# How to summarize a Meeting Transcript with ChatGPT: step-by-step guide with screenshots > Summarize a Meeting Transcript with ChatGPT in ChatGPT, in 24 steps with a screenshot of each one. A free how-to guide, plus a free hands-on practice… Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-summarize-meeting-transcript/guide · Updated 2026-10-02 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Updated October 2, 2026 Paste a long meeting transcript into ChatGPT and get the decisions, an action items table with owners and due dates, and a follow-up email ready to send. **About the screenshots.** They come from Stepthrough’s simulated practice environment (a practice copy of ChatGPT), not the live tool, so no real account appears. The buttons and labels match the real screens the lesson was built against. Practice it yourself free at learn.ynteractive.com. ## How do you want to learn? - [Practice it step by step: Interactive, in a practice copy of ChatGPT, about 9 min](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/chatgpt-meeting-summary) - [Watch the video: 3:00, narrated, with chapters](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-summarize-meeting-transcript/video) - [Read the guide: 24 steps with screenshots](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-summarize-meeting-transcript/guide) Lesson overview: [Summarize a Meeting Transcript with ChatGPT](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-summarize-meeting-transcript) - Tools: ChatGPT - Time: about 9 minutes, 24 steps in 5 parts - Level: beginner, no coding needed ## Part 1: Copy the transcript ### Step 1: Open the Edit menu Here's the transcript from Monday's team meeting at Harbor Street Bakery. Google Meet saved it as a Google Doc: four people, lots of back and forth, and a few ums. Let's copy the whole thing. ![Google Docs in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 1 of 24 (Open the Edit menu): the cursor is on “Edit”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-01.webp) **Step 1 of 24.** This is the transcript Google Meet saved after Monday's team meeting. Click **Edit** in the menu bar. ### Step 2: Select all On a keyboard, that's Control A. ![Google Docs in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 2 of 24 (Select all): the cursor is on “Select all”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-02.webp) **Step 2 of 24.** Click **Select all**. ### Step 3: Open the Edit menu again The whole transcript is highlighted. ![Google Docs in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 3 of 24 (Open the Edit menu again): the cursor is on “Edit”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-03.webp) **Step 3 of 24.** The whole transcript is highlighted. Click **Edit** again. ### Step 4: Copy it That's Control C. The transcript is now on your clipboard. ![Google Docs in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 4 of 24 (Copy it): the cursor is on “Copy”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-04.webp) **Step 4 of 24.** Click **Copy**. ## Part 2: Ask for a summary ### Step 5: Switch to ChatGPT Now switch over to ChatGPT. ![Google Docs in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 5 of 24 (Switch to ChatGPT): the cursor is on “ChatGPT”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-05.webp) **Step 5 of 24.** Click the **ChatGPT** tab at the top. ### Step 6: Click the message box Before you paste the transcript, tell ChatGPT what you want out of it. Otherwise you'll just get a vague recap. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 6 of 24 (Click the message box): the cursor is on “message box”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-06.webp) **Step 6 of 24.** Click the **message box**. ### Step 7: Paste your request Here's the request. It asks for four things: a three sentence summary, the decisions, a table of action items with an owner and a due date, and any open questions. The last line matters most: only use what's in the transcript, and write not stated when something is missing. That stops ChatGPT from guessing. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 7 of 24 (Paste your request): the request is filled in (“You're my operations assistant. Below is the…”).](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-07.webp) **Step 7 of 24.** Paste in the request. It asks for four things: a short **summary**, the **decisions**, an **action items table** with owner and due date, and **open questions**. ```text You're my operations assistant. Below is the transcript of today's team meeting at Harbor Street Bakery. Give me: 1. A three-sentence summary 2. The decisions we made 3. The action items as a table: task, owner, due date 4. Open questions Only use what's in the transcript. If an owner or date isn't said, write "Not stated". ``` ### Step 8: Paste the transcript In real ChatGPT, press Shift and Enter to start a new line first, because Enter on its own sends the message. Then Control V to paste. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 8 of 24 (Paste the transcript): the transcript is filled in (“00:00:04 Dana Reyes: Okay, I think everyone's…”).](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-08.webp) **Step 8 of 24.** Now paste the transcript under the request. Paste in the transcript. (In real ChatGPT, press **Shift+Enter** for a new line first, then **Ctrl+V**. Plain Enter would send the message.) ```text 00:00:04 Dana Reyes: Okay, I think everyone's here. Um, quick one today, I know Luis has dough going. So first thing, pumpkin rolls. 00:00:15 Luis Ortega: Yeah, we're sold out by like ten every single day. Saturday we were out at nine thirty. 00:00:24 Priya Shah: People are asking at the counter all morning. I had to turn away maybe fifteen people Saturday. 00:00:31 Dana Reyes: Okay, so let's just double them. Starting Wednesday? Luis, can you make that work with the dough schedule? 00:00:39 Luis Ortega: Wednesday works. I'll move the rye to the afternoon and redo the dough schedule by Tuesday. 00:00:52 Dana Reyes: Great. Next, holiday pies. I want pre-orders open October twelfth this year, not November like last year. That was chaos. 00:01:04 Priya Shah: I can set up the order form on the website. I can have it ready by October ninth so we can test it. 00:01:12 Luis Ortega: Can we cap it though? Last year we did ninety pies on the Wednesday and I didn't go home. 00:01:20 Dana Reyes: Yes. Sixty pies a day, max, for Thanksgiving week. When a day's full, the form closes that day. 00:01:33 Sam Keller: Catering thing. Oakwood Library wants breakfast for eighty people on October twentieth. Pastries, coffee, fruit. 00:01:42 Dana Reyes: Oh nice. Sam, can you put a quote together for them? 00:01:46 Sam Keller: Yep, I'll do the quote. 00:01:51 Luis Ortega: Also oven two is making that clicking noise again. I'll call the repair company. 00:01:58 Dana Reyes: Please do. Um, the van lease is up November first. I don't know yet if we renew or buy something used. Let's think about it. 00:02:10 Priya Shah: Are we hiring someone for the counter for the holidays? Saturdays are really tight. 