Streamlining meeting to‑do’s for increased efficiency and accuracy

Learn how to streamline meeting to-dos using AI transcription tools, project platforms, and automation workflows—with step-by-step instructions and SaaS resources for small teams.

One of the biggest challenges small businesses and associations face is organizing a methodical process for taking effective meeting notes, identifying action items, and integrating them into a cohesive plan. Especially for people like me, who take notes in various places, organizing this material is critical to keeping pace with the speed of business.

At Harrier, we’ve addressed this challenge using AI‑enabled software and workflow automation. Here’s how we accomplished it:

1) Pick your meeting transcription tool

We host many meetings across a growing client list—some use Microsoft Teams, some Google Meet, others Zoom. We needed a tool that could integrate with meeting invites or at least be added to a call quickly. Centralizing transcripts, video recordings, and potential action steps was essential.

We selected Fireflies.ai for this purpose. Several options are available, so choose one that feels intuitive and integrates with your project planning tool or supports Zapier or other automation tools.

2) Spin up project management

Configure your project management platform. We chose Trello for its ease of use, flexibility, Zapier integrations, and affordability. Explore other tools, but focus on team cost and essential features (top 2–3) you need for managing tasks.

3) Connect the dots between systems

Next, establish a workflow to:

• Capture meeting transcripts
• Extract action items
• Automatically push those into your project management tool

If your transcription tool (like Fireflies.ai) auto‑extracts action items, use an integration or Zapier to push them into Trello or your management platform. If not, include a human reviewer or use an AI workflow to scan transcripts and identify who is responsible and timing for each item. Here are two visuals of how this could work based on these two use cases:

If transcription includes action items

If transcription doesn't automatically pull action items:

4) Catching and refining the action items

Once action items reach the project tool, have a human review them—assign tasks to the right people and add context or deadlines. This ensures clarity and accountability.

Additional resources

• Zapier guide: how to automate meetings, notes and tasks
• Zapier: how to turn notes into tasks and automate meeting notes
• Zapier: Best AI meeting assistants (Fireflies, Otter, Krisp, etc.)
• Fireflies.ai: Turn meeting action items directly into HubSpot tasks
• Fellow.app + Trello integration: push action items to Trello cards
• MeetGeek + Trello: auto transcription, summaries, task creation
• Trello integrations overview (Teams, Salesforce, etc.)
• Atlassian/Trello guide: how to take truly useful meeting notes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What transcription tool should I choose?

Choose a tool that integrates with your meeting platform and centralizes transcripts. Fireflies.ai , Otter, Krisp, and Fellow are all great examples.

Do I need Zapier or Make?

Yes, if your transcription tool can’t push tasks directly, you’ll need Zapier, Make or other automation tools to automate the workflow into your project management system. Even if your transcription tool has a direct or native integration with the project management tool, it may not organize the information into action steps, so pay attention to the details of the 'integration' prior to buying!

How do I ensure accuracy in assigned tasks?

Include a human reviewer in your workflow to check task accuracy, assignments, and missing context.

Can I integrate with CRMs like HubSpot?

Yes. Tools like Fireflies.ai, Circleback, and Read AI can convert meeting action items directly into HubSpot tasks. Even if the tool you use can't do it directly, again a tool like Zapier can grease the wheels and get the data where you need it (both systems need an integration with Zapier to do this, or at the least, webhooks on one end.)