Download Free Executive Summary Templates

By Kate Eby | April 2, 2018 (updated December 22, 2023)

This article includes a comprehensive collection of free executive summary templates, all of which are easy to download, share, edit, and print. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a simple executive summary template, a business executive summary template, a executive summary slide template, an project executive summary template, and a research report executive summary template, among others. Plus, check out our list of helpful tips for completing these executive summary templates.

Simple Executive Summary Template

Simple Executive Summary Template

Download Simple Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Docs 

Make a positive impact with this dynamic, simple executive summary template — before you submit your report or business proposal. In the Overview section, give a brief rundown of what your proposal will entail. In the Problem Summary section, define your target market and the problem(s) they face; in The Solution section, explain to your readers how your project or product will solve your target audience’s problem. 

For helpful examples of executive summaries, see this collection of executive summary examples

Simple, powerful project management with Smartsheet. See for yourself.

Smartsheet is a cloud-based platform that allows teams and organizations to plan, manage, and report on projects, helping you move faster and achieve more. See Smartsheet in action.
 

Watch a free demo

Business Executive Summary Template

Business Executive Summary Template

Download Business Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint | Adobe PDF 

Fill out this business executive summary template to ensure that your business report is influential, and that your project or product proposal receives approval. Write a high-level overview of what your project or product will entail (an elevator pitch). Briefly describe the problem that your project or product will solve and your target market, and include brief analytical data to support your claims and your proposed next steps. 

Learn more about how to write an effective executive summary.

Executive Summary Slide Template

Executive Summary Slide Template

Download Executive Summary Slide Template
Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Slides 

 Use this free template to outline your next big presentation or keep it updated as a live meeting record that documents your evolving internal business plans or funding needs. The customizable PowerPoint slides feature an executive summary template and an outline that you can turn into the separate sections of your presentation. The customizable slides are formatted to outline the important elements of a formal business plan summary.

One-Page Executive Summary Template

One Page Executive Summary Template

Download One-Page Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

This template is designed to fit your executive project status update on one page. Take advantage of the short sections and bullet points to keep it concise and hook the reader with the most attention-grabbing information. Organize and emphasize the most important information by customizing the subheadings based on your document’s purpose.

Find more free Microsoft Word executive summary templates for any project here.

Executive Summary Checklist Template

 

Executive Summary Checklist Template

Download Executive Summary Checklist Template – Microsoft Word 

In your project report or proposal, the executive summary is the first thing that your audience reads, so it’s important to make a positive impression in the limited space that you have. Use this executive summary checklist template to make sure that your executive summary is as clear and dynamic as possible and to increase the likelihood that your project receives approval. By doing so, you can ensure that all sponsors, team members, and other stakeholders know, at a glance, the project’s goals and the results they can expect from implementation.

 

Executive Summary Outline Template

 

Executive Summary Outline Template

Download Executive Summary Outline Template – Microsoft Word 

This template is the perfect tool for organizations that want to present all project proposal details in an easy-to-read outline format. Provide a brief project overview (your elevator pitch), a broad-strokes summary of your project’s goals and purpose, and the metrics you’ll use in assessing project success after launch. The template helps ensure that you consider all aspects of your proposed project, including competitive analyses, risks, key milestones, project costs, and resource estimates.  

For tips and resources, see this comprehensive list of free executive project status templates.

Startup Executive Summary Template

Startup Executive Summary Template

Download Startup Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Smartsheet

Startups seeking funding online on platforms like AngelList and Gust use investor profiles to spark interest and earn social proof for their venture. This template acts as a one-page pitch that serves as your company profile on these platforms. You can repurpose this template and save it as a customized PDF summary memo to land your next meeting with investors.

Executive Summary Proposal Template

Executive Summary Proposal Template

Download Proposal Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Project proposals outline the required resources and project objectives, and summarize key information from the main body of content. This template highlights the specific purpose for your proposal and the compelling points the proposal introduces. Use the executive summary to kickstart your project planning.

