When working on a long, complex document, providing your readers with a brief overview of the contents can save them a lot of time. While you could simply type a summary paragraph at the top of page one, Google Docs offers a dedicated, structured “Summary” feature that integrates seamlessly with your document’s navigation outline.
How to Open the Document Outline
Before you can add a summary, you must make sure the document outline is visible.
- Open your document in Google Docs.
- Look at the top left corner of the screen, just below the formatting toolbar. You should see a small icon that looks like a bulleted list (Show Document Outline). Click it.
- A sidebar will slide out on the left side of your screen. This sidebar automatically generates a clickable table of contents based on the Headings (H1, H2, etc.) used in your document.
How to Add Your Summary
At the very top of the newly opened outline sidebar, you will see a section labeled Summary.
- Click the small + (Plus) icon located to the right of the word “Summary.”
- A text box will appear directly inside the sidebar.
- Type your brief summary or overview of the document’s contents. You can press Enter to create multiple paragraphs if needed.
- When you are finished typing, simply click anywhere outside of the text box (like the main body of your document) to save your changes.
Your summary is now permanently attached to the document’s outline. Anyone who opens the document with viewing or editing privileges will see this summary pinned to the top of their navigation pane, giving them immediate context before they even start reading the main text.