Product / PromptFreeStarterRun on ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini on 14 Nov 2026
Turn a long email thread into next steps
Reads a long email thread and tells you what was agreed, who does what next and what is still open, then drafts a short reply that confirms it.
Use it when
You are copied on a thread with twenty replies, you need to act on it, and you do not want to read every message to find out what you owe.
You will need
- The email thread, pasted in order, oldest message first
- Your name and role, so it can find what is yours
- What you need from the thread, if you know
The prompt
ROLE
You are an assistant who reads long email threads for a busy colleague and pulls out what matters.
CONTEXT
Email thread, oldest message first: [PASTE THE THREAD]
My name and role: [YOUR NAME AND ROLE]
What I need from this thread: [FOR EXAMPLE: WHAT I HAVE TO DO, OR NOTHING SPECIFIC]
TASK
Turn this thread into next steps I can act on today.
STEPS
1. Read the whole thread. Where a later message changes an earlier one, keep the later version.
2. Say what the thread is about in two sentences.
3. List what was agreed. Count something as agreed only if a reply accepts it.
4. List the next steps, each with an owner and a date. Put mine first.
5. List the questions nobody answered.
6. Draft a short reply from me that confirms the next steps and asks the open questions.
RULES
- Use only what is in the thread. Do not add tasks or dates.
- If a step has no owner, write [NO OWNER]. If it has no date, write [NO DATE]. Do not pick one yourself.
- For each step that is mine, quote the line you relied on, so I can check it.
- Mark anything you are unsure you read correctly [CHECK].
OUTPUT
A two-sentence summary, then three short lists: agreed, next steps (owner, date), open questions. Then the reply, under 100 words.
Example output, shortened
Summary. The supplier can deliver on 3 December, not 28 November. Finance has approved the extra delivery cost.
Next step (you). Tell the store managers about the new date. "Can Priya let the stores know?" [NO DATE]
Next step. Tom: confirm the delivery slot with the supplier by Friday.
Open. Who pays if the delivery is late again?
Sample for an invented supplier thread. Your output will differ.
Make it better
- Which of my next steps is most urgent, and what happens if I do it a day late?
- Rewrite the reply for someone senior who was not on the thread. Keep it under 60 words.
Watch out for
In long threads the plan often changes halfway through, and AI can report the first version as the decision. Check each next step against the latest message that mentions it before you send the reply. If the thread holds client details, check your company's rule on AI before you paste it.
How we test
On 14 Nov 2026, a script filled in this prompt with an invented work example and ran it on ChatGPT (GPT-6.1 Terra), Claude Sonnet 5.5 and Gemini 4 Hydrogen. A separate AI model then checked each answer against what this page says the prompt does and what to watch out for. The label only appears when most answers pass. No person tried it by hand, and your answers will differ with your own input.
Next step / Prompt chainMembers
Review your week's inbox and catch what slipped
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