AI tools for secretaries

Manages the executive's calendar and mailbox, registers incoming and outgoing correspondence, prepares letters, minutes and document packs.

Tools ranked for this role

Best tool for each task

ChatGPT

All-purpose chat assistant with web search, file and spreadsheet analysis, voice and custom GPTs. Paid plans from $20/mo. Free plan available.

Claude

Assistant for long documents, contracts and careful writing, with a Project for each matter. Paid plans from $20/mo. Free plan available.

Copilot in Outlook

Summaries of long email threads, reply drafts and meeting prep right in Outlook. Paid plans from $20/mo.

Data that stays out of public AI tools

• Executive letters on personal and HR matters: into a public service only as anonymized text
• Passport data, phones and addresses of travel and meeting participants: replace them with [Participant 1]
• Letters from government bodies and courts with case numbers and details: add the details locally
• Passwords to the executive's email and portals: never, anywhere, not even to set up an assistant
• Transcripts of closed board meetings: only inside a corporate environment

Tasks with a prompt and steps

• Clear your morning inbox in half an hour 30 min
• Log incoming correspondence with a short summary 20 min
• Prepare a cover letter for a document pack 10 min
• Find a meeting time with several participants 10 min
• Write meeting minutes from an audio recording 20 min
• Send action items to participants after a meeting 15 min
• Write a business letter 10 min
• Turn a scanned document into editable text 10 min
• Write an email to a foreign partner in their language 10 min
• Plan your week in the calendar with focus blocks 20 min
• Turn a finished document into a presentation 30 min
• Find a document in your drive by its content 5 min