Work & businessChapter 1 of 5⏱ 6 min

Inbox → summary.

A 20-reply thread, everyone cc'd, and you need to reply before lunch. Get who-does-what in seconds, plus a draft reply.

✓Clear summary✓Who owes what✓Draft reply

New to Claude? Start with The basics (15 min) →

Copy the whole thread

Remove signatures, phone numbers and client details. Rename outsiders to "Client A" and "Supplier B".

Ask for the summary

Paste the thread, then:

Summarise this email thread: 1. The main issue in 2 sentences 2. What's already agreed 3. What's still pending, and who needs to act 4. A draft reply from me that closes every pending item, max 120 words, professional tone

9:41●●●

≡Delivery thread✎

[thread] Summarise this email thread…

Issue: delivery moved to 14 Nov; Client A wants the old price.
Agreed: the new date.
Pending: price approval (Manager), revised PO (Client A).
Draft reply: Hi all, thanks for…

+Reply to Claude…↑

Read the summary first

Not just the draft. Make sure Claude understood the thread.

Adjust the tone

Ask for "firmer", "friendlier" or "Malay version".

Make it firmer.

9:41●●●

≡Delivery thread✎

Make it firmer.

Hi all, to confirm: delivery is 14 Nov. Pricing stays as quoted unless approved by Friday. Client A, please send the revised PO by Thursday.

+Reply to Claude…↑

Bonus: meeting notes → action items

Same trick for messy meeting notes.

From these meeting notes, produce: - Decisions made - An action items table: Task | Owner | Deadline (write "NONE" if the owner or date isn't mentioned, don't guess) - A short summary email for everyone who attended

9:41●●●

≡Weekly meeting✎

Task	Owner	Due
Update price list	Aina	Fri
Call supplier	Raj	Mon
Book venue	NONE	NONE

+Reply to Claude…↑

BOOM.

A thread that took half an hour to read becomes one summary and one draft you just check.

Check first

Claude can mix up names, dates and numbers. Read it once before you send.

Next · Chapter 2Who hasn't paid?→

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