Hard to remember what was discussed in a meeting a couple of weeks ago?
Can't make sense of your meeting notes?
That's why you need to start recording your meetings. While our focus is on the online setting, the strategies we cover in this blog can also be applied to in-person meetings by setting up a laptop to record the discussion.
Note: we'll be focusing on recording audio only, not video.
Table of Contents:
- Why Should You Record Online Meetings?
- 4 Easy Steps to Record an Online Meeting with Wudpecker
- Best Practices for Recording Online Meetings
Why Should You Record Online Meetings?
The practice of recording online meetings is swiftly becoming the norm rather than the exception. Here's why hitting that 'start recording' button is becoming an integral part of the modern meeting experience:
Reliable Record-Keeping: The moment you begin recording, you're creating a fail-safe for your memory. Online meeting recordings act as a living archive, capturing important moments that you can revisit anytime to validate decisions or clear up any misunderstandings.
Training & Onboarding: A recorded meeting is a invaluable for training. New hires get to be flies on the wall by watching or reading old recordings to understand the workflow and absorb the company culture without the pressure of taking real-time notes.
Quality Control: A recording can act as a mirror for your organization, reflecting the quality of communication and collaboration. Reviewing recorded meetings can help identify areas for improvement in team dynamics and client interactions.
Accessibility for Absentees: Online meeting recordings ensure that anyone who missed the live meeting can catch up without the need for a second-hand summary, experiencing the discussion as it happened.
Compliance and Legalities: For many sectors, having recordings of online meetings is not just beneficial, it's mandated. These recorded meetings act as a testament to transparency and can be critical in legal scenarios.
Whether it's a Zoom meeting, a Google Meet, or a session on Microsoft Teams, the ability to record online meetings can transform the way you do business, making every meeting a resource for continuous learning and development.
4 Easy Steps to Record an Online Meeting with Wudpecker
It can be tricky to choose the most fitting meeting recording software.
However, if the list below sounds good to your needs, follow our easy steps on how to set up a meeting recorder with Wudpecker.
By automatically capturing and summarizing discussions, Wudpecker ensures that no crucial details are missed. This not only provides a reliable record of the meeting but also allows participants to remain fully engaged in the conversation without the distraction of manual note-taking.
Wudpecker's AI-notetaker...
- Automatically joins and records your meetings, so there's no repeated setup
- Summarizes the whole online meeting's discussions and action items for you (Note: if you're not meeting online, you can still set up a recording system in your physical room)
- Takes max 10 (usually 1-2) minutes after the meeting to give you the summary
- Is compatible with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams
- Keeps record of notes from any previous meeting where Wudpecker was a participant.
- Allows multiple people to have their own Wudpecker recorder in the meeting at the same time and receive their own notes in their account afterward
- Lets you share the notes to other people
Let's see how easy it is to set up Wudpecker's meeting recording software:
1. Sign in to Wudpecker by clicking "Get started"
2. Continue either by connecting a Google or Microsoft account to Wudpecker.
After this, accept the permission for Wudpecker to access your calendar (this is for the purpose of automatically joining calls for a more seamless experience).
3. Make sure the online meeting you want notes for shows up in "Upcoming calls" and that there's an activated toggle button next to it.
If this is not the case...
- Make sure you signed up with the correct account. The items on the menu are all the events in your calendar connected to the account you signed up with.
- Check that the online meeting event you have in your calendar has a meeting link. (Psst: The meeting link needs to be in the "location" of the event)
- Try clicking on the toggle button to activate it (it should be activated/colored automatically).
- If none of this helps, you can always contact us by pressing the chat button on the right bottom corner.
Easy peasy! For any future meetings, just admit the notetaker in each time, and you'll be all set!
4. Once you're in the meeting, allow Wudpecker's Notetaker to join by clicking "Admit".
+ Soon after the online meeting has ended, you'll see notes and a transcript for your meeting in "My Calls".
Best Practices for Recording Online Meetings
Here’s a rundown of best practices to ensure your meeting recordings are not just recordings but valuable assets for your team:
Pre-Meeting Checklist: Don’t just dive into the deep end. Start with a soundcheck for your microphone and ensure your internet connection is as stable as a table.
Gaining Consent: Inform all the virtual crew members that you’re about to record. Ensure that everyone is on board by obtaining explicit consent, respecting privacy, and fostering an environment of trust and transparency.
Post-Meeting Follow-up: Once you’ve captured the meeting, don't let those notes loiter in the land of forgotten files. Send them out into the world—or at least to your team's inboxes. Encourage a read for those who missed the live action and use the recording to anchor the discussion points firmly in your colleagues' minds.
Privacy and Security: Keep your recorded meetings under lock and key. Whether it's a sensitive strategy session or a casual team catch-up, the content should be shared with care. Remember, a recording can be as confidential as any document, and it’s your job to keep it under wraps from prying eyes.
Conclusion
It's evident that the ability to record online meetings is crucial in the virtual workspace. Tools like Wudpecker not only make it easy to record Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams sessions but also help in revisiting and leveraging those discussions.
With readily available free online meeting recorder options, capturing key moments and ensuring no detail slips through becomes effortless. Hit that start recording button next time and maximize the value of your virtual gatherings.
FAQs
How do I record an online meeting as a participant?
Even as a participant, you can record online meetings with the meeting host's permission. Look for the 'start recording' option in your meeting platform's interface. Here's more information on how to record a Zoom meeting, and here's a blog about recording a Google Meet.
If that's not available, consider using meeting recording software like Wudpecker.
Can you record a virtual meeting without consent?
Recording virtual meetings without consent can be a legal minefield. While the specifics can vary by location, it's generally a best practice—and often a legal requirement—to secure consent from all participants before you begin recording.
Make sure to clearly communicate that the meeting will be recorded and store those meeting recordings responsibly to maintain trust and comply with regulations.
Can you record a meeting for free?
Absolutely, you can record meetings for free. You can try the built-in recording features of popular platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. However, often they require complicated steps to set up, and might not be free. Wudpecker is a much easier-to-use and free meeting recorder tool.
Here's how you set it up:
- Sign up for Wudpecker.
- Make sure your meeting shows up in your account and the notetaker is able to join it.
- Admit the notetaker in your virtual meeting.
- Access the meeting notes and transcription shortly after the meeting in your account. They stay safely stored in your account unless you remove them.
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