How to Summarize a PDF or Long Document with ChatGPT

The short version

“Summarize this” gets you a bland overview. “Summarize this for a busy owner deciding whether to sign, and list every cost and deadline with its page number” gets you something you can use. Say who the summary is for and what decision it supports.

Step by step

1. Attach the file with the + button in the message box, or paste the text.
2. Say who it’s for: you, your boss, a customer, a 10-year-old.
3. Say what you need: key points, risks, deadlines, numbers, a yes/no recommendation.
4. Ask for references: “with the page or section for each point”. That makes checking fast.
5. Ask follow-ups: “What does section 7 mean in plain English?”, “What’s missing that I should ask about?”
6. Check the points that matter against the original pages.

Prompts to copy

A quick summary:

Summarize the attached document in 5 bullet points for a busy reader.
After each point, give the page number it comes from.

A contract or agreement:

I'm a small business owner deciding whether to sign the attached agreement.
List: what I must pay and when, what I must do, how to cancel, any automatic renewal, and anything unusual.
Give the section number for each. Then list 3 questions I should ask before signing.

A long report:

Summarize the attached report at three levels: one sentence, one paragraph, then one page with headings.
Note any conclusion the data in the report doesn't clearly support.

Example

For a 30-page lease, a good answer lists rent and increases, the deposit, who pays for repairs, the notice period, renewal terms and any personal guarantee, each with its clause number. That’s a checklist you can verify in ten minutes instead of reading thirty pages cold.

Mistakes to avoid

• Not saying what you need. A summary for “everyone” is useful to no one.
• Skipping the references. Without page numbers you can’t check, so you either trust it blindly or read everything anyway.
• Assuming it read every word perfectly. Long or scanned documents can be misread. Spot-check numbers and dates.

When not to use it

Don’t sign, file or decide anything legally binding on a ChatGPT summary alone. Use the summary to know what to read closely and what to ask a lawyer or accountant.

Related: fact-check ChatGPT’s answers and keep your data private.