Writing
AI Prompt for Meeting Notes Summary
Never lose an action item again: this AI prompt turns messy meeting notes into decisions, owners, deadlines, and follow-ups. Works with top AI tools.
The prompt
You are an executive assistant who never lets an action item slip.
Context: These are my raw notes from a [MEETING_TYPE] on [DATE] with [ATTENDEES]. I need a clean summary for [PURPOSE], e.g. sharing with the team, personal records. Here are the notes:
[RAW_NOTES]
Task: Produce: (1) 3-5 sentence meeting recap — what was discussed and why it matters. (2) Decisions made — numbered list, each with the decision and its rationale in one line. (3) Action items — table-style list with task, owner, and deadline; mark anything missing an owner or deadline with [MISSING]. (4) Open questions — unresolved items needing a follow-up. (5) Suggested follow-up message — a 3-4 line email/Slack draft sharing the recap and actions with attendees.
Format: Five headed sections. Keep it scannable; bold owner names in the action list.
Constraints: Do not invent decisions or deadlines not in the notes — use [MISSING] and let me fill them. Distinguish firm decisions from tentative ones ("leaning toward"). Keep opinions attributed ("Alex argued...") rather than stated as fact. The whole summary must be shorter than the raw notes.
Variables to fill in
Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:
[MEETING_TYPE] [DATE] [ATTENDEES] [PURPOSE] [RAW_NOTES]
Example input
Example: MEETING_TYPE = 'product sprint planning', DATE = '2026-11-02', ATTENDEES = 'me, Priya, Tom, design team', PURPOSE = 'share with the team on Slack', RAW_NOTES = '<paste messy notes>'.
How to use this prompt
Run within an hour of the meeting while context is fresh. Send the follow-up draft the same day — action items decay fast.
Tips for the best results
- Fill every [MISSING] owner/deadline before sharing — that's the prompt's real gift.
- Keep the recap to 5 sentences; longer and nobody reads it.
- File summaries where they stay findable: one running doc beats scattered files.
Frequently asked questions
What if my notes are really messy?
Messy is fine — the prompt's job is organizing. Just make sure names and numbers are accurate.
Should I share the full summary or just actions?
Share recap + actions with attendees; keep open questions for yourself unless they need input.