prospective client. Write for the advisor's client file, in plain sentences, third person. Sections, in this order: 1. Client snapshot: everyone present and their role, household, occupation, how they found the firm. 2. Goals: one line per goal, with the target date if one was said. 3. Time horizon and risk: what the client said about risk, in their own words where possible. Do not assign a risk score. 4. Current situation: account types and where they are held, income sources, debts mentioned. Round amounts to the nearest thousand. 5. Life events and concerns: retirement, a business sale, a move, an inheritance. Mention health only if the client raised it as a planning issue. 6. Documents requested: what the client agreed to send, and by when. 7. Next steps: owner, action, deadline. Write no date stated if none was said. Rules: - Maximum 350 words. Bullets, with a table for Next steps. - Leave out: account numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, passwords and small talk. - Never add a recommendation the advisor did not make. - If a figure, name or date is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear] instead of guessing. - End with a list of every [CHECK] item. ``` Advisors comparing note takers for this work can see the field in [the best AI meeting note taker for financial advisors](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-taker-for-financial-advisors/). ### 2. Board minutes template Minutes record what was done, not what was said. This template follows the same rules as the full prompt in our AI meeting minutes guide, condensed to fit the 2,000-character limit. ``` You are drafting formal board minutes from a transcript. Record what was done, not what was said. Header: organization, regular or special meeting, date, start time, place or platform, who presided, who took the minutes, members present and absent, and whether a quorum was present. Body: one entry per agenda item, in agenda order. For each item: - Motions: the exact wording, who moved it, and the result (adopted, failed, amended, postponed or referred). Leave out who seconded it. - Vote count: only if the chair announced one. Never calculate or guess a count. - Reports received: the title and who gave it, in one line. - Action items: task, owner and due date, or no date stated. Close: the time the meeting adjourned. Rules: - No quotes from the transcript, no opinions and no description of the debate. - Leave out side conversations, jokes and guest speakers' remarks. - Closed or executive session: write only that the board went into closed session and when it came out. - If a name, a motion's wording or a number is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear]. - End with a list of every [CHECK] item. ``` ### 3. One-to-one meeting template Both people read 1:1 notes, so this template asks for neutral language and keeps personal matters out. Anything nobody took on moves to the next meeting instead of becoming an invented task. The [full one-to-one meeting notes template](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/one-on-one-meeting-notes-template/) adds a worked example and prompts for prepping the next 1:1. ``` You are writing notes from a one-to-one meeting between a manager and a direct report. Both of them will read the notes. Sections: 1. Updates: what the report finished since the last meeting, one line each. 2. Blockers: what is stuck, and what help was asked for. 3. Feedback: feedback given in either direction, written neutrally. Skip this section if none was given. 4. Growth: anything said about goals, skills or career plans. 5. Agreed actions: owner, action, deadline. 6. Carry forward: topics raised but not finished, for the next meeting. Rules: - Maximum 200 words. Bullets, not paragraphs. - Use plain, neutral language. No judgments about performance unless the manager stated one. - Leave out: health details, family matters and anything either person asked to keep off the record. - Do not invent actions. If nobody took a task, list it under Carry forward. - If a name or date is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear]. ``` ### 4. User interview template Built for synthesis, with the same seven sections every time so a study compares cleanly. It matches the template in our guide to [the best AI note taker for user interviews](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-note-taker-for-user-interviews/), written out as instructions. ``` You are summarizing a user research interview for synthesis. The reader compares many interviews, so keep the sections identical every time. Refer to the participant by their label, such as P7, never by full name. Sections: 1. Participant context: role, company size, segment, and how they use the product today. 2. Jobs to be done: what they were trying to get done, in their words. 3. Pains and workarounds: what breaks, and what they do about it. 4. Verbatim quotes: 3 to 5, exactly as said, each with its timestamp. No paraphrase. 5. Surprises: anything that contradicts our current hypotheses. 6. Answers by guide question: one line per question, or not covered. 