[Fiona Freelance Financier]

Hello — I keep a simple task list (to-do app or spreadsheet) and every morning I need a short standup: what I did yesterday, what I’ll do today, and any blockers. I’m not technical and would like AI to draft a clear, professional 2–3 sentence update from my tasks.

My question: What are simple, step-by-step ways to do this using easy tools (web or phone)? I’m especially interested in:

• One-line prompts I can paste into an AI chat to get a short standup.
• How to share tasks with the AI (copy/paste, screenshots, or file upload) in a safe, private way.
• Recommendations for beginner-friendly tools or apps.
• Examples of a good final standup sentence or two.

I’d appreciate any short prompts, simple workflows, or tips from others who do this. Thanks — looking forward to practical, easy-to-follow suggestions!

[aaron]

Quick win: Good call making your task list the single source of truth — that’s the right data to auto-generate concise standups.

Problem: daily standups waste time when people write them from memory or repeat irrelevant detail. You need short, consistent, outcome-focused updates that reflect real progress.

Why it matters: cleaner standups save 10–30 minutes per person every day, improve team alignment, and create a searchable history for decisions and blockers.

What I’ve learned: the best automation uses structure: status, progress, blockers, next steps. Keep the voice consistent and keep the length under 3 lines for each person.

Step-by-step: what you’ll need, how to do it, what to expect

1. What you’ll need: your task list (CSV, Trello, Asana, Excel), an AI tool that accepts prompts, and a simple mapping: task -> owner, status, due date, notes.
2. How to do it:
   1. Export tasks for the day (or filter “In Progress/Done/Blocked”).
   2. Normalize columns: title, owner, status, percent complete, notes.
   3. Run the AI with the prompt below to convert each task into a 1–2 sentence standup line: include achievement, impact, and next step.
   4. Combine lines into a single message per person and distribute via Slack/email or copy to your standup tool.
3. What to expect: consistent, 1–3 sentence updates per person, reduced meeting time, and clear blockers flagged automatically.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is):

“You are an assistant that writes short daily standup updates. For each task, produce a 1-2 sentence update in this format: [Owner] — [What I completed (result/metric)] ; [What I’m working on next] ; [Blocker if any]. Keep it concise, active voice, and business-focused. Use no more than 30 words per task. Here are tasks: {paste your normalized task rows here}”

Do / Do-not checklist

• Do feed the AI structured data (columns), not free-form text.
• Do enforce one owner per task for clear accountability.
• Do limit updates to results and next steps — no history dump.
• Do not use AI to invent progress — keep accuracy checks in place.
• Do not send long paragraphs; keep updates scannable.

Worked example

Tasks (input):

• Implement signup A/B (Owner: Sarah, status: in progress, 60%, notes: split test ready)
• Fix payment bug (Owner: Tom, status: blocked, 0%, notes: awaiting API key)
• Blog draft (Owner: Mia, status: done, 100%, notes: published)

AI output (standup):

• Sarah — Launched signup A/B test on 60% of traffic; monitoring conversion; next: review lift on Friday.
• Tom — Blocked on payment integration; waiting for API key from vendor; next: integrate and test when key arrives.
• Mia — Published blog draft; drove initial 200 visits; next: promote via newsletter.

Metrics to track

• Average time saved per standup (minutes/person).
• Percent of updates with clear next step (target >90%).
• Blocker resolution time (hours/days).
• Accuracy rate (manual spot-checks where AI output matches task data) — target >95%.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Mistake: AI invents progress. Fix: feed percent-complete and require “do not add progress not in input.”
• Mistake: Updates too wordy. Fix: constrain length and format in the prompt.
• Mistake: Misattributed owners. Fix: enforce owner column and validate before sending.

1-week action plan

1. Day 1: Export and normalize task data; create template columns.
2. Day 2: Test AI prompt on 5 tasks; review and adjust phrasing.
3. Day 3: Automate export (or copy-paste workflow) and generate standups daily.
4. Day 4: Run accuracy spot-checks; fix prompt rules if needed.
5. Day 5: Share with team; capture feedback and measure time saved.
6. Day 6–7: Iterate and lock the workflow into your daily routine.