00:02:16 Dana Reyes: Maybe. I want to look at the numbers first. Okay, that's it, thanks everybody. ``` ### Step 9: Send it Request on top, transcript below. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 9 of 24 (Send it): the cursor is on “Send”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-09.webp) **Step 9 of 24.** Click **Send**. ## Part 3: Check the details ### Step 10: Check the action items A rambling meeting, boiled down to a summary, three decisions, four action items and two open questions. Now check it before you send it anywhere. Look at the action items table. Two due dates say not stated. That's right: nobody said when the library quote or the oven call would happen. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 10 of 24 (Check the action items): the cursor is on “action items table”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-10.webp) **Step 10 of 24.** Read the summary and decisions. Then click the **action items table**: two due dates say **Not stated**. ### Step 11: Click the message box You were in the meeting, so you can fill in the gaps. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 11 of 24 (Click the message box): the cursor is on “message box”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-11.webp) **Step 11 of 24.** You know the missing dates. Click the **message box** to tell ChatGPT. ### Step 12: Fill in the gaps Tell it the missing dates: the library quote is due Wednesday, and Luis will call about the oven today. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 12 of 24 (Fill in the gaps): the dates is filled in (“The library quote is due Wednesday, and Luis…”).](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-12.webp) **Step 12 of 24.** Type the missing dates (or Paste in the dates): **The library quote is due Wednesday, and Luis will call about the oven today.** ### Step 13: Send it ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 13 of 24 (Send it): the cursor is on “Send”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-13.webp) **Step 13 of 24.** Click **Send**. ## Part 4: Write the follow-up ### Step 14: Click the message box Now every task has an owner and a date. Because ChatGPT still has the whole meeting in this chat, you don't need to paste anything again. Just ask for the next thing. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 14 of 24 (Click the message box): the cursor is on “message box”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-14.webp) **Step 14 of 24.** Every action item has an owner and a date now. Click the **message box**. ### Step 15: Ask for the follow-up email Ask for a short, friendly follow-up email to the team, with the decisions and the action items. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 15 of 24 (Ask for the follow-up email): the request is filled in (“Now write a short follow-up email to the team…”).](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-15.webp) **Step 15 of 24.** Paste in the request to ask for a short follow-up email to the team. ### Step 16: Send it ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 16 of 24 (Send it): the cursor is on “Send”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-16.webp) **Step 16 of 24.** Click **Send**. ### Step 17: Copy the email There's your recap email: the decisions, who's doing what and by when, and what's still open. Read it once, change anything that doesn't sound like you, then click the copy button under it and paste it into your email. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 17 of 24 (Copy the email): the cursor is on “Copy”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-17.webp) **Step 17 of 24.** Read the email. Then click the **Copy** button under it. ## Part 5: Or upload the file ### Step 18: Start a new chat Sometimes the transcript comes as a file instead, like a Word document someone emailed you. You don't have to open it and copy it. Start a new chat. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 18 of 24 (Start a new chat): the cursor is on “New chat”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-18.webp) **Step 18 of 24.** Next time the transcript might be a file. Click **New chat**. ### Step 19: Open the plus menu ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 19 of 24 (Open the plus menu): the cursor is on “+”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-19.webp) **Step 19 of 24.** Click the **+** button on the left of the message box. ### Step 20: Add photos & files ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 20 of 24 (Add photos & files): the cursor is on “Add photos & files”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-20.webp) **Step 20 of 24.** Click **Add photos & files**. ### Step 21: Pick the transcript Your file browser opens. ![The file picker in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 21 of 24 (Pick the transcript): the cursor is on “Monday team meeting - Transcript.docx”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-21.webp) **Step 21 of 24.** Click **Monday team meeting - Transcript.docx**. ### Step 22: Open it The file attaches to the message box. You can also just drag a file onto the chat. ![The file picker in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 22 of 24 (Open it): the cursor is on “Open”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-22.webp) **Step 22 of 24.** Click **Open**. ### Step 23: Ask for the summary Now the same request as before, in one line. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 23 of 24 (Ask for the summary): the request is filled in (“Summarize this meeting transcript: decisions,…”).](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-23.webp) **Step 23 of 24.** Paste in the request: the same four things, in one line. ```text Summarize this meeting transcript: decisions, action items with owner and due date, and open questions. If an owner or date isn't said, write "Not stated". ``` ### Step 24: Send it Either way, always check the owners and dates before you send the recap. ![ChatGPT in Stepthrough’s practice copy, step 24 of 24 (Send it): the cursor is on “Send”, highlighted.](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guide/chatgpt-meeting-summary/step-24.webp) **Step 24 of 24.** Click **Send**. ## Now do it yourself, free Reading the steps is a start. Doing them is how it sticks. The interactive lesson puts you in a practice copy of ChatGPT: you do every step yourself, it checks your work, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Nothing touches your real accounts. [Practice “Summarize a Meeting Transcript with ChatGPT” step by step](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/chatgpt-meeting-summary) [Watch the 3:00 video walkthrough](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-summarize-meeting-transcript/video) · [Summarize a Meeting Transcript with ChatGPT: lesson overview](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-summarize-meeting-transcript) · [All free tutorials](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content)