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How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI

​Learn how to generate, route, and save Conversation AI summaries and transcripts in GHL Customer Care using inactivity rules, workflows, and email alerts.

5 min read1,187 words4 explained imagesUpdated Tue, 5 May at 4:15 PM
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On this page
  1. Key Benefits of Conversation Summary and Transcript
  2. Conversation Summary Settings
  3. Available settings
  4. Send the Summary or Transcript to a Workflow
  5. Send the Summary by Email
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. Related Articles

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Use Conversation AI in GHL Customer Care to generate a summary and transcript after a conversation becomes inactive. This helps teams review interactions faster, route important details to internal records, and notify the right users without reading every message manually. With the right setup, you can also send the summary or transcript into a workflow so it can be saved for future reference.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Conversation Summary and Transcript?

Conversation Summary and Transcript help you capture what happened during a Conversation AI interaction after the conversation has been inactive for a set amount of time. A summary gives you a condensed overview of the conversation, while a transcript provides the full message history that can be used for recordkeeping, internal follow-up, or workflow automation.

  • Conversation Summary: A shortened overview of the key points from the interaction.
  • Conversation Transcript: A fuller record of the conversation that can be used in workflows and internal documentation.

By default, conversation summaries are turned off. Also, generated summaries are not automatically stored in the CRM unless you send them somewhere, such as a workflow action or email notification.

Key Benefits of Conversation Summary and Transcript

Conversation summaries and transcripts make it easier to review conversations, share outcomes internally, and keep important details from being lost. This is especially helpful for teams managing large volumes of conversations across leads, customers, and assigned users.

  • Faster review: Quickly understand the outcome of a conversation without reading every message.

  • Better internal visibility: Send summaries to admins, users, or assigned owners so the right people stay informed.

  • Improved recordkeeping: Save summaries or transcripts into workflows for notes, follow-up, or documentation.

  • More efficient follow-up: Use captured conversation details to guide the next action for your team.

  • Flexible automation: Route generated summaries and transcripts into workflow steps based on your process.

Conversation Summary Settings

The Conversation Summary settings control when a summary is generated and where it can be sent. Properly configuring these options helps ensure the summary is created at the right time and delivered to the correct destination.

To enable conversation summaries:

  1. Navigate to AI Agents > Conversation AI.

  2. Select an existing bot or create a new one.

  3. Open the Bot Goals tab.

  4. Turn on Enable Conversation Summary.

By default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. The toggle has to be switched on to generate a summary.

Also, by default, the summary will not be saved anywhere. The summary needs to be sent somewhere and/or saved in a separate action to be retained.
Conversation Summary Settings (image 1 of 4) What this shows By default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. What this shows Illustrates the "Conversation Summary Settings" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". This screenshot appears in the "Conversation Summary Settings" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". The text alongside this image reads: By default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. The toggle has to be switched on to generate a summary. Also, by default, the summary will not be saved anywhere. The summary needs to be sent somewhere and/or saved in a separate action to be retained. The navigation path used here is AI Agents > Conversation AI. Immediately after, the guide continues: This setting determines how long the conversation must remain inactive before a summary is generated. For example, if the inactivity time is set to 15 minutes, GHL Customer Care waits until there are no new messages from the contact or the…. Path: AI Agents > Conversation AIImage 1 of 4 What to chooseBy default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. The toggle has to be switched on to generate a summary. Also, by default, the summary will not be saved anywhere. The summary needs to be sent somewhere and/or saved in a separate action to be retained.
Buttons and menus referenced AI Agents > Conversation AIBot GoalsEnable Conversation Summary
Next stepThis setting determines how long the conversation must remain inactive before a summary is generated. For example, if the inactivity time is set to 15 minutes, GHL Customer Care waits until there are no new messages from the contact or the bot for 15 minutes before generating the summary.
All 4 steps in this procedure
  1. Navigate to AI Agents > Conversation AI.
  2. Select an existing bot or create a new one.
  3. Open the Bot Goals tab.
  4. Turn on Enable Conversation Summary.
Conversation Summary Settings (image 2 of 4) What this shows By default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. What this shows Illustrates the "Conversation Summary Settings" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". This screenshot appears in the "Conversation Summary Settings" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". The text alongside this image reads: By default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. The toggle has to be switched on to generate a summary. Also, by default, the summary will not be saved anywhere. The summary needs to be sent somewhere and/or saved in a separate action to be retained. The navigation path used here is AI Agents > Conversation AI. Immediately after, the guide continues: This setting determines how long the conversation must remain inactive before a summary is generated. For example, if the inactivity time is set to 15 minutes, GHL Customer Care waits until there are no new messages from the contact or the…. Path: AI Agents > Conversation AIImage 2 of 4 What to chooseBy default, no summary will be generated for the conversation. The toggle has to be switched on to generate a summary. Also, by default, the summary will not be saved anywhere. The summary needs to be sent somewhere and/or saved in a separate action to be retained.
Buttons and menus referenced AI Agents > Conversation AIBot GoalsEnable Conversation Summary
Next stepThis setting determines how long the conversation must remain inactive before a summary is generated. For example, if the inactivity time is set to 15 minutes, GHL Customer Care waits until there are no new messages from the contact or the bot for 15 minutes before generating the summary.
All 4 steps in this procedure
  1. Navigate to AI Agents > Conversation AI.
  2. Select an existing bot or create a new one.
  3. Open the Bot Goals tab.
  4. Turn on Enable Conversation Summary.

