Using Zoom/Teams Transcripts and LibreChat to Create Meeting Minutes

To quickly create a synopsis of a meeting, including action items, you can record a transcript of the meeting using Teams or Zoom, upload it to LibreChat and have LibreChat summarize it for you. Remember, even if your meeting is in person, you can start a Teams meeting on your computer in order to create a transcription.

Step 1: Record and Obtain the Transcript in Microsoft Teams or Zoom

Microsoft Teams:

1. During meeting, start transcription.
   1. Click More > Record and transcribe > Start transcription.
2. Throughout or after meeting, transcript is saved in meeting chat or channel.
3. Copy the transcript text from the chat or download it if the option appears.

Zoom:

1. Enable auto-transcription before the meeting:
   1. Go to Settings → Recording → Enable Audio Transcript (cloud recording required).
2. Start cloud recording during the meeting:
   1. Click Record → Select Record to the Cloud.
3. After meeting ends and Zoom processes the recording:
   1. Go to Zoom web portal → Recordings → Select meeting.
   2. Download the Audio Transcript file (usually .vtt or .txt).
4. Alternatively, view live transcript during meeting under Live Transcript panel and copy text.

Step 2: Prepare the Transcript Text for LibreChat

1. Open the transcript file or paste copied transcript into a text editor (e.g., Word).
2. Clean unnecessary content if needed:
   1. Remove superfluous timestamps or non-verbal notifications if cluttered.
   2. Keep speaker labels if helpful.
3. Copy the cleaned transcript for LibreChat input.

Step 3: Obtain the Meeting Agenda or List Key Topics Discussed

1. Get a copy of the meeting agenda or create a list of key topics discussed in the meeting.

2. Format either clearly, e.g.:

   1. Meeting Agenda

      1. Project status updates

      2. Budget review

      3. Upcoming deadlines

      4. Team challenges and support

Step 4: Use LibreChat to Generate Meeting Summary and Action Items

1. Open LibreChat interface at https://librechat.queensu.ca

2. Paste the transcript content into the dialogue box.

3. Paste the agenda or key topics into the dialogue box.

4. Provide instructions in the dialogue box, e.g., "Please provide a clear meeting summary and list all actionable items with assigned persons if mentioned."

5. Submit and wait for response.

6. Review output for summary and action items.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Transcript Not Available or Missing

Teams:

• Confirm that transcription was started during the meeting manually when required.

Zoom:

• Confirm cloud recording was used; local recordings do not generate transcripts automatically.
• Make sure Audio Transcript setting was enabled before the meeting.
• Allow time for Zoom to process recordings and generate transcript (may take some minutes to hours).

2. Transcript Is Too Long to Paste into LibreChat

• Large transcripts may exceed LibreChat’s input limits.
  • Split transcript into multiple parts and feed incrementally.
  • Summarize portions separately before combining summaries.
  • Remove less relevant small-talk or repeated phrases for brevity.

3. Transcript Formatting Issues (Unreadable or Messy Text)

• Use a text editor to clean formatting:
  • Remove or simplify timestamps if they clutter.
  • Fix broken lines or encoding issues.
  • Retain important speaker tags to maintain context.

4. LibreChat Output Not Accurate or Incomplete

• Provide clear and concise instructions with context.
• Include the meeting agenda to guide summarization.
• If action items are missing:
  • Prompt LibreChat explicitly, e.g., “List all action items separately with responsible parties.”
• Consider breaking into smaller transcript chunks if too dense.
• Review and manually adjust if necessary.

5. Multiple Speakers Not Clearly Differentiated

• Keep speaker labels intact in the transcript (e.g., Speaker 1, John, etc.).
• If transcript uses generic labels, consider manually adding names if possible.
• This helps LibreChat track responsibility for action items better.

6. Missing Responsible Persons or Deadlines in Action Items

• If transcript does not include them, LibreChat cannot infer them.
• You may need to manually supply or clarify when prompting:
  • For example: “Identify action items and assign to mentioned team members or mark as unassigned.”

Additional Tips

• Save cleaned transcripts and agendas for record-keeping.
• Test using a short transcript first to ensure output quality.
• Keep instructions simple and direct for best results.
• Use LibreChat’s temperature or creativity settings lower for more factual outputs (if adjustable).