To create meeting minutes, you only need the two right-hand columns of the iPROT user interface. Especially on smaller notebook or tablet screens, you can therefore hide the left-hand column with the meeting types and meeting minutes. To do so, simply click the small blue arrow in the tab on the right edge of the black column on the left side of the screen. If you want to show this column again, simply click the same arrow again. The direction of the arrow changes depending on whether the left-hand column is shown or hidden.
Creating a New Topic
You can create a new topic in the meeting minutes by clicking on the blue link + New Topic at the top. An input field for the topic name will appear, and in this dialog you can also assign the topic to a chapter in the minutes and specify whether it is a continuous topic (in accordance with the continuous minutes method) or a one-time topic. One-time topics will only be displayed in the currently active minutes and will not be carried over to the next subsequent minutes along with their associated entries.
By clicking the Save button, the new topic is created in the selected chapter and immediately marked as the active topic. In the right column, no entries are yet displayed for a new topic.
Creating a New Entry for a Topic
You can now create a first entry for your new topic by clicking on the link + New Entry at the top of the right column. You will then receive an input dialog where you can add tags for keywords in addition to the text or content. Furthermore, you can also specify in this dialog what type of entry it is—e.g., task, decision, appointment, etc. These entry types are created in the settings. Details can be found in the iPROT manual under Entry Types.
The metadata entered for an entry (responsible persons, dates, tags, etc.) is displayed directly below the respective entry. The entry type itself forms the header line of the respective entry. In addition to the entry type, iPROT displays the date of the meeting for which the entry was created.
Editing Topics and Entries Retrospectively
Of course, you can also edit a topic or entry retrospectively. To do so, click on the edit icon in the form of a small pencil to the right of the respective topic or entry. iPROT will then open the topic or entry in the input dialog. If you want to delete a topic or entry, simply click on the red X to the right of the topic or entry.
For reasons of consistent, audit-proof documentation, editing or deleting topics and entries is only possible in meeting minutes that have not yet been sent using the distribution function integrated in iPROT, or for which no subsequent meeting minutes have yet been created.
Attaching Images and Files
If you discuss project documents (e.g., plans) during a meeting, you can attach them to the respective entry using the function local file(s) … to the minutes. The selected files are stored directly in the iPROT project database and are thus always available via a unique link.
Supplementing Existing Topics and Entries
If an existing, not yet completed topic is discussed during the meeting or site inspection, you can record the discussion content on this point as a new entry. The procedure is exactly the same as when creating an entry for a new topic. Alternatively, you can create an addendum directly to an entry from a previous meeting by clicking on the link Write addendum below the respective entry.
Please note that, for the already mentioned reasons of consistent, audit-proof documentation, topics and entries from previous meeting minutes can no longer be changed. You can find more details about the audit-proof feature integrated in iPROT in our blog article “iPROT is audit-proof”.
In the next part of our quick start guide, you will learn how to review and send the first meeting minutes with iPROT and which settings you need to consider.
