Decision log template

A free Excel log for team decisions. Each row records the decision, where it was made, the reason, the option you did not choose, who decided, the follow-up with an owner and a due date, and a link back to the call, chat or notes it came from. A month later, "why did we do that?" has an answer.

Download Excel (.xlsx)Download CSVFree. No sign-up. Works in Excel and Google Sheets.

What's in the sheet

Sample rows. Replace them with your own.

Decisions
DateWhereDecisionWhyWhat we did not chooseDecided byFollow-upOwnerDueStatusSource
2026-09-08Monday ops callWhen spinach runs short, short Target before WalmartTarget took a partial last month with no penalty. Walmart charges for short deliveries.Split the shortage across all channelsDana, ops leadTell the Target buyer by 10 AM on short daysChris2026-09-09DoneCall recording, 12:40
2026-09-10Orders chatMove the Target ship day from Thursday to WednesdayThursday dock appointments at the Target DC are full until OctoberKeep Thursday and pay for a late slotPriyaUpdate the route plan and tell the driversSam2026-09-12OpenChat thread, Sep 10 3:15 PM
2026-09-11Call with Green Acres FarmBuy romaine from Green Acres for Q48% cheaper and they deliver Monday and ThursdayStay with the current farmMia, ownerSend Green Acres the Q4 volume forecastPriya2026-09-15OpenCall recording, 07:05
2026-09-12Weekly reviewRaise the spinach reorder point from 150 to 250 casesWe ran out twice this monthKeep 150 and count twice a dayDana, ops leadChange the reorder point in the stock sheetChris2026-09-12DoneMeeting notes

What each column is for

Date
The day it was decided.
Where
The meeting, call or chat it came from.
Decision
The decision in one sentence.
Why
Why, including the fact that settled it.
What we did not choose
The option you did not choose.
Decided by
Who made the call.
Follow-up
The first thing that has to happen.
Owner
Who does it.
Due
By when.
Status
Open, Done or Reversed.
Source
Where to find the original: a recording time, a thread, a doc.

How to use it

  1. 1Add the row before the meeting or call ends, while everyone still agrees on the wording.
  2. 2Write the reason as the fact that settled it, not "we discussed it".
  3. 3Always fill What we did not choose. It is what people ask about later.
  4. 4When a decision is undone, set it to Reversed and add a new row. Never overwrite the old one.

Where the spreadsheet stops helping

  • Decisions are made on calls, and nobody writes them down before hanging up.
  • Minutes record the discussion, not the decision and the reason.
  • A month later the log says what was decided but not why, so the same debate starts again.

In Markhub

Let Markhub keep the decisions for you

  1. 1Make the decision in a Markhub call, meeting or chat, the way you already do.
  2. 2Live Context picks out the decision while you talk and keeps it attached to the conversation, with who said it.
  3. 3The Knowledge Manager agent gathers each day’s conversations and decisions into a digest note in the hub, so they can be searched later.
Start free

Start free. Live Context works in every hub. Add the Knowledge Manager from the agent library for the daily digest.

Questions

What is a decision log?

A running list of the decisions a team makes, each with the reason, who decided and what happens next. It is how a team answers "why did we do that?" months later.

How is it different from meeting minutes?

Minutes record what was discussed. A decision log records only what was decided, why and what follows, across all meetings, calls and chats, in one place.

What if we change our minds?

Mark the old decision Reversed and add a new row with the new reason. The history of why you changed course is often the most useful part.

Does it work in Google Sheets?

Yes. Upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. The formulas and dropdowns carry over. The CSV has the same sample rows as plain values.

More templates

See how operations teams run this in Markhub