Set up AI call summaries for trades: Teams, Zoom Phone and quick notes that actually bill featured image
Tools, Materials & Tech

Set up AI call summaries for trades: Teams, Zoom Phone and quick notes that actually bill

TrainAR Team 26 days ago 5 min read

Set up AI call summaries for trades: Teams, Zoom Phone and quick notes that actually bill

Category: Tools, Materials & Tech • Niche: AI call summaries, Microsoft Teams, Zoom Phone, dispute prevention, billing notes

Engineer on a work call while a laptop shows Call → Transcript → AI Summary → Tasks/Invoice Notes

Contents

Quick answer

If you already use Microsoft 365 or Zoom Phone, you can switch on built‑in AI summaries so every important call gets saved as short bullet points with actions. In Teams, use meeting transcripts and Recap; in Zoom Phone, enable AI Companion Call summary. Then auto‑file the notes into your job system or SharePoint folder so they’re easy to find and support your invoices.

Who this helps

  • Sole traders who quote on the phone and need clean notes for later.
  • Small contractors (1–20 staff) who want fewer callbacks and faster invoicing.
  • Office managers who field customer calls and pass tasks to engineers.

How AI call summaries work

  • The app records or transcribes the conversation, then an AI model writes a short summary with action items.
  • In Teams you’ll see the transcript and a Recap page with notes and shared files. In Zoom Phone you get an AI call summary in the call thread.
  • Store the notes with the job: OneDrive/SharePoint for Teams; OneDrive/SharePoint or your CRM/jobcard for Zoom Phone.

Helpful links:

Option 1: Microsoft Teams – meeting recap and transcripts

Best if your team already runs on Microsoft 365.

What you’ll get

  • Live transcription in meetings and a Recap tab after the call with notes, transcript and recording. Some features need Teams Premium or Copilot.

Enable quickly

  • In the meeting: More > Record and transcribe > Start transcription. Everyone sees a notice. After the meeting, open the event > Recap.
  • Admins: allow transcription in Teams admin centre (Meetings > Meeting policies). See Microsoft’s guidance on Recap and transcription (support.microsoft.com).

Where it saves

  • Non‑channel meetings save to the organiser’s OneDrive; channel meetings save to the team’s SharePoint. Microsoft explains storage and permissions (learn.microsoft.com).

Option 2: Zoom Phone – AI Companion call summary

Best if you take lots of client calls on mobiles and already use Zoom Phone.

What you’ll get

  • AI summaries of phone calls in the call thread, with key points and actions. Included with paid Zoom plans; admin must enable. See Zoom’s article (support.zoom.com).

Enable quickly

  • Keep Zoom desktop/mobile up to date (5.17.0+). Ask your admin to enable AI Companion and Phone call summary in account settings.

UK availability and notes

  • Zoom Phone is available in the UK and supports AI Companion features. Language support covers English and more. See Zoom’s UK/global coverage and AI Companion pages (zoom.com, support.zoom.com).

Recommended video

Make it useful: push summaries into jobs, quotes and invoices

  • Job folders: Save Teams Recap or Zoom summaries into a per‑job folder in OneDrive/SharePoint with a standard name like 2025‑10‑01‑Smith‑Boiler‑quote.
  • Tasks: Paste actions into Planner, Trello or your jobcard system so an engineer actually owns the next step.
  • Invoices: Copy the key bullet(s) into the invoice line so the client sees what was agreed on the call.
  • Disputes: Keep summaries with the job photos and signed sheets. Short, dated notes win arguments.

UK privacy basics you must follow

  • Be transparent: Tell callers you’ll record/transcribe and why. Link your privacy notice in emails and meeting invites. ICO monitoring guidance stresses clarity and proportionality (ico.org.uk).
  • Lawful basis: Many businesses rely on legitimate interests for training/quality and dispute prevention. Document a Legitimate Interests Assessment (LIA) and handle objections (ico.org.uk).
  • Where files live: Teams recordings/transcripts sit in OneDrive/SharePoint; Zoom explains privacy for AI Companion. Set retention that fits your work and delete when done (learn.microsoft.com, zoom.com).
  • Payments: If you ever take card details on a call, pause recording. Don’t store CVV – PCI rules apply (pcisecuritystandards.org).

Troubleshooting and gotchas

  • Teams transcription menu missing: your organiser or admin policy might block it. See Microsoft’s help (support.microsoft.com).
  • Can’t find the transcript later: open the meeting chat or calendar item and choose Recap. Microsoft explains where to look (support.microsoft.com).
  • Zoom summaries not appearing: update the app, ask your admin to enable AI Companion for Phone, and check your account region supports it (support.zoom.com).

What are people saying on Reddit?

  • Zoom Phone call summaries are used to create action lists without taking notes while driving. Example video and user breakdowns show real‑world usage.

FAQ

Can I do this without recording every call?

Yes. Teams can provide live transcription without recording. Zoom Phone call summary is triggered on calls when enabled by your admin. Always notify callers when transcription or summary is on.

Will this work for site mobiles with patchy signal?

Yes if the app has a data connection during or after the call to upload audio/text. For dead spots, summaries may appear after the phone gets back online.

Is this allowed under UK law?

Yes if you’re transparent, choose a lawful basis (often legitimate interests), minimise data, and keep it secure. See the ICO’s guidance on monitoring and the right to be informed (ico.org.uk).

Where do the files go?

Teams saves to OneDrive/SharePoint. Zoom uses your Zoom account storage and links; summaries appear in the call thread. Use a job folder structure and retention rules so nothing gets lost.

Any free options?

If you already pay for Microsoft 365 or Zoom Phone, the features above are included. Third‑party phone systems like RingCentral and Aircall also offer call summaries, usually on paid tiers.

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