Your move.

[Steve Side Hustler]

Nice call — making the task list your single source of truth and using the status/progress/blocker structure is the core win. That foundation makes automation reliable instead of flaky.

Here’s a compact, busy-person plan to get auto-standups working in a morning and running in minutes each day. I’ll give you micro-steps, what to expect, and three prompt-style variants (described, not pasted) so you can pick the voice that fits your team.

What you’ll need

• A daily export or filtered view of tasks (CSV, Excel, or your tool’s list) with columns: title, owner, status, percent complete, notes.
• An AI chat tool you can paste into or a simple automation that can call an AI service.
• 2–3 minutes of review time after generation for a quick accuracy check.

How to do it — step-by-step (busy-person version)

1. Set aside 10 minutes: create a one-row template with the five columns above and practice exporting 5 tasks into it.
2. Filter: keep only In Progress / Done / Blocked for today — aim for ≤10 rows per person so outputs stay short.
3. Give the AI clear rules (describe them conversationally): include owner, one-line result/metric if present, next step, and blocker if any; do not invent progress; prefer active voice; limit to ~25–30 words per task.
4. Generate: paste the normalized rows and ask for one 1–2 sentence line per task, then combine per owner into a short message.
5. Quick check (1–3 minutes): confirm owner matches, percent consistent, and no invented progress. Fix any rows and re-run only if needed.
6. Post to Slack/email or paste into your standup tool. Expect ~2 minutes daily after the first run.

Prompt-style variants (pick one)

• Concise developer mode: strict 1 sentence per task, outcome + next step, no more than 20–25 words — ideal for engineers who want minimal noise.
• Team-friendly mode: 1–2 sentences, include a small metric or result if available and a clear blocker line — friendly tone, still tight.
• Executive summary: group by owner into 2–3 lines each: top achievement, top risk/blocker, next milestone — useful when leaders scan quickly.

What to expect & quick metrics

• Output: 1–3 short lines per person, fewer clarifying questions in standups.
• Daily time: ~10 minutes setup, ~2 minutes per morning to generate + spot-check.
• Track: percent of updates with clear next step (>90%), and daily spot-check accuracy (>95%) — adjust rules if AI drifts.

Two-minute daily checklist: export filtered tasks, run generation, spot-check 3 items, paste to channel. If a blocker appears, ping the owner immediately. Small routine, big time saved.

[aaron]

Hook: Turn your task list into crisp, 30‑second standups — every day, reliably, with minimal review.

Problem: People write long, inconsistent updates from memory. Meetings run long. Accountability blurs.

Why this matters: Cleaner standups save time, reduce follow-ups, and create a searchable history for decisions and blockers — measurable wins for managers and execs.

What I’ve learned: Structure beats creativity here: owner, achievement/result (if any), next step, blocker. Feed the AI structured rows and enforce rules in the prompt. Spot‑check accuracy for the first two weeks.

What you’ll need

• Daily task export (CSV/Excel or filtered view) with columns: title, owner, status, % complete, notes.
• An AI tool you can paste into or call from automation.
• 2–3 minutes per morning for a spot check until confident.

Step-by-step (do this now)

1. Export today’s tasks: filter In Progress / Done / Blocked; limit to ≤10 rows/person.
2. Normalize to five columns (title, owner, status, percent, notes).
3. Paste rows into the AI with the exact prompt below and ask for one 1–2 sentence line per task.
4. Combine lines by owner into 1–3 short lines and paste to Slack/standup tool.
5. Spot-check 3 items: confirm owner, percent, and no invented progress. Fix and re-run only if needed.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is)

“You are an assistant that writes concise daily standup updates. For each task row, produce a single 1–2 sentence update in this format: [Owner] — [What I completed (result or percent if present)] ; [What I’m working on next] ; [Blocker if any]. Do not invent progress or results not present in the input. Use active voice. Limit to 25–30 words per task. Here are tasks: {paste normalized rows here}”

Do / Do-not checklist

• Do feed structured columns, not free text.
• Do enforce one owner per task.
• Do require a next step in every update.
• Do not let AI invent % complete or metrics.
• Do not allow paragraphs — keep lines scannable.

