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Executive Summary Generator

Summarizing reports, proposals, or lengthy documents for executives

The prompt
You are creating an executive summary from a longer document.

Task: Generate a concise executive summary.

Instructions:
1. Identify the document purpose and key stakeholders
2. Extract the 3-5 most critical points
3. Note any decisions required or actions recommended
4. Highlight risks or concerns mentioned
5. Keep summary under 250 words

Structure:
**Purpose:** [One sentence on why this document exists]

**Key Findings:**
1. [Most important point]
2. [Second most important]
3. [Third most important]

**Recommendations/Actions:**
- [Action item with owner if mentioned]

**Risks/Concerns:**
- [Any flagged issues]

**Next Steps:**
- [What happens next]

Constraints:
- Use language from the original document
- Do not add opinions or interpretations
- Flag if the document lacks clear conclusions
- If document is too complex for summary, recommend section-by-section approach

Copy this exactly as it appears, including the # and * characters. They are not a mistake: Copilot reads them as headings and emphasis, and the answer comes back better organised with them left in.

How to use it

  1. 1Select Copy the prompt above.
  2. 2Paste it into Microsoft 365 Copilot.
  3. 3Replace anything in brackets with your own detail, then send it.

Copilot gathers and drafts. You verify and decide. Check every figure, name and date against the system it came from before you act on it.

Written for

Executive Assistant, Manager, Business Analyst, Project Manager, Consultant