what is executive summary

An executive summary is a short document or section of a document produced for business purposes. It is a summary of the most important information in a larger report or proposal, or a group of related reports, in such a way that readers can rapidly become acquainted with a large body of material without having to read it all. An executive summary usually contains a brief statement of the problem or proposal covered in the major document(s), background information, concise analysis, and main conclusions. It is intended as an aid to decision-making by managers and has been described as the most important part of a business plan. An executive summary should summarize the key points of the report, restate the purpose of the report, highlight the major points of the report, and describe any results, conclusions, or recommendations from the report. It should include enough information so the reader can understand what is discussed in the full report, without having to read it. There are no set guidelines regarding the format of an executive summary.