# Write a summary of a long document: prompt chain Turn a long report, policy or paper into a short, faithful summary for a named reader, with every number and name kept exactly as the document has it. **Made for:** Staff who brief managers, boards, partners or colleagues on documents they have not read. ## Before you start Have these ready: - **The document** (required): Paste the full text of the document. Copy it out of the PDF or Word file first. - **Who the summary is for** (required): Name the reader and what they need it for, for example "Board members deciding next year's budget". **How to use this chain** 1. Open a new chat in any AI assistant. 2. Copy the Step 1 prompt, replace every [PASTE HERE: ...] slot with your material, and send it. 3. Keep each answer: later steps ask you to paste it in. Run each step in the same chat or a new one; a new chat keeps steps from blurring together. 4. After a step that has a check, run the check before you move on. ## Step 1: Map the document into parts Split the document into its main parts and note what each part covers. Copy this prompt: ````text You are a careful research assistant who prepares documents for summary. Your task is to split the document below into its main parts, in the order they appear. Use the document's own headings where it has them. Where it has none, group the text into parts of similar topic. The document: [PASTE HERE: The document] Rules: - Cover the whole document. Every paragraph must belong to one part. - Do not summarize yet and do not judge the content. - Keep between 3 and 10 parts. Join very short sections together. Return a numbered list. For each part give: - the part's name (the heading, or a short name you give it), - the first five words of the part, copied exactly, so a person can find it, - one line on what the part covers. ```` **You get back:** A numbered list of the document's parts, each with where it starts and what it covers. ## Step 2: Summarize each part Write the key points of each part, keeping numbers and names exactly as written. Copy this prompt: ````text You are a careful research assistant writing notes on a document, part by part. Your task is to write the key points of each part listed in the map below, using the full document. The map of parts: [PASTE HERE: the answer from Step 1 (Map the document into parts)] The full document: [PASTE HERE: The document] Rules: - Copy every number, date, amount, percentage and name exactly as the document writes it. Do not round, convert or recalculate. - Do not add facts, opinions or background that are not in the document. - Keep each point to one sentence. Use at most five points per part. - If a part has nothing worth keeping for a summary, write "No key points". Return one heading per part, in the same order as the map, each followed by its bullet points. Use the part's name as the heading and do not add numbers to the headings, so every number in your answer comes from the document. ```` **You get back:** Key points for every part of the document, with numbers and names copied exactly. **Check after Step 2: Every number is in the document** Check by eye: Every number in the answer also appears in the document. If it does not pass: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it. ## Step 3: Merge into one summary Combine the part notes into one summary written for the reader. Copy this prompt: ````text You are a writer who briefs busy readers on long documents. Your task is to turn the part-by-part notes below into one summary for this reader: [PASTE HERE: Who the summary is for] Part-by-part notes: [PASTE HERE: the answer from Step 2 (Summarize each part)] Rules: - Lead with what matters most to this reader, not with the order of the document. - Group points by theme. Join points that say the same thing. - Keep every number and name exactly as it appears in the notes. - Do not add advice, opinions or conclusions the document does not make. Return markdown in this shape: ## In short (two or three sentences) ## Key points (five to eight bullets, most important first) ## What it means for you (two or three bullets for this reader, using only what the document says) ```` **You get back:** A first full summary in three short sections, written for the reader. ## Step 4: Tighten the summary Cut the summary to 300 words or fewer without losing a key fact. Copy this prompt: ````text You are an editor who makes summaries short and plain. Your task is to tighten the summary below to 300 words or fewer, for this reader: [PASTE HERE: Who the summary is for] Summary to tighten: [PASTE HERE: the answer from Step 3 (Merge into one summary)] Rules: - Keep the three headings: In short, Key points, What it means for you. - Cut repeats, filler and long phrases first. Cut whole points last, starting with the least important. - Keep every number and name that stays in exactly as written. - Use plain words and short sentences. Do not add anything new. Return only the tightened summary in markdown, with no note about what you changed. ```` **You get back:** The final summary, 300 words or fewer. **Check after Step 4: The summary is 300 words or fewer** Check by eye: The answer is no longer than 300 words. If it does not pass: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it. ## Final checks Run these on the finished result. **Final check 1: Every number in the summary is in the document** Check by eye: Every number in the answer also appears in the document. If it does not pass: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it. **Final check 2: Every name matches the document** Open a new chat (so the check is not swayed by the work) and paste this check prompt: ````text You are a careful reviewer. You do not fix or rewrite the work; you only decide whether it passes one check. The check: Every name matches the document Check every name of a person, place, organization, program and document in the summary against the source document below. Is each one spelled and used exactly as the source has it, and does each one appear in the source? Source document: [PASTE HERE: The document] The work to check (the answer from Step 4 (Tighten the summary)): [PASTE HERE: the answer from Step 4 (Tighten the summary)] Reply with exactly PASS or FAIL on the first line. On the second line, say in one sentence why. If it fails, name the exact item or line that fails. Do not add anything else. ```` If it does not pass: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it. **Final check 3: The summary is fair to the document** Ask yourself: Would the document's author agree that the summary gives a fair picture, with nothing important left out and nothing made stronger or weaker? If it does not pass: Carry on, but write down the problem so whoever uses the result knows about it. ## What you end up with - A summary of 300 words or fewer in three parts (In short, Key points, What it means for you). - A map of the document's parts, useful if the reader wants to look something up. ## Changing this chain - To change the length, change 300 in the Tighten step's prompt, purpose and check, all three. - If the document is too long for your assistant to read at once, run the Summarize each part step once per part, pasting only that part, then paste all the notes into the Merge step. - For a summary in a set layout (a briefing note, a one-page memo), replace the shape at the end of the Merge step with your layout. - For several documents on one topic, run the first two steps on each document, then merge all the notes together. --- From Logic Lab (logiclabhq.com). Free to use and adapt, with credit.