# What Is Structured Output? A Visual Guide > A visual guide to structured output: AI answers in fixed fields people can scan and software can read, shown with a real interview scorecard. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/term-structured-output-explained · Updated 2026-10-01 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) [AI term explained](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual#format-term-of-the-day) · 4 slides · [ChatGPT](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/tool/chatgpt) By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) · Published October 1, 2026 · From the free lesson [Turn an Interview Debrief into a Scorecard and a Candidate Follow-Up (Recruiting & HR)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-interview-debrief-scorecard) A visual guide to structured output: AI answers in fixed fields people can scan and software can read, shown with a real interview scorecard. Swipe or scroll sideways for all 4 slides. The whole guide is written out below. ## The guide in text ****Structured output**:** AI output in fixed, predictable fields, like a table with set columns, instead of free-flowing prose. People can scan it and software can read it without guessing. ## Fixed fields make gaps visible Each must-have is scored Strong, Partial or Not discussed. Training other staff comes back Not discussed: the panel ran out of time. ## Ask for structure - List the fields in the order you want, with the exact names you'll use elsewhere. - Limit values where you can (Strong, Partial, Not discussed). - Give every field an "unknown" value so the model doesn't fill gaps with guesses. **The full definition:** [What is structured output in AI?](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/structured-output) in the AI glossary, with an example from a free lesson, common confusions and tips. Businesses and people in the examples are made up. The steps, screens and wording come from the free lesson and the Stepthrough glossary and prompt library. ## Do it yourself, free **Turn an Interview Debrief into a Scorecard and a Candidate Follow-Up (Recruiting & HR)**. Turn the transcript of an interview panel's debrief into a scorecard against the role's must-haves, the decisions, action items with owners and dates, and a follow-up email to the candidate. You do every step yourself in a practice copy of ChatGPT, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts. [Start the free lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/recruiting-interview-scorecard) [Or read the full step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/chatgpt-interview-debrief-scorecard) ## Related terms Plain-English definitions, each with an example from a free lesson. [Structured output](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/structured-output) · [Action items](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/action-items) · [AI bias](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-bias) · [AI summarization](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-summarization) · [Candidate experience](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/candidate-experience) · [Context window](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/context-window) · [File upload (in an AI chat)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/file-upload) · [Interview debrief](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/interview-debrief) [The full AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) ## Related prompts - [Action items table prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/action-items-table-prompt): Paste a meeting transcript or rough notes and get a table of every task, owner and due date, with "Not stated" wherever nobody… - [Interview debrief agenda prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/interview-debrief-agenda-prompt): Plan a short interview debrief that goes must-have by must-have, keeps the talk on job evidence and ends with a decision, owners… - [Interview scorecard prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/interview-scorecard-prompt): Turn interview notes or a debrief transcript into a scorecard: each must-have rated with a quote as evidence, gaps marked Not… - [Meeting agenda prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/meeting-agenda-prompt): Turn a list of topics into a timed meeting agenda where every item has an owner, a question to settle and minutes that add up to… [All free prompt templates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts) ## From the blog - [Interview Debrief Template: Run It Fair, Then Score It](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/interview-debrief-template): An interview debrief template for small teams: a must-have-by-must-have agenda, how to park off-topic comments, and a ChatGPT prompt for the scorecard. - [How to Ask ChatGPT for a Table (Prompts That Work)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/ask-chatgpt-for-a-table): Ask ChatGPT for a table by naming the columns and saying what goes in an empty cell. Three work prompts: action items, a promise check and a scorecard. - [Is It Safe to Paste Client Emails into ChatGPT?](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/is-it-safe-to-paste-client-data-into-chatgpt): Is it safe to put client data in ChatGPT? A practical checklist: what to remove first, which plan settings to check, and the rules your industry points to. ## More visual guides - [5 Steps to Turn an Interview Debrief into a Scorecard](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/5-steps-interview-debrief-to-scorecard): A visual guide: turn an interview panel's debrief transcript into a ChatGPT scorecard with evidence for each must-have, then a candidate follow-up. - [Myth: Removing Names Is Enough to Stop AI Bias](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/myth-removing-names-stops-ai-bias): Myth vs fact: hiding names helps, but bias comes through other details. Job-related criteria and evidence for each score do more. - [Prompt of the Day: Update a Candidate After an Interview](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual/prompt-update-a-candidate-after-an-interview): A visual prompt card: the email a candidate gets after an interview, with thanks, where things stand, the next step and no hint of the decision. [All visual guides](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/visual) · [All free tutorials](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content)