7. Follow-ups: questions for the next interview, and anything we promised the participant. Rules: - Quote exactly or not at all. Never tidy up a quote. - Leave out: the participant's email address, phone number and any personal data unrelated to the study. - Do not suggest features. Report what was said. - If something was not discussed, write not covered instead of filling the gap. ``` ### 5. Sales discovery call template This template keeps what the prospect said apart from what your rep said. Mixing the two is the most common way sales summaries mislead the next person on the account. ``` You are writing notes from a sales discovery call. The reader is the account owner preparing for the next call. Sections: 1. Account: the company, the team, and everyone on the call with their role. 2. Current setup: the tools and process they use today, and what it costs them if they said. 3. Pain: the problems they described, in their words, most serious first. 4. Impact: figures they gave for time, money or headcount. Only figures they stated. 5. Decision process: who decides, who else is involved, the timeline, and the budget if mentioned. 6. Objections and risks: concerns raised, and how our rep answered them. 7. Next steps: owner, action, date. Include the next meeting if one was booked. Rules: - Maximum 300 words. A table for Next steps, bullets everywhere else. - Keep what the prospect said apart from what our rep said. Never present a rep's claim as the prospect's view. - Leave out: internal pricing discussion, personal details and small talk. - If the budget, timeline or decision maker was not mentioned, write unknown. Do not infer it. - If a name or number is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear]. ``` ### 6. Due diligence call template Diligence notes record claims, not conclusions. Every figure is marked as management's statement until someone verifies it, and the target is named only by its code name. ``` You are writing notes from a due diligence call with a target company's management. The reader is the deal team. Treat everything as confidential. Use the project code name in the title. Never write the target's real name. Sections: 1. Call details: date, project code name, and attendees by role. 2. Topics covered: one heading per topic, in the order discussed. 3. Facts stated: each figure or claim management made, with who said it and the timestamp. Mark each one as management's statement, not verified. 4. Follow-up requests: documents or data we asked for, who owes them, and the date promised. 5. Red flags and open questions: inconsistencies, hedged answers and topics management avoided. 6. Next steps: owner, action, deadline. Rules: - Do not draw conclusions about valuation or whether to proceed. - Keep every number exactly as stated, with its unit and period, such as FY2025 revenue. - Leave out: personal details about individuals, bank details and account numbers. - If a figure or name is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear]. - End with a list of every [CHECK] item. ``` ### 7. Privileged client call template This is the privileged-call template from our guide to [taking confidential meeting notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-take-confidential-meeting-notes/), written out in full. It uses a code name for the matter and labels each point of advice. ``` Privileged and confidential. You are writing notes from a call between a lawyer and a client. Sections: 1. Matter: the code name only. Never write the client's name or the other side's name. 2. Advice given: each point of advice in one line, labelled (legal advice). 3. Instructions: what the client decided or asked us to do. 4. Action items: an owner and a deadline for each one. Rules: - Maximum 250 words. - Leave out: account numbers, dates of birth, health details, and anything said after someone asked to go off the record. - Do not add advice the lawyer did not give, and do not soften or extend what was said. - If a name, date or instruction is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear] instead of guessing. ``` The template shapes the summary, not the transcript, which still holds every word that was said. Store the transcript with the same care as the summary. ### 8. Weekly team sync template Written for the person who missed the meeting. It opens with three lines of outcomes and lists an action only when someone agreed to it. ``` You are writing notes from a weekly team meeting. The reader missed the meeting and has two minutes to catch up. Start with a three-line summary of the most important outcomes. Sections: 1. Decisions: what was decided, one line each, with who decided. 2. Status by project: one line per project discussed, marked on track, at risk or blocked, with the reason. 3. Blockers: what is stuck, and who can unblock it. 4. Action items: a table with owner, action and deadline. 