How to Track Settlement Brackets and Caucus Notes in Mediation

Why the numbers matter

In a busy mediation day, offers move quickly between rooms. A clear record of each move — who offered what, and when — helps you see momentum, spot stalls, and frame the next proposal.

Record every offer in order

For each move, capture the party, the amount, the time, and any conditions attached.

• Gap: the difference between the latest demand and the latest offer.
• Midpoint: the halfway figure between those two numbers — a common reference when proposing brackets.
• Movement: how far each side moved since its previous number.

Keep caucus notes private

What a party shares in caucus is often confidential to that room. Store notes per caucus room so they are never mixed with joint-session material, and limit access to the mediator and their assistant.

Close the day cleanly

Whether the matter settles or not, a dated record of the offer history and your notes makes follow-up calls and a second session far easier to prepare.