How tasks move from your desk to an assistant

The first steps, in order

Every stage is agreed with the partner before the next one starts.

1. Request: tell us what you need and the partner picks it up.
2. Scoping: the partner learns your tasks, coverage needs and software.
3. Setup: logins, shared folders and written instructions are prepared.
4. First week: a limited set of tasks, daily notes back to you, and quick corrections.

Getting your materials ready

None of this needs to be polished. Rough notes beat nothing.

• A plain list of tasks and how long each takes you now
• Procedures in a shared document or folder
• Saved replies, email templates and naming conventions
• Access to the tools in scope, set up with only the permissions needed
• A password manager vault for shared credentials
• Notes on which customers, vendors or topics need special care
• What the assistant may approve alone and what must come to you

Keeping access secure

An assistant needs access to your systems, but that does not mean handing over your own password. Safer habits are easy to set up:

• Use delegation where it exists, such as mailbox and calendar delegation in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
• Give the assistant their own login in tools that support extra users, so actions are traceable.
• Share anything else through a password manager rather than email or chat.
• Turn on two-factor authentication and plan how the assistant will pass it.
• Grant the least privilege each task needs.
• Have an offboarding list ready to remove access when the arrangement ends.

What the ongoing work looks like

Day to day, the assistant works through the agreed tasks and keeps a record of them. You get a summary on whatever rhythm suits you, daily at first and often weekly later, plus a way to reach them with urgent items.

Every so often it is worth stepping back. Are the hours right? Are there tasks that could move over now that the basics run well? Is anything being done that no longer needs doing? Raise those points with the service partner and agree changes in writing.

If you decide to stop, give notice as your terms require, then remove access and change any shared passwords.