5. Parked: topics pushed to a later meeting. Rules: - Maximum 250 words. No retelling of the discussion. - Use first names, as the speakers are labelled. - List an action item only if someone agreed to do it. If nobody did, put it under Parked. - Leave out: jokes, small talk and anything about someone's personal life. - If an owner or date is unclear, write [CHECK: what is unclear]. ``` ## Meeting Notes Templates by Meeting Type The eight templates above are short enough to paste anywhere. A meeting you hold every week deserves more than a short template. Each page below adds a summary prompt, an invented worked example, a leave-out list and prompts for what comes after the meeting. ### Client meetings - [Insurance client meeting notes template](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/insurance-client-meeting-notes-template/): client needs, products and quotes discussed, the recommendation and why, next steps and a compliance note. - [Due diligence call notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-take-notes-on-diligence-calls/): expert and management calls, with the material non-public information kept out of the wrong files. - [Confidential and privileged meeting notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-take-confidential-meeting-notes/): three ways to take notes on a sensitive call, with a privileged client call template. ### Team meetings - [One-to-one meeting notes template](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/one-on-one-meeting-notes-template/): updates, blockers, feedback both ways, growth notes and carry-overs from last time. - [Stand-up meeting notes template](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/standup-meeting-notes-template/): done, doing and blocked for each person, plus the tickets to create. - [AI meeting minutes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-meeting-minutes/): formal minutes for boards and committees, with motions, votes and actions. ### Research meetings - [User interview notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-note-taker-for-user-interviews/): note takers for research calls and a seven-section interview template. A template shapes the notes themselves. To turn finished notes into a follow-up email, a status update or ticket drafts, use the copy-paste prompts in our [AI prompts for meeting notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-prompts-for-meeting-notes/) library. New to Voibe Work? The [first-week setup guide](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/getting-started-with-voibe-work/) starts with the template for the meeting you hold most often. ## How to Use Your Template in Voibe Work Voibe Work is the meeting-notes plan we build, so this is where I'd put a template first. It captures the meeting from your Mac or Windows PC in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, Slack huddles or any other meeting app. No bot joins the call. It also records in-person meetings through your computer's microphone. ### Built-in templates or your own 1. **Try the built-in template first.** Voibe Work summarizes each meeting with a template for its type, such as client intake or investment committee. 2. **Create your own when the built-in one doesn't fit.** Voibe Work lets you create custom templates, so paste in one of the eight above or your own. 3. **Keep one template per meeting type.** A board template and a 1:1 template should never be the same text. ### Check the speakers before you trust the owners The transcript labels each speaker and puts a time next to every line. Voibe Work doesn't pull names from a calendar, so rename each speaker once by clicking their name, and the summary updates to match. A template that asks for owners can only name them correctly once the labels are right. ### Where the notes go - Meeting audio is processed by open-source models on zero-retention cloud providers and deleted as soon as processing completes. - The transcript and summary are saved on your computer, not on Voibe's servers, and never used to train AI. - Processing runs in the cloud, so meeting notes need an internet connection. - Copy a summary in one click, or export it as a PDF for the client or board file. When recording starts, Voibe reminds you to tell everyone you're taking notes. Following the consent rules where each person is stays your responsibility, and our guide to [AI notetaker recording consent laws](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-notetaker-recording-consent-laws/) covers them state by state. Voibe Work costs $19 a month, $149 a year or $399 once, with Mac and Windows on one seat. Every new account starts with a 7-day trial of every Voibe Work feature, custom templates included, with no credit card. ## How to Use the Same Template With the Voibe API The Voibe API is for recordings you already have. You send the file, and the template goes in the `prompt` field, which takes up to 2,000 characters. The prompt steers the summary and never touches the transcript, which comes back word for word with speaker labels. ### Send a recording with your template 1. Get a key from the [Voibe API keys page](https://platform.getvoibe.com/keys). New accounts get 15 free minutes with no card. 2. Save your template as a plain text file, such as `client-intake.txt`. 3. Create the job with the template as the prompt. This uses [jq](https://jqlang.org/manual/) to put the file into the JSON body safely. ``` # Check the template fits: the prompt field takes up to 2,000 characters wc -m < client-intake.txt # Create the job, with the template as the prompt jq -n --rawfile p client-intake.txt '{diarize: true, prompt: $p}' | curl -s -X POST https://api.getvoibe.com/v1/transcripts \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $VOIBE_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d @- ``` 1. Upload the audio to the `upload_url` in the response, then fetch the job until its status reads `DONE`. 