Research Report Executive Summary Template

Research Report Executive Summary Template

Download Research Report Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Use this template as a synopsis of the research results for reports. This executive summary is formatted to accommodate in-depth reports that need space to use charts and tables to illustrate research data. The template is designed to summarize technical information in a concise manner, and features clear subheadings that communicate key findings to readers of various expertise and interest.

Project Executive Summary Template

Download Project Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Keep all of the project stakeholders in the loop with this project management summary template. You’ll find space to highlight project milestones, monitor new requests, and provide brief status overviews. 

For more specialized use cases, check out our roundup of free executive project status templates.

Business Plan Executive Summary Template

Business Plan Executive Summary Template

Download Business Plan Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Word | Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Slides

This executive summary template is designed to get your business plan noticed and reviewed. This document helps you present key information to an external audience and ensure you include more attention to detail than a standard business plan document. Use bullet points and clear, formal language to guide the reader to the most important information about your company.

One-Page Business Plan Executive Summary Template

 

Business Plan Executive Summary Template

Download Business Plan Executive Summary Template – Microsoft Word

Perfect for small businesses and large organizations alike, this business plan executive summary template provides the perfect framework for companies to outline their mission, vision, company structure, and relevant history, all on a single page in Microsoft Word. Use the template’s Products and Services section to describe your offerings, the unique value of your proposal, and your competitive advantage. Under the Market Analysis section, state the market opportunity that your proposal addresses, the target market, and why your proposed solution is superior to that of your competitors.

Marketing Plan Executive Summary Template

 

Marketing Plan Executive Summary Template

Download Marketing Plan Executive Summary Template – Microsoft Word 

Marketing professionals, advertisers, and brand managers can all use this template to communicate a marketing plan to stakeholders and make it clear what the target audience is, what the strategy and objectives are, and how the product will have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Use this template as an outline to ensure that you account for all aspects of your proposed marketing plan, including the target audience’s spending habits, relationship to your product, and how your marketing campaign will result in increased foot traffic and sales.

 

Construction Project Executive Summary Template

Download Construction Project Executive Summary Template
Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

This template summarizes the construction project plan and highlights the important schedule milestones, budget data, bid estimates, and timeline details. Use this executive summary to report on the essential detail from the construction plan and keep all of the various stakeholders informed on the critical project information.

Learn more about construction project management by reading “Construction Project Management 101.”

What Is an Executive Summary Template?

An executive summary is a brief document that precedes a longer report or proposal as an abbreviated, high-level version of it. A template prompts you to explain the target audience’s problem, and how your proposed solution will solve it. 

While executive summary templates can vary, they typically include the following sections, each of which should be no more than five sentences: 

  • Overview: Briefly describe what your report or business proposal will entail, and why it’s necessary. You should be able to describe your proposed project or product in a few sentences to management, key stakeholders, and potential investors.  
  • The Problem: Describe your target audience. What problem are they facing? What issue needs a solution that your proposal will address? This is a great opportunity to identify your target audience and the challenges they face, so that it’s clear how your proposed solution is positioned to fulfill that business opportunity. 
  • The Solution: Describe how your proposed solution will solve the problem. Answer the following questions:
    • Why should a client or end-user choose what you have to offer over competitors’ offerings? 
    • How does your target audience benefit from your solution, in particular?  
  • Highlights: Provide research or market analysis data to support your claims. Answer the following questions: 
    • What is your proposed strategy? 
    • What resources are required? 
    • What is the proposed business-proposal timeline? 
    • What evidence do you have to support your proposal?
  • Proposed Steps: Describe what is required to implement your solution. What, in particular, would your company or client have to enact to produce the desired solution?

Streamline Your Executive Summary Process with Smartsheet for Project Management

From simple task management and project planning to complex resource and portfolio management, Smartsheet helps you improve collaboration and increase work velocity -- empowering you to get more done. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed.

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time. Try Smartsheet for free, today.

 

 

Discover a better way to streamline workflows and eliminate silos for good.

Get free Smartsheet templates Get a Free Smartsheet Demo