Guides / Meeting minutes
Construction meeting minutes: OAC format and template
Short answer: Good OAC (owner-architect-contractor) minutes list the meeting number, date and attendees, then go through numbered items that carry from meeting to meeting: schedule, RFIs, submittals, change orders, safety, quality and open issues. Every item that needs action gets an owner and a due date. Send the minutes within a day or two, give attendees a set period to object in writing, and keep each item's number the same until it's closed.
Minutes look like admin work, and they get treated that way until a dispute starts. Then they're among the first things people pull, because they show what was discussed, who agreed to what, and when everyone knew about a problem. A one-line note like "Owner to confirm tile selection by 3/14" turns into evidence when the tile arrives six weeks late.
Who writes the minutes
On many jobs the GC's project manager runs the weekly OAC meeting and writes the minutes. On others it's the CM, the architect or the owner's rep. The contract or the project manual often says who. Whoever writes them controls the record, which is why it's worth reading every set carefully even if you didn't write them.
Types of construction meetings
- OAC meeting: weekly or biweekly, owner, architect and GC, sometimes key consultants. Schedule, cost, design questions and decisions.
- Subcontractor coordination meeting: GC and subs, focused on sequencing, look-ahead schedule and site logistics.
- Preconstruction meeting: once, before mobilization. Contacts, procedures, submittal and RFI process, site rules.
- Pre-installation meetings: before specific work such as roofing, waterproofing or curtain wall, often required by the spec.
- Safety meetings: toolbox talks and safety committee meetings, often documented on their own forms.
The format below is built for OAC meetings, and it adapts to the others.
OAC meeting minutes format
Use a consistent numbering system so items can be tracked across meetings. A common approach is meeting number plus item number: item 7.04 was raised at meeting 7. It keeps that number until it's closed, even at meeting 15.
Meeting minutes template
- Project name, job number, meeting type and number
- Date, time, location or call link
- Attendees: name, company, role; and who was absent
- Review of previous minutes and any corrections
- Safety: incidents, observations, upcoming high-risk work
- Schedule: progress against baseline, look-ahead, critical path issues
- RFIs: open, answered, overdue
- Submittals: status, overdue, items holding up procurement
- Change orders and potential change orders: status, pricing, approvals
- Quality: inspection results, open deficiencies, testing
- Old business: open items carried forward with current status
- New business
- Action items: item number, action, responsible party, due date
- Next meeting date and time
- Statement on corrections: period to submit comments in writing
Writing items that are useful later
The difference between useful minutes and useless ones is almost always the action items.
| Vague | Useful |
|---|---|
| Discussed storefront delay. | 9.03 Storefront: supplier confirms ship date 4/22, two weeks past schedule. GC to submit recovery sequence by 4/5. (GC, PM) |
| Tile selection pending. | 8.06 Lobby tile: owner to confirm selection from samples A or B by 3/14 to hold 6-week lead time. (Owner) |
| RFI 42 discussed. | 9.07 RFI 42 (beam penetration at grid D-5): architect to respond with SER review by 3/12. Ductwork on hold in that bay. (Architect) |
Some rules that hold up:
- Record decisions and commitments, not the whole conversation. Minutes aren't a transcript.
- Name the company and, where it helps, the person. "Owner" is fine; "they" is not.
- Give every action a date. "ASAP" is not a date.
- Write what was agreed, not what was hoped. If the owner said "we'll try for Friday," write that, not "owner to approve Friday."
- Keep the tone neutral. Minutes that editorialize get rejected or rewritten.
Distribution and corrections
Send minutes within a day or two, while people still remember the meeting. Send them to all attendees and to anyone named in an action item, plus whoever the contract requires.
Most minutes end with a line along the lines of: "These minutes are considered accurate unless written corrections are received within seven days." Whether that line has legal effect depends on your contract and the facts. It does make people read them, and it puts a deadline on objections. If you receive minutes that misstate what you said, reply in writing promptly. Don't wait for the next meeting.
Minutes generally aren't a substitute for the formal notices your contract requires. A delay discussed in the OAC meeting may still need written notice in the form the contract specifies. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Renumbering items each week, so nobody can track how long something has been open.
- Dropping items without a recorded close-out.
- Sending minutes a week late, after the next meeting has already happened.
- No attendee list, so later no one can show who knew what.
- Action items with no owner or date.
Much of what goes into the minutes comes from the week's daily logs, field reports and the open punch list. Arazim Reports includes a meeting summary report type, so minutes can live in the same project archive as the site visits and go out as a PDF on your letterhead.
Minutes out before you leave the meeting
Attendees, numbered items, owners and due dates, sent as a clean PDF on your letterhead.
Start free trial 14 days free, no credit card. Then $10/month for your first year.FAQ
What does OAC stand for in construction?
OAC stands for owner, architect, contractor. An OAC meeting is the regular project meeting, usually weekly or biweekly, where those three parties review schedule, cost, RFIs, submittals, changes and open issues.
Who is responsible for taking construction meeting minutes?
It depends on the contract and project manual. Often the GC's project manager or the construction manager writes OAC minutes. On some projects the architect or owner's rep does it.
How should action items be written in meeting minutes?
Each action item needs a number that stays the same until closed, a specific description, a responsible party and a due date. Avoid vague entries such as "discussed" or "ASAP."
How soon should meeting minutes be distributed?
Ideally within one or two business days, to all attendees, anyone assigned an action, and anyone the contract requires. Late minutes are less accurate and harder to correct.
Are meeting minutes legally binding?
That depends on the contract, the jurisdiction and the circumstances. Minutes are often used as evidence of what was discussed and agreed, but they generally don't replace formal notices or change orders. Consult your attorney for your situation.