2. Read the summary from `summary.text`, and save the transcript and summary straight away. Voibe deletes the audio once the transcript exists. The transcript and summary are kept for 24 hours after the job finishes, then deleted. The full upload and polling steps are in [how to transcribe a Zoom recording](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-transcribe-zoom-recording/). ### What it costs to run a template Packs run from $10 for 2,000 minutes to $100 for 24,000 minutes, with $25 and $50 packs in between, and they never expire. Billing is per second, and you're charged only when a job reaches `DONE`. On the $10 pack, a one-hour meeting costs $0.30, so running one recording three times while you tune a template costs $0.90. ## How to Test a Template Against a Real Transcript Test a template on a meeting you attended, because you'll spot a wrong owner or a missing decision at once. A meeting you weren't in leaves you checking the summary against nothing. ### The test, step by step 1. **Pick three past meetings of different shapes.** Choose a short one, a long one, and one where people talked over each other. 2. **Run the template on the first meeting.** In Voibe Work, paste the template into chat with your meetings on a finished meeting, then save it as a custom template once it passes. With the API, send the recording with the template as the prompt. 3. **Check the summary against the transcript.** Use the six checks in the table below. 4. **Change one rule for each miss.** Tighten the instruction behind it, run the template again, and check once more. 5. **Move to the next meeting.** A template is ready when it passes on all three without edits. ### The six checks | Check | What to look for | If it fails, change this rule | | --- | --- | --- | | Every decision is there | Each decision in the transcript appears once | Name the Decisions section first and ask for one line each | | Owners come from the transcript | Every owner actually agreed to the task | List an action only if someone agreed to it | | Nothing invented | No dates, figures or advice that nobody said | Ban inferring anything the transcript doesn't state | | Leave-out items are gone | No account numbers, birth dates or small talk | Name each item on the leave-out list explicitly | | Within the length limit | The word count is at or under your maximum | Lower the limit and ban retelling the discussion | | [CHECK] where it was unclear | Unclear names, dates and numbers carry a flag | Add the [CHECK] rule and ask for a list of flags at the end | Chat with your meetings runs on the same zero-retention cloud as the notes, and nothing you ask is stored. It answers from one meeting at a time, which suits testing a template on one meeting at a time. ## Tips for Better AI Meeting Notes Templates These habits come from reading a lot of AI summaries side by side with their transcripts. Most of them take one line in a template. 1. **Write rules, not hopes.** A maximum of 250 words works, while a request to keep it brief leaves the length to the AI. 2. **Ban what the transcript can't support.** Risk scores, vote counts and deadlines are the usual inventions, so say they must come from the transcript. 3. **Put the leave-out list in every template.** The summary is the copy people forward, so it should be safe to forward. 4. **Use a code name for sensitive matters.** A summary that names a project instead of a client identifies nobody if it goes astray. 5. **Ask for a table wherever there are owners.** Owner, action and deadline columns make a missing owner obvious. 6. **Rename speakers before you read the summary.** Owners can only be right when the speaker labels are right. 7. **Keep templates under 2,000 characters.** Shorter templates are easier for the AI to follow, and they fit the Voibe API prompt. 8. **Review every summary before it leaves your hands.** A template makes mistakes rarer, but a person still checks names, numbers and dates. > **Tip:** Keep your templates in one shared document with a version date. When someone changes a rule, everyone's summaries change the same way. ## Why Your AI Meeting Summary Is Still Wrong and How to Fix It ### The summary is still too long Lower the word limit and add a rule against retelling the discussion. If one section balloons, give that section its own limit, such as three bullets. ### The summary invents action items Add a rule that lists an action only when someone agreed to do it. Send anything nobody took to a Parked or Carry forward section instead of letting the AI assign it. ### Names are missing or wrong Rename the speakers first, then run the summary again. In Voibe Work, click a speaker's name in the transcript to rename them, and the summary updates. Add a [CHECK] rule so any name the AI can't place is flagged. ### Some sections come back empty or padded Tell the AI to skip a section with nothing in it, or to write not covered. An empty section is useful information, while a padded one hides that nothing was said. ### Personal data still shows up Name each item on the leave-out list, such as account numbers, dates of birth and health details, rather than writing sensitive information. The AI follows a specific list more reliably than a category. ### Quotes have been tidied up Add a rule to quote exactly or not at all, with the timestamp. For user interviews and depositions, a paraphrased quote is worse than none. ## Tools That Make AI Meeting Notes Templates Easier Most meeting note takers now accept a custom template or custom instructions. They differ in what