Custom Summary insights are evaluated by an AI that has no context beyond the call transcript. It has no knowledge of your company, your products, or your internal processes. This article explains how to write prompts that produce accurate, consistent, and reusable outputs across all three insight types: Discovery, Validation, and Options.

Note: For instructions on creating and assigning Custom Summary templates, see Creating custom summaries.

The core principle

Write every prompt so that someone unfamiliar with your business could understand exactly what to extract just by reading it, with no additional context.

Each prompt must be:

  • Specific: target one clearly defined concept per insight
  • Self contained: include all necessary context within the prompt itself
  • Grounded: only ask for information you expect to be present in the transcript

General guidance

Do

  • Focus each prompt on a single concept. If you need multiple pieces of information, create separate insights.
  • Use simple, direct language. Break complex sentences into shorter, clearer statements.
  • Condition format instructions on the information being available (for example, “list up to 5 bullet points, if applicable”).

Don't

  • Assume the AI knows your company's policies, scripts, or terminology.
  • Ask for subjective judgments (for example, “How well did the agent handle this?”).
  • Use vague terms like “key takeaways,” “important points,” or “main ideas.”
  • Use personal pronouns without a clear reference (for example, “he,” “they,” “us”).
  • Combine multiple topics in a single prompt.
  • Force a format that may not suit every call.

Guidance by insight type

Discovery

Discovery insights extract free text information from the transcript. Common pitfalls include vague scope, combined topics, and rigid formatting.

IssueInstead ofUse
Combined concepts“What is the prospect's budget and timeline for adopting Aircall?”Two separate insights: “What budget has the prospect set aside for adopting Aircall?” and “What timeline does the prospect need to follow for adopting Aircall?”
Vague language“Summarize the key takeaways.”“Provide a neutral summary of these booking details: car model, rental start and end dates, pick up location, and drop off location.”
Rigid formatting“What agreed action items were expressed during the call? Respond with 3–5 bullet points.”“What agreed action items were identified in the call? List up to 5 bullet points, if applicable.”
Subjective judgment“How effectively did the agent secure commitment?”“Extract statements by the agent intended to secure commitment.”
Unclear pronouns“Did he mention any concerns for adopting us?”“Did the customer state any concerns about adopting Aircall?”
Unclear references“Is the prospect a good candidate for the OP?”“Is the prospect eligible to join the Observability Program? (description of eligibility criteria)”
Information not in transcript“Is this the first call with the prospect?”“Is this a sales cold call?”
Non specific language“What is the customer timeline?”“What timeline did the customer specify for adopting Aircall?”

Options and Validation

These insight types return a closed set of answers. This introduces additional requirements around option completeness, option descriptions, and choosing the correct type.

Additional do's

  • Consider whether an Other or None option is needed. If there is any chance the correct answer is not in your list, include one.
  • Consider whether a Not mentioned or Not applicable option is needed. If the transcript may not contain the relevant information, include one.
  • Write clear, detailed descriptions for each option so the AI knows exactly when to select it.
  • Use the Validation type only when neither “Other” nor “Not mentioned/Not applicable” will ever be needed.

Additional don'ts

  • Do not include output format instructions in Validation or Options prompts.
  • Do not assume multiple options can be selected. Only one option is returned per insight.
IssueInstead ofUse
Missing “Other/None” optionOptions: “Dialpad,” “RingCentral,” “Talkdesk”Options: “Dialpad,” “RingCentral,” “Talkdesk,” “None,” “Other”
Missing “Not mentioned” option“Has the prospect defined a budget?” Options: “Yes,” “No”“Has the prospect defined a budget?” Options: “Yes,” “No,” “Not mentioned”
Weak option descriptions“Yes: Has a defined budget” / “Not mentioned: The topic was not mentioned”“Yes: It is clear from the transcript that the prospect has a defined budget” / “Not mentioned: It is not clear from the transcript, or the topic was not discussed at all”
Format instruction in Options prompt“Is the customer happy with the resolution? Answer in up to 3 bullet points.” Options: “Yes,” “No,” “Not applicable”Either remove the format instruction and keep the Options type, or remove the options and use a Discovery insight with the format instruction
Multi select assumed“What phone solutions is the prospect considering as alternatives to Aircall?”“What is the main phone solution the prospect is considering as an alternative to Aircall?”

Choosing between Validation and Options

Validation is a strict binary type with no additional options. Use it only when every call will contain enough information for a definite Yes or No.

Poor fit for ValidationGood fit for Validation
“Is the prospect constrained by any timeline?” (topic may not come up)“Is this a cold call?”
“Is the customer happy with the resolution?” (may not apply if no issue was raised)“Is there a dissatisfied customer on the call?”

When in doubt, use an Options insight and include a “Not mentioned” or “Not applicable” option.