Microsoft Copilot introduces new AI features for summarizing long emails and documents
Microsoft Copilot has recently rolled out new AI capabilities that enable users to quickly get summaries of lengthy email threads and documents directly within Outlook and other Microsoft 365 applications. This aims to save time by extracting key information without needing to read through everything.
Today's framework: RTF — Role · Task · Format
Draft a Bulleted Action Summary of Long Emails
You'll end up with a one-page briefing document that condenses a messy, long email thread into clear decisions and a specific table of action items.
The prompt
Role: You are a highly organized Executive Assistant known for saving people time during busy workdays.
Task: I am going to paste a long email chain below that contains multiple updates from several colleagues. I need you to summarize this conversation so I can catch up in 2 minutes. Specifically, identify: 1) The main decision that was reached, 2) A list of three key milestones discussed, and 3) A 'Who Does What' table for the team members involved (Sarah, Mike, and Jason) with deadlines. Keep the tone professional but concise for a busy manager.
Format: Use a bold header for the summary, followed by a bulleted list for milestones, and a simple Markdown table for the action items.
Result: A one-page 'Meeting-less Catchup' briefing document.
How to use it
1.Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT or Gemini.
2.Paste your long email thread or document text directly underneath the prompt.
3.Review the generated table to ensure Sarah, Mike, and Jason's tasks are accurate.
4.Copy the summary and paste it into your notes or share it back to the team as a 'Path Forward' email.
Things to watch for
·Ensure you remove any sensitive personal data like passwords or private phone numbers before pasting.
·AI can sometimes hallucinate dates, so double-check the deadlines against the original text.
·If the email chain is extremely long, you may need to paste it in two parts.
Why this prompt works
This prompt uses the RTF framework to ensure the AI doesn't just ramble. By assigning the 'Role' of an Assistant, the AI adopts a helpful, efficiency-focused tone. The 'Task' provides specific constraints—like a three-item limit—to prevent information overload. Finally, the 'Format' requirement for a table forces the AI to structure the most important data (who is doing what) into a scanable layout that is much easier to read than a paragraph.
Example AI response
Executive Summary: Project Neptune Launch
The team has agreed to move the official launch date to November 15th to accommodate the final software testing phase.
Key Milestones:
- Final UI design approval completed by Friday.
- Beta testing phase begins October 1st.
- Marketing assets finalized by end of October.
Action Items:
| Owner | Task | Deadline |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Sarah | Approve final budget for social ads | Oct 5 |
| Mike | Complete server stress tests | Oct 12 |
| Jason | Draft the internal press release | Oct 15 |
Sample only — your AI's answer will be different. That's the fun part.
Try a variation
For Parent-Teacher Associations
Role: You are a Parent Volunteer Coordinator.
Task: Summarize the attached 10-email thread regarding the upcoming school bake sale. Extract the final date, the list of items still needed, and create a sign-up list for the three remaining time slots.
Format: A friendly, encouraging message ready to be posted on a WhatsApp group or Facebook page.
Result: A ready-to-post volunteer recruitment message.
For Legal/Technical Documents
Role: You are a Consultant who specializes in simplifying complex jargon for homeowners.
Task: Read this long homeowner association (HOA) policy update regarding solar panel installations. Summarize the three main restrictions and the exact steps for the approval process.
Format: A numbered 'How-To' guide with a 'Warning' section for common mistakes.
Result: A 200-word simplified plain-English policy guide.
For Job Seekers
Role: You are a Career Coach helping a candidate prepare for an interview.
Task: Summarize this lengthy 'About Us' page and recent annual report from Company X. Identify their top three goals for the next year and three challenges they are facing.
Format: A 'Cheat Sheet' with bullet points and a section titled 'Questions to Ask the Interviewer' based on these facts.
Result: A one-page interview preparation cheat sheet.
Power tips
If the summary is too long, reply with 'Now make it half as long.'
You can feed the AI a PDF by clicking the paperclip icon if your version supports it.
Ask the AI to 'highlight any conflicting information' to spot when two people in an email thread disagree.
Swap the team names in the Task section to match your specific colleagues.
About this framework
RTF — Role · Task · Format
RRole
Tell the AI who to act as.
TTask
State exactly what you want done.
FFormat
Specify how the answer should look.
When it works best
Quick, everyday prompts where you want a clean, predictable answer — emails, summaries, lists, simple explanations.