Efficiency, Not Heroics: Small Automations Guide
1. What to Automate First (30 minutes)
Pick tasks that are: Small (under 15 min), Valuable (saves headaches), Repeatable (daily/weekly).
Impact vs Effort: Top 10 Use Cases
High Impact, Low Effort:
· Inbox triage summaries
· Reply drafts for common emails
· Meeting note cleanup + actions
· Document summarization
· Spreadsheet cleanup + status
· FAQ/helpdesk responses
Medium Impact, Low Effort:
· Status report drafts
· Calendar invite creation
Medium Impact, Medium Effort:
· Agenda formatting
· Survey response summary
Top 5 Starters
1. Inbox Triage (Outlook Copilot)
· Task: Summarize emails, draft common replies
· Trigger: Daily inbox review
· Value: Faster responses, less stress
· Risk: Tone issues, hallucinated facts
2. Meeting Notes (Teams/Word Copilot)
· Task: Clean notes, extract actions
· Trigger: After each meeting
· Value: Clear follow-ups, accountability
· Risk: Missing context, wrong owners
3. Doc Summary (Word/ChatGPT)
· Task: 1-page exec brief from long docs
· Trigger: New reports received
· Value: Leadership stays informed
· Risk: Missing nuances, incomplete
4. Excel Cleanup (Excel Copilot)
· Task: Fix headers, add status, trend summary
· Trigger: Before sharing data
· Value: Reliable handoffs, fewer errors
· Risk: Hidden data changes
5. FAQ Responses (ChatGPT)
· Task: Draft answers from approved context
· Trigger: Common support requests
· Value: Consistent, faster support
· Risk: Out-of-date info, wrong tone
2. Five Automations You Can Ship Today
1. Inbox Triage (Outlook Copilot)
Setup: Open Outlook → Click Copilot icon
Copy this prompt:
Summarize last 10 unread emails: topic, sender, action needed. Draft replies for [common type]. Mark [CHECK] if unclear.
Test Process: Run on 3 emails → Check accuracy → Edit tone → Send
Accept if: Accurate summaries, polite drafts, no hallucinated facts
Make it routine: Daily morning triage
2. Meeting Notes (Teams/Word Copilot)
Setup: Open Teams/Word → Click Copilot → Paste notes
Copy this prompt:
Clean these notes into: 1) decisions, 2) action items/owner, 3) next steps. Keep plain and actionable.
Test Process: Use messy notes → Run prompt → Check clarity → Share for review
Accept if: All key points kept, clear owners, no invented decisions
Make it routine: End of every meeting
3. Doc Summary (Word/ChatGPT)
Setup: Open Word Copilot or paste in ChatGPT
Copy this prompt:
Executive summary: 1) key points, 2) risks, 3) next steps. Limit 300 words.
Test Process: Real document → Generate → Compare accuracy → Manager review
Accept if: Covers main ideas, no missing facts, right tone
Make it routine: Every large report received
4. Excel Cleanup (Excel Copilot)
Setup: Open Excel → Click Copilot
Copy this prompt:
Standardize headers, add Status column, write 1-paragraph trend summary. Flag missing data as "Needs Review."
Test Process: Messy sheet → Run → Verify changes → Team validation
Accept if: Clean headers, accurate status, logical summary
Make it routine: Before sharing reports
5. FAQ Responses (ChatGPT Web)
Setup: ChatGPT web → Paste context block first
Copy this prompt:
Helpdesk assistant. Use only context below. Draft answer to: {{Question}}. If unclear, reply "[Needs Supervisor]." Context: {{Policy/Guidance}}.
Test Process: Real question → Add context → Check policy alignment → Approve
Accept if: Stays in policy, no inventions, right tone
Make it routine: Reuse context blocks for new questions
3. Governance Checklist
What inputs are allowed:
· Public info only
· No client data, passwords, PII/PHI
Review process:
· Manager approves new automations
· Spot-check 10% weekly for first month
Prompt management:
· Store in shared folder with owner/date
· Update after changes
Prevent hallucinations:
· Require "[CHECK]" when context missing
· Anchor to provided facts only
Keep records:
· Save input/output/notes for 30 days
4. Copy-Paste Prompt Templates
General Pattern
You are my assistant. Goal: {{Goal}} for {{Audience}}. Use only provided facts. If missing, ask—don't invent. Input: {{Facts}}. Style: {{Tone}}. Length: {{Length}}. Output: {{Format}}.
Summarize-Then-Act
Summarize into: 1) key bullets, 2) unknowns, 3) next steps. Keep exact names/numbers. If uncertain, mark [CHECK]. Under 150 words each.
Context Block Template
Context: [Paste company policy/style guide here before tasks]
5. One-Week Pilot
Pick one automation. Run daily for 7 days. Track these metrics:
Minutes saved per day: Self-report time savings
Rework rate: Percentage of outputs that needed editing
Approval rate: Percentage that passed review
Error rate: Percentage with mistakes found
Confidence score: Rate 1-5 daily
Decision criteria:
· 15%+ time saved + low errors = keep and scale
· High errors or low confidence = adjust or retire
Next Steps: Document what works. Share with team. Scale successful automations. Start small, stay safe, save time for work that matters.