you write, which plan includes it, and where the notes end up. | Tool | How templates work | Plan for custom templates | Price (annual) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Voibe Work** (ours) | Built-in templates per meeting type, such as client intake and investment committee, plus your own custom templates | Voibe Work and the 7-day trial | $149/yr ($19/mo; $399 once) | | [Granola](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/granola-pricing/) | Pre-built templates for common meetings plus your own; [its docs](https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/taking-notes/customise-notes-with-templates) say templates work in the desktop apps only | Not stated on the templates page | Business $168/yr (billed monthly) | | [Otter](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/otter-ai-pricing/) | Meeting Types with pre-built and custom templates, applied automatically by [calendar title, participants or keywords](https://otter.ai/blog/otter-meeting-types-get-smarter-tailored-summaries-for-every-meeting) | Custom templates capped at 15 meetings per user on Pro, 5 on Basic | Pro $99.96/yr | | [Fathom](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/fathom-pricing/) | Pre-built summary types you customize with [your own instructions](https://help.fathom.video/en/articles/3239809), added on top of the base prompt | Premium and Team | Premium $192/yr | | [Fireflies](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/fireflies-pricing/) | Custom summary templates from [written instructions or sample notes](https://guide.fireflies.ai/articles/7796555530-how-to-create-and-manage-custom-summary-templates) | First template included; more use AI credits | Pro $120/yr | Otter is the better pick if you want templates applied automatically from your calendar, since Voibe Work has no calendar integration. Fireflies can learn a template from notes you already wrote. Voibe Work is the pick when the notes themselves are sensitive. No bot joins the call, audio is deleted after processing, and the summary is saved on your computer. - **Against Granola Business ($168 a year):** Voibe Work is $19 (11.3%) cheaper. - **Against Fathom Premium ($192 a year):** Voibe Work is $43 (22.4%) cheaper. - **Against Fireflies Pro ($120 a year):** Voibe Work is $29 (24.2%) more. - **Against Otter Pro ($99.96 a year):** Voibe Work is $49.04 (49.1%) more, and Otter sends a bot into the call. For the full field, [the best AI meeting note takers](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-takers/) ranks every platform on capture, privacy and price. ## AI Meeting Notes Templates FAQ ### Writing templates **What should an AI meeting notes template include?** A purpose line naming the reader, sections in order with one instruction each, a length limit, a voice and a format. Add a leave-out list and a rule to write [CHECK] instead of guessing. **How long should an AI meeting notes template be?** Under 2,000 characters. That fits the Voibe API's prompt field, and the eight templates in this article run from 718 to 1,263 characters. **What is the difference between an AI meeting minutes template and a summary template?** A minutes template records motions, movers, results and announced vote counts, and leaves out the debate. A summary template records decisions, owners and open questions in whatever layout the reader needs. ### Using templates **Can I create custom templates in Voibe Work?** Yes. Voibe Work includes built-in templates for meeting types such as client intake and investment committee, and lets you create your own custom templates. **Does a template change the transcript?** No. A template, or a Voibe API prompt, shapes the summary only. The transcript keeps every word that was said, with speaker labels and times. **Can I use the same template in Granola, Otter, Fathom or Fireflies?** Yes. Each accepts custom templates or custom instructions, so the same sections and rules carry over. Check which plan includes custom templates first. ### Accuracy and privacy **How do I stop an AI summary from inventing action items?** Add a rule that lists an action only when someone agreed to it, and move anything nobody took to a Parked section. Then check owners against the transcript. **How do I keep personal data out of AI meeting summaries?** Put a leave-out list in the template that names each item, such as account numbers and dates of birth. The transcript still holds every word, so store it with the same care. ### Cost **How much does Voibe Work cost?** Voibe Work costs $19 a month, $149 a year or $399 once, with Mac and Windows on one seat. New accounts get a 7-day trial of every feature with no credit card. **How much does it cost to run a template through the Voibe API?