“The short version is…”

When to use it

First sentence of any answer that could run long. It forces a headline before the detail.

What it replaces

"So, basically, it's a bit of a long story, but…"

The hedged version is not wrong English. It is English that asks the interviewer to do the work of deciding whether you meant it. The confident version makes the decision for them.

In an answer

“The short version is: I moved our month-end close from nine days to four. Here's how.”

How to make it automatic

1. Say it aloud five times now, at normal speed, with contractions.
2. Pick one story from your own work where it fits, and say that story once using it.
3. Record a 60-second answer tomorrow and listen for whether it came out on its own.