In 5 Steps: Write a Custom Report From Your Data Using ChatGPT Connectors
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Instead of chasing documents across multiple tools or manually compiling research, ChatGPT can now pull live information from your connected apps and generate a fully referenced report, saving hours of work. Here’s exactly how to do it.
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Step 1: Connect Your Company Data Sources
Start by going to Settings > Connectors in ChatGPT.
From there, select the tools you want to integrate:
- Google Drive (for stored reports and presentations)
- Gmail or Outlook (for email-based discussions and approvals)
- SharePoint, Box, Dropbox, HubSpot, and more.
You’ll be prompted to sign in and grant access permissions.
Good to know: Access is secure and stays within your organization’s ChatGPT environment.
Step 2: Open a New Chat and Launch Deep Research
- Once your Connectors are live, start a new chat.
- Click on Tools, then select Run Deep Research.
This unlocks ChatGPT’s ability to search and reason over your internal files, not just public web content.
You’ll see an option to select Sources, the apps and drives you just connected.
Step 3: Select the Right Sources for Your Report
- Click on the Sources dropdown and pick the specific locations where ChatGPT should look.
- You can combine multiple sources (e.g., internal reports from Google Drive + industry benchmarks via Web Search).
File formats supported: TXT, PDF, CSV, XLSX, PPTX, DOCX — anything text-based.
Step 4: Ask a Focused, Specific Question
The clearer your question, the better the results.
Avoid broad requests like “Summarize all our documents.” Instead, ask targeted questions.
Sample Prompts:
- “Summarize the last 10 product launch debriefs stored in my Drive, highlighting key lessons and action items.”
- “Analyze client feedback from Q1 emails and list common themes and concerns.”
- “Create a market comparison report based on the competitor analysis presentations in SharePoint.”
Pro tip: Think about how you’d brief an analyst - what exactly do you want them to find, compare, or summarize?
Step 5: Review, Refine, and Export
ChatGPT will generate a detailed report, often with citations that link back to the source files.
You can review these citations to verify accuracy or dig deeper.
If needed, refine with follow-up questions:
- “Focus only on financial KPIs.”
- “Prioritize feedback from the top 10 clients.”
- “Summarize only action items, no background details.”
When satisfied, you can export the report to your document editor or presentation deck.
Instead of spending hours digging through folders and emails, you get an on-demand research assistant pulling insights directly from your company’s live data — securely and efficiently.
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In 5 Steps: Write a Custom Report From Your Data Using ChatGPT Connectors
Instead of chasing documents across multiple tools or manually compiling research, ChatGPT can now pull live information from your connected apps and generate a fully referenced report, saving hours of work. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Practical Tips for the AI-Driven Workplace
Get real strategies AND implementation guides from business leaders delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.
Step 1: Connect Your Company Data Sources
Start by going to Settings > Connectors in ChatGPT.
From there, select the tools you want to integrate:
- Google Drive (for stored reports and presentations)
- Gmail or Outlook (for email-based discussions and approvals)
- SharePoint, Box, Dropbox, HubSpot, and more.
You’ll be prompted to sign in and grant access permissions.
Good to know: Access is secure and stays within your organization’s ChatGPT environment.
Step 2: Open a New Chat and Launch Deep Research
- Once your Connectors are live, start a new chat.
- Click on Tools, then select Run Deep Research.
This unlocks ChatGPT’s ability to search and reason over your internal files, not just public web content.
You’ll see an option to select Sources, the apps and drives you just connected.
Step 3: Select the Right Sources for Your Report
- Click on the Sources dropdown and pick the specific locations where ChatGPT should look.
- You can combine multiple sources (e.g., internal reports from Google Drive + industry benchmarks via Web Search).
File formats supported: TXT, PDF, CSV, XLSX, PPTX, DOCX — anything text-based.
Step 4: Ask a Focused, Specific Question
The clearer your question, the better the results.
Avoid broad requests like “Summarize all our documents.” Instead, ask targeted questions.
Sample Prompts:
- “Summarize the last 10 product launch debriefs stored in my Drive, highlighting key lessons and action items.”
- “Analyze client feedback from Q1 emails and list common themes and concerns.”
- “Create a market comparison report based on the competitor analysis presentations in SharePoint.”
Pro tip: Think about how you’d brief an analyst - what exactly do you want them to find, compare, or summarize?
Step 5: Review, Refine, and Export
ChatGPT will generate a detailed report, often with citations that link back to the source files.
You can review these citations to verify accuracy or dig deeper.
If needed, refine with follow-up questions:
- “Focus only on financial KPIs.”
- “Prioritize feedback from the top 10 clients.”
- “Summarize only action items, no background details.”
When satisfied, you can export the report to your document editor or presentation deck.
Instead of spending hours digging through folders and emails, you get an on-demand research assistant pulling insights directly from your company’s live data — securely and efficiently.