Write an executive summary for [AUDIENCE] about [TOPIC OR DECISION], using only the information in [SOURCE MATERIAL]. The purpose is [PURPOSE], and the reader needs to decide or do [REQUESTED ACTION]. These facts, dates, targets, and terms must be preserved exactly: [NONNEGOTIABLE FACTS]. Start by determining the central decision, the recommended action if the evidence supports one, and the consequences of delay or inaction. Do not turn a chronology into a summary. Select only information that changes the decision, explains material risk, establishes scale, or assigns accountability. Produce a 350-500 word summary with these labeled sections: - Decision or ask: one to two sentences, including who must act and by when.
- Bottom line: the most important finding or recommendation and why it matters now.
- Evidence: three to five specific facts, metrics, or observations, with source labels from the supplied material.
- Options and trade-offs: the realistic choices, cost, risk, dependencies, and what is uncertain.
- Recommendation: a direct recommendation, or a stated reason no recommendation is justified yet.
- Next steps: owners, deadlines, and the evidence needed before a commitment.
Use direct language, short paragraphs, and concrete numbers with units and comparison periods. Preserve unfavorable evidence and meaningful dissent; do not bury it in caveats. Do not invent targets, owners, dates, customer impact, financial impact, consensus, or causality. If evidence is contradictory or incomplete, state that in the bottom line and name the missing evidence.
Before answering, check that the first section can be understood without the source material and that every number, deadline, and attribution is supported by [SOURCE MATERIAL]. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [AUDIENCE] | Name the executives or leaders who will read the summary and their level of context. | COO and CFO; both know the current fulfillment program but have not read this month’s operating review |
| [TOPIC OR DECISION] | State the project, issue, proposal, or decision being summarized. | Approve a six-month pilot with a second regional fulfillment partner |
| [SOURCE MATERIAL] | Paste or upload the notes, reports, metrics, and stakeholder input to use as evidence. | August operations review, finance model, carrier delay log, and notes from the VP Supply Chain |
| [PURPOSE] | Explain why the summary is being written, such as approval, escalation, or weekly decision review. | Get a go/no-go decision at Tuesday’s operating committee meeting |
| [REQUESTED ACTION] | State the decision, approval, or action expected from the reader. | Approve up to $180,000 for the pilot and authorize vendor due diligence |
| [NONNEGOTIABLE FACTS] | List facts, dates, terminology, or figures that must appear exactly as provided. | Current late-delivery rate is 8.4%; target is below 4.0%; pilot would begin November 1; no vendor has been selected. |
How to use
- Give the model the reader, the decision, and the underlying materials rather than a prewritten narrative.
- List exact figures and dates that cannot change, then ask it to cite their source labels.
- Check that the recommendation, owner, and deadline are visible in the first screen of the summary.
- Follow up with: “Cut this to 200 words for the CEO, retaining the decision, the two strongest facts, and the biggest unresolved risk.”
Variations
Board update
Use this for a board audience that needs oversight and decision context.
Write a 300-word board update on [TOPIC] from [SOURCE MATERIAL]. The board’s requested action is [ASK]. Include a one-sentence headline, progress against [PLAN OR TARGET], material financial or strategic implications, top two risks with mitigations, and decisions or approvals needed. Explain variance against plan using actual figures and periods. Preserve adverse facts and uncertainty. Do not turn management hopes into forecasts or describe an item as approved unless the source says so. Check every number and claim against the materials. Ask up to 3 questions only if the topic, source, or ask is missing.
Project status
Use this for a weekly or monthly operating update.
Create a one-page project status summary for [AUDIENCE] covering [PROJECT] during [REPORTING PERIOD], using [PROJECT NOTES]. Format it as overall status, outcomes this period, milestone table, risks and decisions needed, budget or capacity variance, and next-period commitments with owners. Define any status color or label using observable evidence, not mood. Separate completed work from planned work. Do not invent progress percentages, dates, or owners. Flag blocked dependencies and their external owner. Ask up to 3 questions only if the project, period, or source notes are missing.
Incident brief
Use this after an operational, customer, or security incident.
Draft an executive incident brief about [INCIDENT] for [AUDIENCE] using [TIMELINE AND EVIDENCE]. Include confirmed impact, affected scope, time-bounded timeline, current containment status, root cause facts versus hypotheses, customer or regulatory implications to verify, and corrective actions with owners and dates. Lead with what happened and what remains uncertain. Avoid blame, speculation, and assurances that cannot be supported. Do not include sensitive personal data. Check chronology and distinguish observed facts from preliminary analysis. Ask up to 3 questions only if the incident, audience, or evidence is missing.
Tips
- Write the decision first; executives need the approval, trade-off, or escalation before the background that supports it.
- Use comparison periods with every operating number, such as “8.4%, up from 5.1% in July,” so a figure has meaning.
- Keep options realistic: include only choices that could actually be taken within the stated constraints and time frame.
- Name an owner and a date for each next step; “the team will investigate” does not establish accountability.
FAQ
How long should an executive summary be?
Usually one page or less, unless the audience specifically needs a decision memo. The right length is enough to state the ask, evidence, trade-offs, and next action without reproducing the source material.
Should an executive summary include risks?
Yes. Include the risks that could alter the decision, their likelihood or uncertainty when known, and the action needed to manage them.
Can AI recommend a decision from limited notes?
It can organize the available case, but it should explicitly state when the evidence does not justify a recommendation. Do not treat an AI-written recommendation as evidence.