How to export and format meeting transcripts from Notta to Google Docs

If you’ve ever tried wrangling a messy meeting transcript into Google Docs, you know it’s rarely “one-click and done.” This guide is for anyone who wants to get their notes out of Notta and into a Google Doc that actually looks good—without wasting an afternoon fighting weird formatting or missing half the conversation.

Whether you’re a project manager, an admin, or just the unofficial notetaker in your group, I’ll walk you through each step. I’ll be honest about what works, what’s a pain, and what you can skip.

1. Get Your Transcript Ready in Notta

First things first: make sure your transcript is ready to go in Notta. If you’re new to Notta, it’s a tool that records and transcribes meetings—Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, the usual suspects.

Before exporting, check:

  • Accuracy: Skim your transcript for big errors. Notta’s AI is good, but it’s not a mind reader.
  • Speaker Labels: Are speakers labeled? If they’re all “Speaker 1,” “Speaker 2,” you might want to fix that. The clearer the source, the easier the formatting later.
  • Sections: If your meeting had clear topics (“Budget,” “Next Steps”), add headings or comments in Notta if the tool allows it.

Pro tip: Don’t obsess over every “um” and “uh.” Clean up only what you’ll actually use. You can always fix more in the Doc later.

2. Export Your Transcript From Notta

Let’s get your transcript out of Notta and into a format Google Docs can handle.

How to export:

  1. Open your transcript in Notta.
  2. Look for the “Export” or “Download” button. Usually, it’s at the top or tucked in a menu (three dots, gear icon, etc.).
  3. Choose your format. Notta typically offers:
  4. TXT: Plain text. Good for minimal formatting headaches.
  5. DOCX: Microsoft Word format. Keeps speaker labels and some formatting.
  6. PDF: Not great for editing; skip this unless you’re just archiving.
  7. SRT/VTT: For subtitles—ignore unless you’re making videos.

Which format should you pick?

  • DOCX is usually your best bet. It keeps speaker names and some structure.
  • TXT is safest if you want zero weird formatting, but you’ll have to add bold, italics, etc., yourself in Google Docs.

Warning: Notta sometimes throws in extra line breaks or odd spacing, especially in TXT. DOCX preserves more structure, but can bring over some weird styles, too.

3. Import Into Google Docs

Now, get your exported file into Google Docs where you can actually work with it.

If you exported a DOCX:

  1. Go to Google Docs.
  2. Click the folder icon (“Open file picker”), then “Upload.”
  3. Drag your DOCX file in. Google Docs will convert it automatically.
  4. Open the converted document.

If you exported a TXT:

  1. Same steps as above.
  2. TXT files open as plain text—so you’ll have to do your own formatting, but at least you’re starting with a blank slate.

Heads up: Sometimes Google Docs mangles spacing or font sizes when it converts DOCX files. If things look wonky, don’t panic—you can fix it.

4. Clean Up the Formatting

This is the make-or-break step. Most exported transcripts look rough: too many line breaks, weird fonts, ugly indents, you name it. Here’s how to clean it up without spending an hour on busywork.

Fix the basics

  • Select all text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A).
  • Set the font and size you want (Arial, 11pt is the Docs default).
  • Click “Format” > “Line spacing” > “1.15” or “Single.” Get rid of big gaps.
  • Remove extra spaces before or after paragraphs with “Format” > “Line & paragraph spacing” > “Remove space after paragraph.”

Tidy up speaker labels

  • Speaker names often show up as “Speaker 1:” or “John Doe:”
  • Make them bold for clarity:
    1. Press Ctrl+F (Find) and type “:” to jump to each speaker line.
    2. Bold the name (“John Doe:” → John Doe:)
    3. Or use “Find and replace” to format them in bulk—advanced, but a time-saver.

Break up long walls of text

  • Meeting transcripts are infamous for monster paragraphs.
  • Add line breaks after each speaker for readability.
  • Use “Format” > “Paragraph styles” to set speaker names as Headings if you want easy navigation.

Add headings and sections (if needed)

  • If your meeting had clear topics, add bold headings (“Budget Discussion,” “Next Steps”).
  • Use Google Docs’ headings (Heading 1, Heading 2) so you can jump around with the outline view.

Pro tip: Don’t overthink styles. The goal is skimmable, not pretty.

5. Optional: Remove Filler Words and Irrelevant Chatter

Transcripts are honest, but they’re also full of fluff. If you need a readable summary or a cleaned-up version for sharing, do a quick pass to delete:

  • “Um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know”—unless they’re central to the conversation.
  • Off-topic tangents (“Wait, what’s for lunch?”)
  • Repetitions (“So, so, so I think…”)

How much cleanup?
It depends who’s reading. For internal notes, don’t sweat every “uh.” For board packets or clients, tighten it up.

Shortcut: Use Ctrl+F to search for common fillers and cut them in batches.

6. Share and Collaborate in Google Docs

Now that your transcript looks presentable:

  • Rename the Doc to something clear (“Project Kickoff – April 2024 Transcript”).
  • Click “Share,” set permissions (view, comment, edit).
  • Use comments (“@Name Can you clarify this point?”) to tag teammates.
  • If you need a PDF, use “File” > “Download” > “PDF Document (.pdf)”—this keeps your formatting.

What to Ignore (and Why)

There’s a lot of advice out there about automating or beautifying transcripts. Here’s what you can skip, and why:

  • Third-party “beautifier” tools: Most don’t work well on AI transcripts. They break more than they fix.
  • Deep editing for grammar: Unless you need a publish-ready doc, don’t waste time making every sentence perfect. Focus on clarity.
  • Exporting as PDF straight from Notta: Looks nice, but it’s useless if you need to edit or collaborate.

Stick to the basics. No need to overcomplicate things.

Quick Troubleshooting

Problem: Speaker names all disappeared on export.
Fix: Use Find and Replace to add them back in Google Docs, or re-export as DOCX if you started with TXT.

Problem: Formatting is a mess (random font sizes, weird spacing).
Fix: Select all, reset the font and spacing, and clear formatting (“Format” > “Clear formatting”).

Problem: Transcript is too long to read.
Fix: Use Google Docs’ outline/headings to break it up, or just highlight the main sections.

Wrapping Up

Exporting and formatting meeting transcripts from Notta to Google Docs isn’t rocket science, but it’s rarely seamless. Focus on getting a clean, readable doc—not a magazine spread. Start simple, fix only what matters, and don’t be afraid to leave some rough edges. The point is to actually use your notes, not to win a formatting contest.