Available settings

Set Inactivity Time

This setting determines how long the conversation must remain inactive before a summary is generated. For example, if the inactivity time is set to 15 minutes, GHL Customer Care waits until there are no new messages from the contact or the bot for 15 minutes before generating the summary.

Minimum Messages Required to Generate Summary

This setting prevents summaries from being created for very short conversations. If the total conversation message count is below the configured minimum, no summary will be generated even after the inactivity time has passed.

Trigger a Workflow When Summary or Transcript is Generated

Use this option when you want to send the generated output into a workflow. This is especially useful if you want to save the summary or transcript to a note, internal log, or other CRM-related action.

Receive Email Notification for Conversation Summary

This option sends the generated conversation summary by email. You can choose one or more recipients from the available options:

  • All Admins

  • All Users

  • Contact’s Assigned User

  • Specific Users

  • Custom Email

Conversation Summary Settings

  • Set inactivity time - For example, 15 minutes with no messages from user or bot. This is an additional way to put this bot to sleep (on top of the Bot Settings > Max Messages, or Conversations > switch bot to inactive, Bot Goals > Stop Bot, etc). Conversation AI - Bot Inactive (Sleep) Conditions

  • Minimum messages required to generate summary - If the conversation has fewer total messages than this minimum a summary will not be generated even when the inactivity time expires.

  • Trigger a workflow - Select workflow from dropdown. This is required if you want to save the summary in the CRM and this workflow must be triggered from the Conversation AI.

In Automation -> Workflows create a workflow without a trigger.

  1. Add an action (ex: Add To Note).

  2. Add merge fields like Conversation AI-> Summary and Conversation AI -> Transcript

    Step 2 of 2: Add merge fields like Conversation AI-> Summary and Conversation AI ->… What this shows Step 2 of 2: Add merge fields like Conversation AI-> Summary and Conversation AI -> Transcript What this shows Shows what this covers for step 2 of 2 in the "Available settings" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". This screenshot accompanies step 2 of 2 in the "Available settings" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". At this point in the walkthrough you add merge fields like Conversation AI-> Summary and Conversation AI -> Transcript. The navigation path used here is Conversation AI- > Summary. This part of the guide covers 5 fields, listed below. Step 2 of 2Path: Conversation AI- > SummaryImage 3 of 4 What this coversAdd merge fields like Conversation AI-> Summary and Conversation AI -> Transcript
    Fields in this part of the guide All AdminsAll UsersContact’s Assigned UserSpecific UsersCustom Email
    Buttons and menus referenced Set Inactivity TimeConversation Summary SettingsSet inactivity timeTrigger a workflowwithout a trigger
    Example values
    Custom Email
    priya.raman@northgatedental.com

    Illustrative values showing the expected format. They are not read from the screenshot.