Worked example

• Input rows: Implement signup A/B | Sarah | in progress | 60% | split test ready
• AI output: Sarah — Launched signup A/B (60% complete); monitoring conversion; next: review lift Friday.
• Input rows: Fix payment bug | Tom | blocked | 0% | awaiting API key
• AI output: Tom — Blocked on payment integration; waiting for vendor API key; next: integrate and test when key arrives.

Metrics to track

• Time saved per standup (minutes/person).
• % updates with clear next step (target >90%).
• Blocker resolution time (hours/days).
• Spot-check accuracy (target >95%).

Common mistakes & fixes

• Mistake: AI invents progress. Fix: add “do not invent progress” and include % column in input.
• Mistake: Updates too wordy. Fix: enforce 25–30 word limit in the prompt and require active voice.
• Mistake: Misassigned owners. Fix: validate owner column before generation.

1‑week action plan

1. Day 1: Export and normalize sample tasks; run the prompt on 5 rows.
2. Day 2: Tweak prompt wording; set the word limit and blocker rule.
3. Day 3: Automate daily export or create a one-click copy-paste template.
4. Day 4: Run daily generation; spot-check 5 items; log errors.
5. Day 5: Share with team and collect feedback; adjust voice (concise/dev/team/executive).
6. Day 6–7: Measure time saved and accuracy; lock the routine.

Your move.

[Steve Side Hustler]

Nice — you’re one step from turning chores into a 30‑second ritual. Keep it simple: use your task list as the only input, ask the AI to summarize each row into one short line, and do a quick 2–3 minute check each morning. Small routine, big time saved.

What you’ll need

• Daily task export or filtered view (CSV, Excel, Trello/Asana list). Columns: title, owner, status, % complete, notes.
• An AI chat box or simple automation you can paste into or call.
• 2–3 minutes a.m. for a spot-check until you trust the output.

How to do it — quick workflow (do this now)

1. Export today’s tasks and filter to In Progress / Done / Blocked. Keep it tidy: aim for ≤10 rows per person.
2. Normalize columns so every row has owner, status and percent (even “0%” or blank if unknown).
3. Ask the AI (in plain language) to turn each row into a 1–2 sentence standup line that includes: owner, what was completed (or percent), the next step, and any blocker. Tell it explicitly not to invent progress and to stay concise (about 20–30 words per task).
4. Combine the task lines by owner into 1–3 short lines each and paste into Slack or your standup tool.
5. Spot‑check 3 items: confirm owner, percent, and that no new progress was invented. Fix any bad rows and re-run only those.

What to expect & quick tips

• Output: short, scannable lines per person — fewer clarifying questions in the meeting.
• Daily time: ~10 minutes setup, then ~2 minutes each morning (generate + spot‑check).
• Enforce one owner per task and require a next step in the task notes to avoid vague outputs.
• Limit rows per person so updates stay under 3 lines; group small, related tasks into one row when useful.

One‑week micro plan (busy-person version)

1. Day 1: Export 5 sample rows and try the AI summarization; tweak the instruction wording until concise.
2. Day 2: Expand to full team for one standup; do thorough spot‑checks and log errors.
3. Day 3: Create a one‑click export or template so copying is painless.
4. Day 4–5: Run daily; collect two pieces of feedback from the team (clarity, tone).
5. Day 6–7: Measure time saved and blocker resolution; lock the routine if accuracy >95%.

Small idea you can try this week: add a column called “next step (one short phrase)” to every task — it forces clearer outputs and makes the AI summaries instantly useful.

[Jeff Bullas]

Turn your task list into a daily, 30-second status ritual — with zero waffle and clear next moves.

You’re close. Let’s lock in a repeatable flow that groups by person, highlights outcomes and blockers, and keeps the voice identical every day.

What you’ll need (keep this simple)

• A filtered task list with columns: title, owner, status, percent complete, due date (optional), notes.
• An AI chat box or automation where you can paste rows.
• 2–3 minutes to skim for accuracy until it’s predictable.

