The five-step flow
- Record. Use the recorder in Zoom, Google Meet or Teams, or a phone on the table (see transcribe a Zoom or Google Meet recording). A clean voice matters more than anything else.
- Transcribe. Upload the file to TooLongToListen. For video recordings, the app extracts the audio in your browser and the video stays on your device; only the audio is sent.
- Extract. Read the text and mark decisions, actions and open questions.
- Write. Put them in the template below.
- Review and send. Listen again to the sensitive parts, fix names and numbers, then share.
Minutes template
| Section | What goes in |
|---|---|
| Header | Meeting name, date, time, place or link |
| Attendees | Names present, names absent |
| Agenda items | One line per topic |
| Discussion | Two or three sentences per topic, no more |
| Decisions | What was decided, who decided |
| Action items | Task, owner, due date |
| Open questions | Things nobody owned |
| Next meeting | Date and purpose |
Sample action item: "Send the revised budget to finance. Owner: Dana. Due: Friday."
What to do with the transcript
| Transcript content | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| "We agreed to ship on the 14th" | Decisions |
| "Can you send the file?" "Yes, I will do it tomorrow" | Action item with owner and date |
| "We still do not know who pays for it" | Open question |
| Small talk, repeated points | Leave out |
Use the transcript to confirm specific lines, not as the base of the minutes.
Speakers: be honest
TooLongToListen does not separate who is speaking. The text comes as continuous speech. During review, add the speaker name next to each decision and action item. In most minutes you do not need attribution for every sentence, only where accountability matters.
Formal meetings
Boards and committees often follow written rules. Under common parliamentary procedure, minutes record what was done, not what was said, and have a standard opening and closing. Check your bylaws and approval process.
Privacy and consent
A meeting recording contains personal data. Tell participants you are recording, store the file and text with access limited to people who need them, and do not send sensitive meetings to services you do not trust. With TooLongToListen the video stays on your device and the audio is processed on our own server; read the policy for retention details. See privacy-first transcription.
Limits
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Audio per file | 3 hours |
| Source video size | up to 16 GB |
| Speaker separation | not available |
| Live transcription | not available (file based) |
| Summary | included in Pro and Studio; check names and numbers |
| Language | detected automatically; Portuguese is our main focus |
Improve the recording
- Place the microphone near the speakers and ask people not to talk over each other.
- State names at the start so you can match voices.
- Say decisions and owners out loud: "Decision: we ship on the 14th. Owner: Dana."
- Mute notifications that add noise.
Try it on your next meeting
See meeting minutes from a recording, upload a file and read the text. Related: transcribe an interview.
Sources
- Guides on turning a transcript into minutes (decisions, actions, open questions): https://gotranscript.com/en/blog/turn-transcript-into-meeting-minutes-sop-template
- Meeting minutes basics and formal meeting practice: https://wave.co/use-cases/how-to-write-meeting-minutes
Frequently asked questions
How do I write meeting minutes from a recording?
Transcribe the recording, then extract three things: decisions, action items with an owner and a date, and open questions. Add the header with date, attendees and agenda, review against the audio and send. Minutes are a summary of outcomes, not a transcript.
Does TooLongToListen separate who is speaking?
No. The product does not identify speakers. Mark who said what during review, especially for decisions and action items, where attribution matters.
Do I need to add a bot to the call?
No. Record the meeting with the tool you already use, save the file and upload it. This avoids a visible notetaker joining the call.
How long can the recording be?
Up to 3 hours of audio per file. A meeting longer than 3 hours must be cut into parts and each part transcribed.
Do I need consent to record a meeting?
In the US, federal law and many states need only one party's consent, while some states need everyone's. Tell participants you are recording and check the rules that apply to you. This article is not legal advice.
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