> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tryearmark.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Composer
> Refine any card with plain-language instructions and a live preview
Composer is how you make a card your own.
When Earmark generates a summary, action items, or any other [artifact](/earmark-basics/artifacts) from a meeting, the result is a starting point. Composer is the panel on the left in the fullscreen card view: you describe what you want, and the preview on the right re-renders to match.
If a card is the answer, Composer is where you write the question.
## When to use it
Use Composer whenever the default output is close, but not quite what you need.
Common cases:
* The summary covers what was said, but not what was decided — ask for decisions only.
* Action items feel flat — ask for them grouped by owner, due date, or blocking relationships.
* You need a recap for a specific reader — say who it is for (manager, customer, teammate who missed the call). Tone follows audience.
* You only care about one thread — pin that thread and drop the rest.
* You want the same shape every week — tune the prompt here, then [save it as a template](/customization/custom-templates).
The pattern is always the same: type what you want, watch the preview, adjust until it lands.
## Open Composer
Composer lives in the fullscreen view of any card.
1. From a meeting, click a card to open it.
2. The card fills the screen. Composer is on the **left**; the preview is on the **right**.
On a small screen, Composer sits in a sheet. Tap the **panel** icon in the header to open it. When you close the sheet, your prompt saves automatically.
## Write a prompt
The Composer field is a plain notes area. You can be casual, specific, or both.
A strong prompt usually covers three things:
1. **What the output is for** — recap, list, brief, draft email.
2. **Who it is for** — teammate, customer, your future self.
3. **What to leave out** — small talk, tangents, off-topic noise.
Example (spacing matters; short lines are easier to scan and edit later):
```text theme={null}
Recap for my manager.
Cover what we decided and what's still open.
Keep it under 150 words. No filler, no pleasantries.
```
No Markdown required in the prompt unless you want it. Plain text is enough.
## Live preview
By default, the preview **updates as you type**. Pause briefly and the right-hand panel reflects what you wrote. That is the fastest way to see whether your instruction is working.
To work in drafts and refresh only when you are ready, open the **Composer menu** (three dots in the Composer header) and turn off **Update as you type**. After that, press **Shift + Enter** to apply the prompt. Edit freely, then apply when you mean it.
**Behavior to expect**
* The preview scrolls toward new content as it streams. On long cards, the top may be off-screen for a moment — scroll up if you need the beginning.
* Prompt text **saves automatically**. Closing the meeting, switching cards, or reloading does not wipe your draft.
## Save a prompt as a template
When a prompt reliably gives the output you want — the one you would run on every similar meeting — open the Composer menu and choose **Save as template**.
A template is a named, saved prompt. It appears with your other [custom templates](/customization/custom-templates), can be reused on future meetings, and can be shared with the workspace.
Why save instead of pasting each time:
* You discover the right instruction by typing and watching the preview, not by guessing in an empty template form.
* A prompt proven on a real meeting usually transfers to the next real meeting better than one written from scratch.
If you paste the same prompt twice, save it.
## Tips
* **Whitespace helps future you** when you reopen a prompt weeks later.
* **Negative instructions work.** Saying what to omit is often stronger than listing what to include.
* **One job per prompt.** For both a recap and a follow-up list, two cards usually beat one overloaded prompt.
* **Ask for fewer words when unsure.** The model defaults to thorough; you often want concise.
* **Right after the meeting ends**, cards can keep refreshing for about a minute while the transcript finishes. If the first result looks partial, wait a moment and try again.
## What Composer is not
* **Not a chat.** There is no threaded history. The latest prompt text is what Earmark uses.
* **Does not change the meeting.** Rewriting a card does not edit the source transcript.
* **Does not span meetings.** Each card is tied to its meeting. For work across many meetings, use your [integrations](/integrations/overview) or a local workflow (for example [local transcript files](/earmark-basics/local-transcripts)) with an external agent.