How to Write an Executive Summary: Purpose, Elements, Types, and Examples

Businesses use executive summaries to condense reports, proposals, and goals.

But how is an executive summary written? Below, we have explained what an executive summary is, how to write one, its elements, types, and examples.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is a brief report or a condensed version of a lengthy business report, plan, proposal, or any other document.

The word executive means having the power to put plans, actions, or laws into effect; decision-making ability essentially. An executive person in a company or organization is someone who is responsible for managing and executing tasks (making decisions).

That’s why the name “executive summary” is used, which is derived from its primary purpose: to provide a concise summary of a document for executives (decision-makers) for executing tasks (decision-making).

Purpose of an executive summary

Executive summaries are an essential component of business documents. Businesses utilize executive summaries to condense important information into smaller, more comprehensible versions of lengthy documents and reports.

Executives who don’t have the time to go through the lengths of executive documents simply read their corresponding executive summaries.

At a glance, executive summaries are used for:

• summarizing the main points of a lengthy document,

• giving an overview of the document;

• facilitating on-time decision-making.

Elements of an executive summary

An executive summary can have various elements depending on the kind of document it summarizes. But generally, here are some common elements of an executive summary:

• An introduction that briefly introduces the document, its purpose, and the key points of the summary and the document.

• Section headings are used within the summary to distinguish between different parts of the summary. It also helps understand what a particular section is about.

• Background that provides context by summarizing the information that led to the creation of the document.

• The objective that states the main objective or purpose of the document.

• Findings that highlight the key findings, data, or research supporting the document's purpose.

• Recommended solution or course of action. This section presents the recommended or proposed actions based on the findings of the document.

• Citations or references to sources can be used to refer to ideas, research, or relevant information.

• Timeline and costs. Executive summaries may include the expected time and costs to achieve the target goal.

• A conclusion may be added to conclude the summary, highlighting the key takeaways and the expected impacts or benefits if the decision is made.

Types of executive summaries

An executive summary can summarize:

• a business plan document,

• a project proposal document,

• a research report,

• a marketing plan document;

• a financial report.

Based on these types of documents, executive summaries can vary in type. 

• A business plan executive summary can highlight the business concept, market conditions, and financial and strategic goals.

• A project proposal executive summary can highlight a specific project’s details, such as goals, scope, budget, and expected time.

• A research report executive summary can outline research goals, key findings, and conclusions.

• A marketing plan executive summary can highlight the marketing strategy, its objectives, requirements, and target audience.

• A financial report executive summary can highlight financial data, current and future trends, and recommendations.

How to write an executive summary

Based on the document, you can write an executive summary by briefly stating its key points, essential information, and various sections in a formal voice and tone.

Though there are no other hard-and-fast rules than writing normal summaries, here are some tips for writing executive summaries:

• Understand the document thoroughly. If you are responsible for writing an executive summary, you must read the document in question thoroughly before crafting its summary. A good summary requires you to fully understand the required document, including its essence, key points, objectives, important information, and so on.

• Write concisely. Summaries are supposed to be brief and condensed versions of their original documents. That’s why you need to be concise in your writing.

• Only write what’s important. One of the major aspects of writing summaries is that they discard non-essential information and focus on what’s truly important. The nitty-gritty parts are for original documents, not summaries.

• Use clear language. The quality of summaries heavily depends on the correct use of language. Summaries require clear-cut language to communicate the message effectively.

• Check the grammar. Executive summaries ought to be professional, and grammatical mistakes are unacceptable in professional settings. That’s why you must check the grammar of the summary, including spelling and punctuation, before finalizing it. Consider using an AI grammar checker for a quick check of grammatical errors.

Example of an executive summary

Here’s an example of a project proposal executive summary:

Introduction: The project All About Fashion is a newly proposed initiative to launch a fashion-related mobile app designed to educate users about fashion trends and the sale of related products.

Background: Recent market analysis shows a gap and an increasing demand for platforms focused on fashion, with mobile apps in particular.

Objective: The project “All About Fasion” aims to develop a mobile application that offers diverse functionalities that will facilitate fashion in different ways, such as broadcasting fashion-related news, highlighting fashion trends, and facilitating the sale of fashion products.

Market analysis: Our deep market analysis in partnership with ABC Company reveals a market potential of approximately $2 billion, driven by an increasing demand for said product, with a primary audience of females aged 15 to 45 currently.

Solution: The "All About Fashion" project will deliver a multi-functional mobile application that addresses the identified market gap. The app will feature real-time updates on fashion news and trends, as well as a marketplace for related products. Users will be able to browse the latest news, trends, and products, receive personalized fashion recommendations based on their biodata and activities, and purchase products. The app will also include a social component that allows users to record, edit, and share their fashion finds and interact with influencers.

Anticipated outcome: The proposed solution is anticipated to meet current market demands while creating a smooth user experience that promotes engagement and drives sales. This solution uses advanced technology to provide a one-stop-shop for all things fashion, positioning us as a leader in the market. The "All About Fashion" app is projected to generate $50 million in revenue within the first three years of launch.

Conclusion

Writing a good executive summary is essential for effectively communicating the essence of a larger document to executives in businesses. An executive summary facilitates quick and informed decision-making by outlining the purpose, key findings, and recommended actions for lengthy documents. The article also highlights the purpose, elements, types, and an example of executive summaries.