A decision log records what was decided, when, by whom, why, and what was rejected. Use the template below: nine fields, one row per decision, updated in the meeting where the decision is made. The reasons and rejected alternatives are the valuable part; they are what stops teams from re-arguing settled questions.
For why decision logs matter, see decision logs: why every team needs one. This post is the practical template.
Decision log template
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| ID | D-001, D-002… |
| Date | When it was decided |
| Decision | One sentence, in plain words |
| Context | The problem or question, in two or three sentences |
| Reason | Why this option won |
| Alternatives rejected | What else was considered, and why not |
| Decided by | Name(s) and role |
| Status | Proposed / Decided / Superseded by D-0xx / Reversed |
| Review date | When to check if it still holds (optional) |
| Links | Meeting notes, thread, document |
Copyable table
| ID | Date | Decision | Context | Reason | Alternatives rejected | Decided by | Status | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-001 |
Three examples
| ID | Date | Decision | Reason | Alternatives rejected | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-014 | 2026-03-02 | Invoices go out on the 1st working day, not the 25th | Customers' finance teams batch payments in the first week | 25th (paid late), weekly (too much admin) | Decided |
| D-015 | 2026-04-10 | New hires get a named buddy for 30 days | Most first-month questions were going to the busiest person | Self-serve wiki only (unused) | Decided |
| D-016 | 2026-06-18 | Pause supplier B for packaging | Two late deliveries in Q2 | Penalty clause (relationship cost) | Review 2026-12-01 |
How to keep a decision log alive
- Log in the meeting. If it waits for the minutes, it does not get logged.
- One owner. Usually the project lead or a rotating note-taker.
- Short entries. Two lines of reason beat an empty page.
- Never delete. Mark old decisions "Superseded by D-0xx" so the history stays.
- Link it when asked. When someone asks "why do we do this?", answer with the link. Usage keeps logs alive.
- Review quarterly. Close what no longer applies.
Decision log vs ADR vs RAID log
| Decision log | ADR (architecture decision record) | RAID log | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | Any team decision | Technical architecture | Project risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies |
| Format | One row per decision | One short document per decision | Rows in four categories |
| Best for | Teams, projects, departments | Engineering | Project management |
Engineering teams can go further with architecture decision records.
Why decision logs get abandoned
Logs fail when they are extra work after the meeting. The decisions that matter often are not made in formal meetings at all; they happen in chat threads, calls and corridors. Our free decision log generator helps format entries quickly.
Reattend approaches it from the other side: its desktop app notices decisions as work happens and keeps them as memories with the people involved and the reason, so a decision made in a call or a document is remembered without anyone filling in a table. Teams that want a formal log can still keep one; Reattend is the backstop for what never made it in.
Frequently asked questions
What is a decision log?
A decision log is a running record of decisions a team or project has made: what was decided, when, by whom, why, what alternatives were rejected, and when to review it.
What fields should a decision log have?
At minimum: ID, date, decision, context, reason, alternatives considered, decided by, status and review date. Add links to the discussion and the people affected if useful.
What is the difference between a decision log and a RAID log?
A RAID log tracks risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies. Decisions are sometimes added as a fifth column. A dedicated decision log gives each decision more context, especially the reasons.
How do you keep a decision log up to date?
Make logging part of the meeting where the decision is made, keep the format short, give one person the job of updating it, and link to it whenever someone asks why.