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Write a summary of a long document

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.

  • Who it is for: Staff who brief managers, boards, partners or colleagues on documents they have not read.
  • Time: 15 minutes

Download it, in the format you use

  • Prompt chain

    Copy each step into ChatGPT or Claude, one after another.

  • Checklist

    Follow the steps and tick off the checks by hand.

  • Claude skill

    A folder Claude loads, so it follows the steps by itself.

  • n8n file

    Import into n8n and connect your own AI account.

Open in the Editor

The steps, and the check on each

  1. Step 1: Map the document into parts

    Split the document into its main parts and note what each part covers.

    Hands back: A numbered list of the document's parts, each with where it starts and what it covers.

    No separate check on this step.

  2. Step 2: Summarize each part

    Write the key points of each part, keeping numbers and names exactly as written.

    Hands back: Key points for every part of the document, with numbers and names copied exactly.

    Check:Every number is in the document

    Counted automatically. If it fails, the step runs again.

  3. Step 3: Merge into one summary

    Combine the part notes into one summary written for the reader.

    Hands back: A first full summary in three short sections, written for the reader.

    No separate check on this step.

  4. Step 4: Tighten the summary

    Cut the summary to 300 words or fewer without losing a key fact.

    Hands back: The final summary, 300 words or fewer.

    Check:The summary is 300 words or fewer

    Counted automatically. If it fails, the step runs again.

After the last step

  • Check:Every number in the summary is in the document

    Counted automatically. If it fails, the step runs again.

  • Check:Every name matches the document

    A second look by the AI. If it fails, the step runs again.

  • Check:The summary is fair to the document

    You check this one. If it fails, it is flagged for you.

What you need first

  • The document(needed)

    Paste the full text of the document. Copy it out of the PDF or Word file first.

  • Who the summary is for(needed)

    Name the reader and what they need it for, for example "Board members deciding next year's budget".

Ways to adapt it

  • 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.

Change any step or check in the Editor, then download it again.

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Last tested
October 5, 2026
Works with
ChatGPT, Claude, n8n 2.20
Version
1.0
What changed
First release.

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