Table of contents
Published October 27, 2026.
The index is a finding aid, not the minutes
The official minutes remain the legal record. The action index is a separate finding aid that points to a minute page and extracts the decision, the owner, and the due date. Keep the two documents linked by meeting date and item number so a reader can move from the index to the approved text.
Extract only decisions and assignments
Not every discussion produces an action. Mark a row only when the board approved a motion, delegated a task, or asked for a follow-up report. Summarize the decision in one sentence and quote the motion number where one exists. This prevents the index from becoming a second, informal set of minutes.
Record the owner as a role and a person
Write both the committee or role and the named individual. When a board member rotates off, the role keeps the action visible while the person shows who currently carries it. Add a backup for actions that span a fiscal year or depend on staff support.
Distinguish open, done, and superseded
An action can be completed, still open, or replaced by a later board decision. Use those three states and record the date and minute reference for any change. Do not delete a superseded action, because the history explains why the original request disappeared.
Handle consent agenda and closed session limits
Consent agenda items may be approved as a block, so the index should point to the packet page that describes each item. Closed session actions often have limited public detail. Record only the permitted description and keep any confidential attachment in the restricted board folder.
Attach evidence at closure
When an action closes, attach the report, policy, contract, or communication that satisfied it. A status changed to done with no evidence is an assertion, not a record. The board secretary should be able to open the evidence from the index in one step.
Report actions before each meeting
Send the open action list with the board packet and mark items that are overdue or waiting on the board. This gives the board a chance to reassign or close an item before it ages further. Keep the report short and sort by due date rather than by committee.
A realistic example
The board asks for a cybersecurity policy review by the next quarter. The index records the governance committee as owner, the IT lead as staff support, and the due date. At the next meeting the policy is still in draft, so the row stays open with a new date and a note that the vendor assessment slipped. The minutes are not altered.
Version and access
Name the index with the fiscal year and store it in the board portal. Limit editing to the secretary and one backup, and publish a read-only view to the board. Keep a change log with the date and editor so a reader can tell whether the index or the minutes were updated last.
- Meeting date and item number
- Decision summary
- Owner role and name
- Due date
- Status
- Evidence link
- Superseded reference