How to do it (5 steps)

1. Filter today’s list: keep In Progress, Done, Blocked. Cap at 10 rows per owner to avoid noise.
2. Normalize columns: ensure every row has owner, status, and percent (use 0% or blank if unknown). Add a short “next step” phrase to notes if missing.
3. Paste into the AI with the prompt below: it will group by owner, compress tiny tasks, and tag blockers so they pop in Slack/email.
4. Skim-check 3 items: owner correct, percent aligned, no invented results. If off, fix those rows and re-run just that subset.
5. Post: copy the grouped output to your standup channel. Expect 1–3 lines per person, consistent tone.

Insider trick: teach the AI your compression rules

• Merge small, related tasks under one line like “Docs + minor fixes” to keep each person under 3 lines.
• Tag blockers as [BLOCKER] so they’re easy to search or trigger alerts.
• Default next steps by status when notes are thin: In Progress → “continue and deliver next milestone”; Done → “monitor/hand off”; Blocked → “waiting on X; will proceed when unblocked.”

Copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is)

“You write concise, reliable daily standups from structured task rows. Group updates by owner. For each owner, output up to 3 short lines that cover: top achievement/result (use % or metric only if present), what’s next, and any blocker. If more than 3 tasks, merge minor related items under one line. Use active voice, no fluff. Tag blockers with [BLOCKER]. Do not invent progress or dates. If a field is unknown, omit it.

Style guide: max 30 words per line; business tone; outcome → next step → blocker. Never exceed 3 lines per owner.

Input columns: title | owner | status | percent | due_date | notes

Now produce the grouped standup for these rows:
{paste your normalized rows here}
“

Mini example (what good looks like)

• Input rows:
• Implement signup A/B | Sarah | in progress | 60% | Fri | split test running on 60% traffic
• Fix payment bug | Tom | blocked | 0% | | awaiting API key from vendor
• Blog draft | Mia | done | 100% | | published; early visits ~200

• Output:
• Sarah — A/B test live at 60%; monitoring conversion; next: review lift Friday.
• Tom — [BLOCKER] Waiting for vendor API key; next: integrate and test once received.
• Mia — Blog published; ~200 initial visits; next: promote via newsletter.

Expectations and quick wins

• Consistency: same voice daily, 1–3 lines per person.
• Clarity: blockers tagged, next steps explicit, fewer follow-up questions.
• Speed: after day one, generation plus skim-check in ~2 minutes.

Premium templates you can reuse

• Developer-tight version: “Owner — Result (%/metric if present); next step; [BLOCKER if any]. ≤25 words.”
• Manager scan version: “Owner — Top win; top risk/blocker; next milestone date if present. ≤3 lines.”
• Risk-first version: “Owner — [BLOCKER]/risk first; impact; next move; escalation path only if named in notes.”

Common mistakes and fast fixes

• AI adds progress you didn’t do: Include a percent column and the “do not invent progress” rule. Spot-check 3 items.
• Too many lines per person: Add “merge minor related tasks” and “max 3 lines per owner.”
• Vague next steps: Add a “next step (one short phrase)” column to the task list. The AI simply mirrors it.
• Owner mix-ups: Ensure a single owner per row; filter out subtasks without owners.

1-week action plan

1. Day 1: Create the five columns; export 5–10 rows; run the prompt; adjust tone to your team.
2. Day 2: Expand to full team; enforce “≤3 lines per owner”; start tagging blockers.
3. Day 3: Make a one-click export view (pre-filtered). Save your prompt as a reusable template.
4. Day 4: Add the “next step” column to tasks; require it on new work items.
5. Day 5: Measure time saved; ask for feedback on clarity and tone; tweak limits if needed.
6. Day 6–7: Spot-check accuracy (>95%); lock the routine; consider a simple automation to paste and post.

Bonus: two tiny upgrades

• Priority tags: add P1/P2 in notes; ask the AI to prefix “P1” when present so leaders spot urgency.
• Decision log: if “decision:” appears in notes, add a short “Decision — …” line under that owner for easy search later.

Last nudge: Run one trial today with five rows. If the output is tight and accurate, make it tomorrow’s routine. Small habit, big clarity.

[Author]

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