A meeting summary template controls the shape of the notes Oak generates. You get three options: the general summary (the default four sections), pre-defined templates from a growing library, and custom templates you upload in your own format. Use the general summary for most meetings; reach for a template only when a meeting type needs a different shape.
A meeting summary template is a contract between the meeting and the rest of the company. Get the shape right and the rest of the workflow falls into place. Get it wrong — or force one shape onto every meeting type — and people stop reading the notes. The good news is that you don’t design a template from a blank page in Oak: you start from a structure that already works and adapt only when you need to.
Key takeaways
- The general summary is the default. Every meeting gets four fixed sections — Meeting Overview, Attendees, Meeting Details, Action Items — with no setup.
- Meeting Details are grouped by topic. Oak clusters discussion points under topic headings, so the longest section stays scannable.
- Pre-defined templates fit specific meeting types. A growing library — including Requirement Gathering, Project Sync, Board Meeting, and Lecture Summary — applied when a meeting type needs a particular shape.
- Custom templates match your own format. Upload your existing format and Oak generates the summary to follow it.
- Don't force one shape on every meeting. Use the general summary by default and switch templates only when the meeting type warrants it.
The general summary: the default structure
By default, Oak generates a general summary for every meeting, with the same four sections each time. Consistency is the point — when the headings never move, colleagues build reading habits and know exactly where to look:
| Section | What it contains |
|---|---|
| Meeting Overview | Title, organisation, schedule / venue |
| Attendees | Who was present |
| Meeting Details | The discussion, with points grouped under topic headings rather than one undifferentiated block |
| Action Items | Each task with an owner and ETA |
For most everyday meetings — standups, syncs, client calls — the general summary is all you need. The topic-grouping inside Meeting Details is what keeps even a long discussion readable.
Pre-defined templates: for specific meeting types
When a meeting type needs a particular shape, apply one of Oak’s pre-defined templates instead of the general summary. These are ready to use — there is nothing to build — and the library keeps growing, so the examples below are a snapshot, not the full list:
| Template | Best for |
|---|---|
| Requirement Gathering | Discovery and scoping sessions where the goal is to capture requirements |
| Project Sync | Recurring project check-ins where status and next steps matter most |
| Board Meeting | Formal governance meetings that need a structured record |
| Lecture Summary | Talks, training, and lectures where the goal is to capture the material taught |
New pre-defined templates launch regularly, so this set keeps expanding. If your meeting type maps cleanly to an available template, use it; if it doesn’t, the general summary or a custom template is the better fit.
Custom templates: your own format
When your team has an established minutes format — a board-paper layout, a client report structure, a regulatory record — you can upload it as a custom template, and Oak generates the summary to match. This is the path for teams that need the output to slot into an existing document or process without reformatting by hand. It is especially useful for Legal matter records and TV Channels show-specific formats, where the shape of the record is fixed by the work itself.
How to choose
- Use the general summary for the bulk of your meetings. It needs no setup and covers most cases.
- Use a pre-defined template when the meeting type clearly matches one — a board meeting, a requirements session, a project sync, a lecture.
- Use a custom template when the output has to follow a format your team or regulator already mandates.
Common mistakes
Two patterns cause most template trouble. The first is forcing one shape onto every meeting — a board-meeting template applied to a quick standup produces empty sections, and a standup shape applied to a board meeting loses the formal record. The second is switching templates so often that consistency breaks — the value of a template is that the same kind of meeting always comes out the same way. Pick a default, map your recurring meeting types to templates once, and leave it alone.
Oak for TV Channels
The customer-facing deployment that uses the workflow described in this article.
Frequently asked questions
What is the default meeting summary format in Oak?
The general summary, generated for every meeting with four fixed sections: Meeting Overview (title, organisation, schedule/venue), Attendees, Meeting Details (the discussion grouped under topic headings), and Action Items (each with an owner and ETA). No setup is required.
What pre-defined templates does Oak offer?
A growing library, with new templates launching regularly. Current examples include Requirement Gathering for discovery and scoping sessions, Project Sync for recurring project check-ins, Board Meeting for formal governance, and Lecture Summary for talks and training. Apply one when your meeting type matches it; otherwise the general summary is enough.
Can I use my own meeting summary format?
Yes. Upload your existing format as a custom template and Oak generates the summary to match it. This is the path for teams whose minutes have to slot into an established document or regulatory record without reformatting by hand.
Should I use a different template for every meeting?
No. Use the general summary for the bulk of your meetings and switch to a pre-defined or custom template only when a meeting type genuinely needs a different shape. Forcing one shape on every meeting, or changing templates constantly, both break the consistency that makes summaries useful.
How are Action Items captured across templates?
Action items carry the same three parts in every format — task, owner, and ETA — so they stay trackable regardless of which template you use. For how they are extracted and chased to completion, see from summaries to action items and follow-ups.