Turn a document into a decision.

Tell it who needs the result

Consider an annual supplier report. An operations lead needs delivery problems and actions; a finance lead needs the cost changes; a buyer needs the renewal decision. State the audience and decision before asking for a summary.

• Label the files and identify the version that is final.
• Include only the material needed for the task.
• Specify the output: a briefing, comparison table or action list.

Preserve the trail back to the source

Request file and page or section references next to important figures. Ask the assistant to flag unreadable tables and ambiguous labels. If two files disagree, preserve both values until their definitions and periods have been checked.

• Check a sample of source references against the actual files.
• Confirm that totals and subtotals use the same units.
• Keep supplied facts separate from interpretation.

Check what the short version leaves out

A concise brief can accidentally remove a qualification that matters. Ask which caveats were dropped, whether the recommendation depends on a missing appendix and which conclusion is least well supported. Read those source passages before sharing the output.

A concrete starting brief

Try: ‘Use this supplier report to prepare a renewal discussion. Show delivery failures, cost changes and unresolved commitments with file references. Identify what we need to ask the supplier and keep disputed numbers visible.’