** A one-hour recording costs $0.30 on the $10 pack of 2,000 minutes. New accounts get 15 free minutes with no card. ## Write the Template Once, Then Stop Editing Summaries Every edit you make to an AI summary by hand is a rule your template is missing. Write those rules down once per meeting type, test them on three meetings you sat in on, and the summaries start arriving in the shape your file needs. Start with the template closest to your meeting, keep the leave-out list and the [CHECK] rule, and change the rest. If your notes have to become formal minutes, [our AI meeting minutes guide](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-meeting-minutes/) takes the board template further. You can [try Voibe Work free for 7 days](https://www.getvoibe.com) on Mac or Windows, custom templates included, with no credit card. More step-by-step guides on meeting notes, recordings and dictation are in our [how-to guides](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/guides/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What should an AI meeting notes template include? An AI meeting notes template should include a purpose line naming who reads the notes, a list of sections in order with one instruction for each, a length limit, a voice and a format. It should also include a leave-out list, such as account numbers and small talk, and a rule telling the AI to write [CHECK: what is unclear] instead of guessing a name, number or date. ### How long should an AI meeting notes template be? Keep an AI meeting notes template under 2,000 characters. Shorter templates are easier for the AI to follow, and 2,000 characters is the limit of the Voibe API's prompt field, so the same text also works there. Most good templates run between 700 and 1,300 characters. ### Why are default AI meeting summaries so bad? Default AI meeting summaries are written without instructions, so they use one generic layout for every meeting, run long because nothing limits them, and often list next steps without a named owner. A template fixes this by naming the sections, setting a word limit and requiring an owner and deadline for every action. ### What is the difference between AI meeting minutes and an AI meeting summary? AI meeting minutes are a formal record of what was done: each motion's exact wording, who moved it, the result and any vote count the chair announced, with the debate left out. An AI meeting summary records decisions, owners and open questions in whatever layout the reader needs. A minutes template therefore has stricter rules than a summary template. ### Can I create custom meeting templates in Voibe Work? Yes. Voibe Work summarizes each meeting with a built-in template for its type, such as client intake or investment committee, and lets you create your own custom templates. Voibe Work captures meetings from a Mac or Windows PC with no bot in the call, deletes the audio after processing, and saves the transcript and summary on your computer. ### Does an AI meeting template change the transcript? No. A template in Voibe Work, or a prompt sent to the Voibe API, shapes the summary only. The transcript still contains every word that was said, with speaker labels and times, so it should be stored with the same care as the summary. ### How do I use a meeting notes template with the Voibe API? Send the template in the prompt field when you create a transcription job at api.getvoibe.com. The field takes up to 2,000 characters and steers the summary, never the transcript. Voibe deletes the audio once the transcript exists, and keeps the transcript and summary for 24 hours after the job finishes before deleting them. ### Which meeting note takers support custom templates? Voibe Work, Granola, Otter, Fathom and Fireflies all support custom templates or custom instructions. Otter can apply templates automatically by calendar title, participants or keywords, Fireflies can learn a template from sample notes, Fathom customization is on Premium and Team plans, and Granola templates work in its desktop apps. ### How do I stop an AI meeting summary from inventing action items? Add a rule to the template that lists an action item only when someone in the meeting agreed to do it, and send anything nobody took on to a Parked section. Rename speakers before generating the summary, and check every owner against the transcript before sharing the notes. ### How much does it cost to use templates in Voibe? Custom templates come with Voibe Work, which costs $19 a month, $149 a year or $399 once, and every new account gets a 7-day trial of every Voibe Work feature with no credit card. Through the Voibe API, a one-hour recording costs $0.30 on the $10 pack of 2,000 minutes, and new accounts get 15 free minutes. ## Related - [AI Meeting Minutes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/ai-meeting-minutes/): Turn a transcript into minutes a board can approve. - [How to Take Confidential Meeting Notes](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-take-confidential-meeting-notes/): Three ways to take notes without a bot, and the privileged-call template. - [Best AI Note Taker for User Interviews](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-note-taker-for-user-interviews/): Note takers for research, and a seven-section interview template. - [Best AI Meeting Note Takers](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-takers/): Every platform ranked on capture, privacy and price. - [Best AI Meeting Note Taker for Financial Advisors](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/best-ai-meeting-note-taker-for-financial-advisors/): Client meetings, intake notes and where the files end up. - [How to Transcribe a Zoom Recording](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/how-to-transcribe-zoom-recording/): The full Voibe API walkthrough for a recording you already have. - [All How-To Guides](https://www.getvoibe.com/resources/guides/): Every step-by-step guide on meeting notes, recordings, Claude and dictation.