Generate a 1-page executive summary
AI takes any long document and distills it into a tight, scannable one-page executive summary.
Generate a 1-page executive summary
River's Executive Summary Generator creates tight, scannable one-page summaries from any long document. You paste your report, business plan, proposal, analysis, or any lengthy document, and the AI extracts the key points, main findings, recommendations, and critical information, then writes a concise executive summary that busy leaders can read in 2-3 minutes. Perfect for condensing detailed work into executive-ready format that respects time while conveying substance.
Unlike simply shortening your document or pulling opening paragraphs, this AI identifies what actually matters to executives: the problem or opportunity, key findings or analysis, main recommendations or conclusions, implications and next steps, and critical data points. It strips away supporting details while preserving decision-relevant information. The summary works standalone so executives who only read the summary still understand the situation and recommendations. Those who want deeper detail can read the full document, but the summary gives them enough to participate in discussions or make decisions.
This tool is perfect for consultants creating executive summaries for client reports, executives needing to brief leadership on detailed analysis, business analysts condensing research into digestible format, or anyone who has written something long that needs an executive summary. If you struggle to distill your detailed work into one page, or if your summaries end up being three pages, this creates the tight, focused summary executives actually read. Use it whenever you have thorough analysis that needs executive-level packaging.
What Makes Executive Summaries Effective
Effective executive summaries answer the questions busy leaders ask: what is this about, why does it matter, what did you find, what should we do, and what happens next? Weak summaries either provide no new information beyond the title (too vague) or try to cram too much detail (defeating the purpose of a summary). Strong summaries give enough substance that someone who reads only the summary can understand the situation, the analysis, and the recommendation. They're complete thoughts, not teasers. An executive should be able to make an informed decision or participate in a discussion based solely on the summary.
The best executive summaries follow a clear structure. Context: what is this document about and why does it matter? Key findings or analysis: what did you discover or analyze? The most important 3-5 points, not everything. Recommendations or conclusions: what should be done based on the analysis? Be specific and actionable. Implications: what does this mean for the business, strategy, or operations? Next steps: what happens now, who does what, and when? The summary should flow logically and use clear headers so executives can scan. Every sentence earns its place. No fluff, no filler, just substance.
To test your executive summary, show it to someone unfamiliar with the topic. Can they explain the situation, the main findings, and the recommendation after reading just the summary? If yes, it works. If they need to read the full document to understand, the summary is incomplete. Strong executive summaries stand alone. They respect that executives are time-constrained but still need to make informed decisions. Write for skimming: clear headers, bullet points for key information, short paragraphs. Assume your reader has 2-3 minutes. What absolutely must they know?
What You Get
One-page executive summary distilled from your full document
Key findings and main points clearly presented
Recommendations or conclusions highlighted
Context and implications explained concisely
Professional format that's scannable and substantive
Standalone summary that works without reading full document
How It Works
- 1Paste your documentCopy your full report, plan, proposal, or analysis (up to 10,000 words)
- 2AI analyzes contentIdentifies key points, findings, recommendations, and critical information in 3-5 minutes
- 3Review summaryRead the generated one-page summary, adjust emphasis or details
- 4Use or shareAdd summary to front of document or share standalone
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of documents can this summarize?
Any business document: reports, business plans, proposals, market analyses, research findings, strategic plans, project post-mortems, consulting deliverables, whitepapers, RFP responses, board memos, investment memos. If it's a long document where executives need the key points quickly, this works. The AI adapts to different document types, emphasizing recommendations for proposals, findings for research, conclusions for reports, etc. Works best on structured documents with clear sections and logical flow.
How long will the summary be?
One page, typically 300-500 words. Long enough to be substantive and complete, short enough to read in 2-3 minutes. If your document is very complex, the summary might approach 600 words, but goal is always one page. If you need an even shorter summary (like a paragraph), you can ask for that after seeing the one-page version. The AI balances comprehensiveness with brevity. Every sentence provides essential information, no filler.
Will it capture technical or complex content accurately?
Yes, the AI preserves key technical points and critical data while removing supporting detail. For highly technical documents, the summary distills core findings and implications without oversimplifying to the point of inaccuracy. However, you should review the summary to ensure nuance is preserved, especially for complex analyses. The summary is meant for executives who need the high-level takeaways. If they need technical depth, they'll read the full document. The summary gets them 80% informed in 5% of the reading time.
Can I customize what the summary emphasizes?
After generating the summary, you can ask the AI to emphasize different aspects. For example, 'focus more on financial implications' or 'highlight the risks more prominently' or 'emphasize the timeline.' The initial summary aims for balanced coverage of all key points, but you can guide it to match what your audience cares most about. Different executives care about different things. CFOs want financial impact, CTOs want technical feasibility, CEOs want strategic implications. Adjust emphasis accordingly.
Should the summary replace my document intro?
The executive summary typically goes before your document (after title page, before table of contents or main content). It's standalone, not a replacement for your introduction. Some documents have both: executive summary (1 page, all key points) followed by introduction (context and background) followed by detailed sections. The exec summary serves time-constrained readers. The intro serves those reading the full document. Think of exec summary as the 'too long; didn't read' version that's still comprehensive enough to be useful.
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