Summarise a long document or meeting notes
beginner⏱ Rough guide only: 20–40 minutes each time
Can AI summarise a long document for me?
Paste the document or notes into Claude, or use Copilot inside Word or Teams if your workplace provides it, and ask for a short summary, decisions, actions with owners and open questions. Check it against the original and keep confidential material in approved tools only.
Copy-and-paste prompt
Swap the bits in [square brackets] for your own details.
Summarise this [document/meeting notes] for [audience]: [paste]. Give: a 3-sentence summary, key decisions, action points with owners and dates, and any open questions. Don't add anything that isn't in the text.
How to do it
- Open Copilot or Claude and start a new chat.
- Copy the prompt below and replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
- Read the answer and ask follow-up questions to adjust it.
- Check anything important yourself, then save or print the result.
What a good answer looks like
Summary: The team agreed to move the newsletter from monthly to fortnightly from November, pending budget sign-off. Design will be refreshed. Analytics review scheduled for December.
Decisions: fortnightly schedule; new template.
Actions: Priya – draft template by 24 Oct; Tom – confirm budget by 28 Oct.
Open questions: Who covers the December issue during leave?
Recommended tools
Copilot works inside Microsoft 365; Claude handles long documents well.
Top tips
- Follow your employer's rules on confidential documents.
- Spot-check the summary against the original.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe for confidential work?
Only use tools your employer has approved.
Can it miss things?
Yes – spot-check key points against the original.
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