An action item is a specific task or follow-up activity that needs completion after an email exchange, instant-message conversation, or meeting. It captures what someone needs to do next, often alongside a deadline, so important work is easier to track. section 7.1.1 section 7.2.1
AI can identify action items while summarizing workplace communication. For email, ask for the main points, decisions, action items, and deadlines. For instant messages, AI can summarize conversations and identify follow-up work. For meetings, transcription tools can generate a recap and action items after the discussion. section 7.1.1 section 7.2 section 7.2.1
Finding action items in email
A practical prompt is: “Find all email conversations over the past week from Manning.com. Summarize the emails, focusing on the main points, decisions made, and any action items or deadlines.” Review the result rather than accepting it automatically; confirm that each task and deadline matches the original messages. section 7.1.1
Table 7.1 Examples of AI-enhanced email management
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Task
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Prompt
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|---|---|
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Summarize an email conversation.
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Find all email conversations over the past week from Manning.com. Summarize the emails, focusing on the main points, decisions made, and any action items or deadlines.
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Respond to emails using AI.
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Craft a response to the following email that addresses all questions asked, reiterates any important points, and proposes next steps.
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Draft emails with AI assistance.
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Help me draft an email to [recipient’s name/role] regarding [topic], ensuring it’s clear, concise, and professional.
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Decode technical jargon in emails.
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Explain the technical terms found in the attached email in layman’s terms, ensuring clarity and accessibility for non-specialist readers.
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Check emails for tone, clarity, and professionalism.
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Review my draft email below for tone, clarity, and professionalism, and suggest any necessary revisions.
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Find unread or follow-up emails.
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Identify all unread emails or emails that require a follow-up in my inbox from the past week.
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Draft an email for various target groups on the same topic.
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Draft a single email about [topic] that is suitable for sending to different target groups, including [group 1], [group 2], and [group 3], ensuring it resonates with each audience.
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Tailor messages to your audience.
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Adapt the following message for [specific audience], considering their interests, knowledge level, and cultural context.
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Deal with technical jargon.
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Rewrite the following sentences to remove technical jargon and make the information accessible to a general audience.
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Make quick announcements.
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Compose a brief announcement about [topic/event] that is informative and engaging for the entire team.
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Provide feedback and suggestions.
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Formulate constructive feedback and practical suggestions for the attached project proposal, ensuring the tone is encouraging and supportive.
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Maintain inbox zero.
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Provide guidance on effective strategies and best practices for managing a high volume of emails, with the goal of achieving and maintaining an organized, prioritized inbox that supports the concept of 'inbox zero'.
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Use the email-management prompt table to compare action-item extraction with related tasks such as drafting replies, suggesting next steps, and summarizing conversations. section 7.1.1
Meeting-generated action items require responsible use. Tell participants when transcription is enabled, and check the recap for accuracy. Teams and Krisp can automate the process, but additional questions may be needed when the first analysis lacks detail. section 7.2.1
