AI Outlines

An AI outline takes any source, a dense reading, a lecture chapter, a set of slides, and structures it into a clean hierarchy: main topics, sub-points, and supporting details, nested in order (I / A / 1). Scholarly reads your material, decides what the main topics are, and organises everything underneath them so the shape of the topic is obvious at a glance.

Outlines are built to reinforce understanding of how ideas fit together: not skimming a wall of text. The AI separates what's a main point from what's just support and nests it accordingly, so the outline reflects the structure your course is actually teaching.

Outline is one of the document types inside AI Document, which is where the full, current list of types lives. Add your sources once, then pick Outline in the customise step.

When to use an outline

An outline is the right tool when the structure of the material is the point. Reach for it when you're:

• Organising a long report or a chapter before you sit down with it.
• Planning a document and want a skeleton of topics and sub-points to write from.
• Turning a dense PDF into a scannable hierarchy you can review at a glance.
• Breaking a broad subject into its main parts so you can see what to focus on.

If you're specifically planning an essay, thesis, arguments, and evidence to draft from, the Essay Outline Generator is shaped around that. If you want a structured document to read and review, generate a Study Guide. If you want a visual, branching overview of how ideas connect, generate a Mind Map.

Creating an AI Outline

Open New → Document Creator (or Home → Document) and pick Outline on the first screen.

Every starting point the creator accepts, Upload, your Library, Google Drive, a Link, or a typed Prompt with no files at all, plus page ranges, combining several sources, language, and model choice, is covered once in the AI Document Creator guide. This page only covers what is specific to Outlines.

A typed prompt is often enough when you are planning rather than summarising, "Outline of the causes and effects of the French Revolution."

Steering outlines specifically

Use Custom instructions to set the shape: "Go three levels deep", "Organise it by chapter", "One line per point, no prose", "Keep it printable."

Generation runs in the background: close the window and carry on. You are notified when it is ready, and it appears under Background Tasks while it runs.

What you get

Downloads and printing require a paid plan. Viewing the result and sharing a view link are available on every plan.

Your finished outline is a professionally typeset, downloadable PDF that lands in your library like any other content item. It lays out the main topics, sub-points, and supporting details in a clear nested hierarchy, laid out in a clean, professional design.

It is a real PDF in your library, so everything you can do with an uploaded PDF you can do with it: read it with chat alongside, download or print it, share it with a link, or spin flashcards, a quiz, a study guide, or a podcast out of it without re-uploading anything. See the PDF guide.

Tips

• Say how deep to go. Use custom instructions to control the depth, a shallow overview or a detailed multi-level breakdown, depending on what you need.
• Use it to plan, then write. An outline is a natural starting point for a document or presentation; build it first, then flesh out each point in your own notes and pages.
• Pair it with active recall. An outline shows you the structure; convert it into flashcards or a quiz and test yourself to actually lock the material in.

Frequently asked questions

What can I make an outline from?

Uploaded PDFs, Word docs, and PowerPoints; files already in your library; Google Drive files; a website or PDF link; or just a typed prompt. You can mix several sources in one outline.

How is this different from the essay outline generator?

This tool structures any source into a topic hierarchy, great for organising a reading, a chapter, or a broad subject. The Essay Outline Generator is shaped specifically around planning an essay, with thesis, arguments, and evidence you can draft from.

How long does it take?

Generation runs in the background and usually takes a few minutes. You don't need to wait on the screen, keep working and you'll be notified when it's ready.

Can I download or print my outline?

Yes, on a paid plan you can download or print the outline PDF. Every plan can view it in Scholarly and share a view link.

Is it free?

You can create outlines on the free plan using your shared lifetime AI Creation Credit. That free credit does not reset. Paid plans raise those limits and support longer source documents. Limits depend on your plan, see Plans and Limits.

Related

• AI Document, the full list of document types you can build from the same sources.
• Study Guides, a written guide to read rather than a hierarchy to scan.
• Mind Maps, the same structure as a branching picture.
• Plans and Limits, credits, source limits, and page ceilings by plan.