    All 2 steps in this procedure
    1. Add an action (ex: Add To Note).
    2. Add merge fields like Conversation AI-> Summary and Conversation AI -> Transcript this image

  • Receive email notification for conversation summary - Select none, one, or many recipients (all admins, all users, contact's assigned user, specific users, custom email).

Send the Summary or Transcript to a Workflow

  1. Go to Automation > Workflows.

  2. Create a new workflow.

  3. Leave the workflow without a standard trigger if your process requires it to be triggered directly from Conversation AI.

  4. Add an action such as Add To Note.

  5. In the action content, insert the appropriate merge fields:

    • Conversation AI > Summary

    • Conversation AI > Transcript

  6. Return to the bot’s Conversation Summary settings.

  7. Enable Trigger a workflow when summary or transcript is generated.

  8. Select the workflow from the dropdown.

Send the Summary or Transcript to a Workflow (image 4 of 4) What this shows Go to Automation > Workflows. What this shows Illustrates the "Send the Summary or Transcript to a Workflow" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". This screenshot appears in the "Send the Summary or Transcript to a Workflow" section of "How to Generate Conversation Summaries and Transcript in Conversation AI". The text alongside this image reads: Go to Automation > Workflows. Create a new workflow. Leave the workflow without a standard trigger if your process requires it to be triggered directly from Conversation AI. Add an action such as Add To Note. In the action content, insert the appropriate merge fields: Return to the bot’s…. The navigation path used here is Automation > Workflows. This part of the guide covers 3 fields, listed below. Immediately after, the guide continues: In the bot’s Conversation Summary settings, turn on Receive email notification for conversation summary. Select one or more recipients: Save your bot settings. Path: Automation > WorkflowsImage 4 of 4 Where to goGo to Automation > Workflows. Create a new workflow. Leave the workflow without a standard trigger if your process requires it to be triggered directly from Conversation AI. Add an action such as Add To Note. In the action content, insert the appropriate merge fields: Return to the bot’s Conversation Summary settings. Enable Trigger a workflow when summary or transcript is generated. Select the workflow from the dropdown.
Fields in this part of the guide In the action content, insert the appropriate merge fields:Conversation AI > SummaryConversation AI > Transcript
Buttons and menus referenced Automation > WorkflowsAdd To NoteConversation AI > SummaryConversation AI > TranscriptConversation Summary
Next stepIn the bot’s Conversation Summary settings, turn on Receive email notification for conversation summary. Select one or more recipients: Save your bot settings.
All 8 steps in this procedure
  1. Go to Automation > Workflows.
  2. Create a new workflow.
  3. Leave the workflow without a standard trigger if your process requires it to be triggered directly from Conversation AI.
  4. Add an action such as Add To Note.
  5. In the action content, insert the appropriate merge fields:
  6. Return to the bot’s Conversation Summary settings.
  7. Enable Trigger a workflow when summary or transcript is generated.
  8. Select the workflow from the dropdown.

Send the Summary by Email

  1. In the bot’s Conversation Summary settings, turn on Receive email notification for conversation summary.

  2. Select one or more recipients:

    • All Admins

    • All Users

    • Contact’s Assigned User

    • Specific Users

    • Custom Email

  3. Save your bot settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between a conversation summary and a transcript?

A conversation summary gives a condensed overview of the interaction, while a transcript captures the fuller conversation record.

Q: Are conversation summaries turned on by default?

No. You must enable the Enable Conversation Summary toggle in the bot’s Bot Goals settings.

Q: Is the summary automatically saved in the CRM?

No. A generated summary is not automatically retained unless you send it to a workflow, note, email, or another configured destination.

Q: Will a summary be created for every conversation?

Not always. The conversation must remain inactive for the configured time and meet the minimum message requirement.

Q: Can I use both summary and transcript in the same workflow?

Yes. You can insert both merge fields into workflow actions when you want to capture both a condensed overview and the fuller conversation content.

Q: Can I email the conversation summary to more than one recipient?

Yes. You can select one or more recipient types, including admins, users, assigned users, specific users, or a custom email address.

Q: What happens if the conversation is too short?

If the conversation does not meet the minimum message threshold, no summary will be generated.

Q: Do email notifications include the transcript too?

The setting shown here is specifically for conversation summary email notifications. For transcript retention, use a workflow and add the transcript merge field where needed.

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