Summarise documents and reports
Quickly extract the key points from lengthy documents, saving time and making information easier to act on.
Steps
1. Describe the task
Charity teams have to read a lot. Funder reports, policy documents, evaluation frameworks, board papers, research summaries - the list goes on. AI can help you get to the point faster by pulling out the key information, themes or actions from a document, so you can decide what matters and what needs your full attention.
You can use this approach for many types of documents - from a dense government consultation to a stack of monitoring reports. The key is telling the AI what kind of summary you need and who it's for.
Think of it as a fast first pass - a thinking partner that surfaces what matters so you can decide what to read in full - not a replacement for your own reading and judgement.
Copy and paste this prompt into the chat box, then send it as is - there's nothing to edit first. The AI will respond with questions rather than a draft. That's by design as it needs context before it can produce something useful. Answer as if you're briefing a colleague, and if you're unsure of an answer, just say so - working it out together is part of the process.
Using Worthwhile Chat?
This prompt is ready-made: just select 'Summarise Documents and Reports' from your Chat Box and it will self-populate.
Act as a knowledgeable assistant, familiar with the UK charity sector, supporting a UK charity professional.
I need you to summarise the document I'm about to share with you.
Please produce:
- A 3–5 sentence overview of what the document is about
- The 5 most important points or findings
- Any actions, recommendations, or deadlines that are relevant to a charity or nonprofit
- Any risks or concerns flagged in the document
Start by asking me questions about: who the summary is for; what type of document it is; some information about my organisation and who we support; if I have any drafts or notes to upload. Then draft the summary.
Write clearly and concisely. Avoid jargon. If anything in the document is ambiguous or unclear, flag it rather than guessing.
2. Provide context
As you answer the AI’s questions, you can upload documents or paste in information to help it understand your work more deeply. You can also paste text directly into the chat box if you don't have a file ready.
The more context you give about why you need the summary, the more useful the output will be. A summary prepared for a board meeting needs different emphasis than one you're using to decide whether to apply for a grant, for example.
Important context (add as much of this as you can)
- Who will read the summary and why
- The document itself - PDF, Word or pasted text
- A brief note on what you already know about the document (if anything)
- Any specific questions you want answered, for example: 'Does this report mention anything about mental health services?' or 'Are there any funding deadlines?'
Additional context to add depth and detail
- Your role or team - for example, 'I work in fundraising' or 'I'm preparing a trustee briefing'
- The level of detail you need - a quick skim or a thorough read
Before you upload files: check for sensitive data
Review your documents for personal or sensitive information about beneficiaries. Anonymise names and identifying details before uploading. Even though Worthwhile Chat is privacy-first, good data practice starts with you. If you're using other AI tools, check their data settings too - many train on your data by default. How much you share depends on your existing privacy and data policies, and how much control you have over the tools you use.
If you’re unsure, ask yourself: “If this document were seen by someone outside our organisation, could anyone be identified or harmed?” If yes, anonymise first.
I've uploaded the document. Please summarise it based on the context I’ve shared.
3. Review the output
The AI will produce a structured summary based on your document and your instructions. It may ask you clarifying questions - for example, what a particular acronym means, or which section you want it to focus on. Answer these as best you can to get a better result.
Read through the summary and ask yourself:
- Does this capture the most important points, or has it focused on the wrong things?
- Is anything missing that you know to be significant?
- Is the language clear enough for the intended audience?
- Does the summary accurately reflect the original - or has it oversimplified or missed nuance?
- Has it flagged anything that surprised you - that might be worth reading in more depth?
If something doesn't feel right, that's fine, you can refine it in the next step.
4. Follow up prompts
Getting a useful summary often takes more than one go. If the first output isn't quite right, don't start again, just keep the conversation going and ask for changes.
Ask for revisions - see some example prompts below:
Tone
"This reads a bit dry - keep it accurate, but make it clearer and easier to read."
Length
"This is too detailed - give me a one-paragraph executive summary only."
"Can you go deeper on the section about [topic]? I need more detail here."
Structure
"Present this as a bullet-point briefing I can paste into an email."
"Rewrite this as a short paragraph for a trustee board pack."
Representation
"If the document describes the people we support, keep the summary respectful and avoid reducing them to problems or statistics."
If a draft is really off track, it can be quicker to start a fresh conversation with clearer instructions than to keep correcting the same one.
Summarising multiple documents
You can upload several documents in the same conversation and ask the AI to find common themes, compare findings, or draw out patterns. This is particularly useful for reviewing monitoring reports from multiple people or groups, or preparing a synthesis of responses to a consultation.
Add what only you know
AI works with the text in front of it. It can't know the history behind a document, the relationship you have with the author, or what's changed since it was written. Once you have a draft summary, add the context that only you can bring, including anything that makes the summary more accurate or useful for your audience.
5. Tips and good practice
Always check key facts and figures
AI can misread numbers, misinterpret statistics or miss important qualifications in the original text. Always verify specific figures, names, or claims against the source document before acting on them or sharing the summary externally.
Don't hand off your judgement
A summary is a starting point, not a replacement for reading. For important decisions - a funding application, a board discussion, a policy response - use the AI summary to orient yourself, then read the relevant sections directly. Think of it as a smart first pass rather than a final verdict.
Human review before sharing
Never circulate an AI-generated summary to colleagues, trustees, funders, or the public without reading it yourself first. Check that it's accurate, that the tone is appropriate, and that nothing important has been left out or misrepresented.
Be transparent about AI use
Consider noting when a summary has been produced with AI assistance - for example, in a board pack or a briefing note. More organisations are being open about this, and it's in line with Worthwhile AI values.
Save your prompt
If you summarise the same types of document regularly - quarterly monitoring reports, funder evaluations, policy consultations - save a prompt that works well for each one. This saves time and keeps your summaries consistent.
