How to make meeting notes with Google Calendar and Google Docs

We have been in a position to connect information from Google Drive to Google Calendar occasions for some time. I typically create a Google Doc for assembly notes, connect it to a Calendar occasion and share it with the assembly members. The shared Google Doc offers members a report of the dialogue. And the hyperlink from the Calendar occasion to the Doc helps individuals entry the notes  not solely from Google Drive, but in addition inside Google Calendar.

SEE: The way forward for work: Instruments and techniques for the digital office (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Whereas the method used to take a number of steps, Google streamlined the sequence wanted to create, share and fix assembly notes in late 2021. Now, as detailed beneath, a gathering organizer might create a brand new Google Doc for assembly notes both from inside Google Calendar occasion particulars or from inside a Google Doc. Both approach, the Google Docs assembly notes could be related to your Calendar occasion and shared with members.

(Word: Make sure that to make use of a desktop-class browser and be signed in to your Google account as you comply with the steps beneath. Moreover, so as to add a brand new assembly notes Google Doc, you may have to both be the assembly organizer or have permission to change the Calendar occasion particulars.)

create assembly notes with a Google Calendar occasion

1. Create a brand new Google Calendar occasion with the https://cal.new hyperlink in your browser.
2. Edit all occasion particulars (e.g., title, location, time, and many others.) and add friends.
3. Choose the Create assembly notes chip within the notes space (Determine A). 

Determine A



4. Choose Save. This protects your occasion, sends invites and shares entry to the Google Doc hooked up to your occasion along with your friends.
5. Out of your Google Calendar, choose the occasion to show particulars together with the hyperlink to the assembly notes Google Doc. Choose the hooked up Google Doc (e.g., the file subsequent to the paperclip icon) to open it (Determine B).

Determine B

By default, assembly notes created with this technique are titled “Notes” adopted by the occasion title. 

add (or entry) assembly notes for an current occasion

1. Open Google Calendar in your browser.
2. Choose the occasion.
3. Choose the “Take assembly notes” hyperlink (Determine C) that shows when no assembly notes are but related to an occasion. This creates a brand new assembly observe in Google Docs for the occasion.

Determine C

In any other case, if assembly notes exist already, choose the hooked up Google Doc to open it.

As above, assembly notes created with this technique are titled “Notes” adopted by the occasion title. 

create assembly notes from a Google Doc

1. Create or open a Google Doc.
2. Kind @ within the doc. A listing of potential gadgets to insert ought to show, together with contacts, information, dates and calendar occasions.

Determine D



3. It’s possible you’ll then both choose a displayed calendar occasion (e.g., scroll down and choose it) or kind a number of extra characters to look. As soon as your required calendar occasion shows, choose it (Determine D).
4. If no assembly notes are but related to the chosen Calendar occasion, a small immediate will show “[tab] to insert assembly notes” to the fitting of the inserted sensible chip along with your occasion title (Determine E). In your keyboard, press the tab key and your Doc will routinely add a number of assembly associated particulars and formatting (e.g., a hyperlink to the occasion, a listing of attendees, together with notes and motion merchandise sections).

Determine E



5. To the fitting of the physique of the doc—the place feedback show—a immediate will show both to “Share & Connect” (for conferences with friends) or “Connect” (for conferences in your calendar with out friends) to the beforehand chosen occasion (Determine F). Choose the “Share & Connect” (or “Connect”) button to hyperlink the doc and affiliate it with the Calendar occasion. Assessment and modify permissions to make sure doc entry, as prompted.

Determine F

By default, assembly notes created with this technique are untitled, though if you faucet or click on on the “untitled” doc, the doc identify will auto-fill with the contents of the primary line of your file. Should you created it from a clean Google Doc, this may be the date (e.g., “Oct. 20, 2021”) adopted by the title of the occasion.

Extra concerns: Naming, printing and exporting

Upon getting created and linked a Google Doc of assembly notes to a Calendar occasion, be happy to rename the Google Doc as desired. For instance, as a substitute of the reader-friendly date format default (e.g., “Oct. 20, 2020”), I want to have dates in a year-month-day sequence, since I discover this format offers me a dependable strategy to discover information with search. I usually put the dates after the title (e.g., “TechNotes – 20201020), though when you put the date first that permits sequential types.

You additionally might select to export or print your assembly notes. When printed, the sensible chips for the date, occasion title and every attendee show as textual content surrounded by a lightweight grey display, a lot because the chips seem on a pc. And when you export your Google Doc assembly notes to a .docx or .pdf format file, these file codecs flip the sensible chips into textual content that hyperlinks to the Google Calendar occasion (on the net) and every participant’s e-mail deal with, respectively.

What’s your expertise with assembly notes?

Do you constantly add assembly notes if you create a Google Calendar occasion? Or do you delay the method and add assembly notes later, both from the Calendar occasion or with the assistance of the @ menu in Google Docs? Let me know if and the way this new performance has modified your assembly observe workflow in Google Docs and Calendar, both with a remark beneath or on Twitter (@awolber).

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