flagship course
Virtual Assistant Services
Support clients remotely with email, calendar, research, documents and simple bookkeeping, working reliably and protecting client data.
about this course
What you will be able to do
Support clients remotely with email, calendar, research, documents and simple bookkeeping, working reliably and protecting client data.
- Define a service menu with hours and limits.
- Apply inbox, calendar and document routines.
- Analyse a client workflow to find time savers.
- Evaluate access and privacy risks.
- Create a monthly service pack and report.
Task, condition and standard
Task
Support a client for one month and keep a task log, a time record and a monthly report.
Condition
About 10 weeks part-time. A computer, free office tools, a practice client, a mentor.
Standard
Tasks are finished by the agreed time, client data is protected, the log shows every task with time spent, and the monthly report shows time saved.
Who it is for: Freelancers, homemakers returning to work, graduates, administrators. Requirements: Basic computer skills and clear writing. Materials: lesson text, templates, rubric, check with answers.
lesson by lesson
8 modules with worked examples
Module 1 Service menu and limits 4 hDefine
- List services: email, calendar, travel, research, documents, simple bookkeeping.
- Set hours and response times.
- Write what you will not do, such as legal advice.
- Write an agreement on scope, fees, notice and data.
Activity. Write a menu and a one-page agreement.
Standard to meet. Include limits, hours and response times in the menu.
Module 2 Email and calendar routines 6 hApply
- Create folders, labels and rules so mail sorts itself.
- Reply from templates and keep the client voice.
- Schedule with buffers and time zones in view.
- Send a daily summary of done, doing and next.
Activity. Run a practice inbox for five days.
Standard to meet. Test that rules work and send summaries daily.
Module 3 Documents, sheets and templates 5 hApply
- Build templates for minutes, letters, quotes and reports.
- Use formulas for totals and simple charts.
- Name files by date and topic; keep versions.
- Share with the right permissions.
Activity. Create three templates and test them.
Standard to meet. Reuse templates and name them by rule.
Module 4 Research and bookings 5 hApply
- Use reliable sources and list them.
- Compare three options with price, time and risk.
- Confirm bookings in writing and put them in the calendar.
- Keep receipts and records.
Activity. Complete a research and booking task.
Standard to meet. Compare options and list sources.
Module 5 Simple bookkeeping support 5 hApply
- Record income and expenses in a sheet.
- Match receipts and bank lines.
- Prepare a monthly summary.
- Hand complex tax matters to a qualified accountant.
Activity. Record a month for a practice business.
Standard to meet. Check that totals agree with the bank, or explain the differences.
Module 6 Privacy and access 4 hEvaluate
- Ask only for the access you need.
- Use a password manager and a second sign-in step.
- Never share client data on personal chats.
- End access when the work ends.
Activity. Write a privacy and access checklist.
Standard to meet. Cover access, passwords, sharing and exit in the checklist.
Module 7 Pricing, time and invoices 4 hCreate
- Choose hourly or monthly pricing.
- Track time with a simple timer.
- Invoice on a set date with details.
- Review profitability each month.
Activity. Price a package and send a practice invoice.
Standard to meet. Check that the invoice is correct and the time log matches.
Module 8 Capstone: a month of support 5 hCreate
- Run services for one client for a month.
- Keep the log and time record.
- Write the monthly report with time saved.
- Collect client feedback.
Activity. Present the report.
Standard to meet. Complete the log, time and feedback, and check that they are accurate.
assessment
How you are checked
Evidence: the work product from each module, kept in one folder with dates. A mentor and two peers mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.
| Criterion | Not yet | Meets | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Missing or unclear | Meets the stated check | All tasks on time with a log |
| Privacy | Guessing | Evidence kept | Checklist followed and reviewed |
| Records | Gaps | Complete | Complete and reviewed by a peer |
| Safety and ethics | Overlooked | Followed | Followed and taught to others |
Ten-question check, with model answers
Q1. Why write limits?
Model answer: They prevent misunderstandings and protect quality. (Covered in module 1: Service menu and limits. To pass that module: Include limits, hours and response times in the menu.)
Q2. What belongs in a daily summary?
Model answer: Done, doing and next. (Covered in module 2: Email and calendar routines. To pass that module: Test that rules work and send summaries daily.)
Q3. Why use templates?
Model answer: Speed and consistent quality. (Covered in module 3: Documents, sheets and templates. To pass that module: Reuse templates and name them by rule.)
Q4. Why list sources?
Model answer: So the client can check them. (Covered in module 4: Research and bookings. To pass that module: Compare options and list sources.)
Q5. What do you do with tax advice requests?
Model answer: Refer them to a qualified accountant. (Covered in module 5: Simple bookkeeping support. To pass that module: Check that totals agree with the bank, or explain the differences.)
Q6. What is least access?
Model answer: Only the access the task needs. (Covered in module 6: Privacy and access. To pass that module: Cover access, passwords, sharing and exit in the checklist.)
Q7. Why track time?
Model answer: To bill fairly and see profit. (Covered in module 7: Pricing, time and invoices. To pass that module: Check that the invoice is correct and the time log matches.)
Q8. What proves reliability?
Model answer: Tasks finished on time with a clear log. (Covered in module 8: Capstone: a month of support. To pass that module: Complete the log, time and feedback, and check that they are accurate.)
Q9. Why confirm tasks in writing?
Model answer: To avoid mistakes and disputes. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)
Q10. Why end access when work ends?
Model answer: To protect client data. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)
seven levels
Your ladder, L1 to L7
This course sits at L4 Practitioner. Each level adds to the one below.
- L1 Basic. Know office tools.
- L2 Awareness. Explain common tasks.
- L3 Foundation. Support a client under guidance.
- L4 Practitioner. Support clients alone.
- L5 Specialist. Support teams and manage several clients.
- L6 Advanced. Lead a team of assistants.
- L7 Super expert. Run an agency with standards and training.
Slide by slide
Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.
Slide 1 L1 Basic: Office tool basics
Name and use 5 office tools (email, calendar, document, sheet, chat) to complete 5 small tasks in under 30 minutes.
Speaker notes. Teacher sets 5 tiny tasks, such as making a calendar entry, and times the learner. Covered in module 3.
Slide 2 L2 Awareness: Common tasks explained
Explain in plain words 6 common assistant tasks, saying the steps, the tool and what a finished task looks like for each.
Speaker notes. Teacher asks about booking a meeting and checks the learner lists steps and the written confirmation. Covered in module 1.
Slide 3 L3 Foundation: Guided client support
Support one practice client for 1 week, finishing 10 tasks with a written confirmation for each and a daily log.
Speaker notes. Teacher opens the log and checks all 10 tasks have a date, a status and a confirmation. Covered in module 2, Email and calendar routines.
Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: Independent client support
Handle 3 clients alone for 2 weeks, keeping a task list with 95 percent of tasks done by the agreed time and a short weekly report.
Speaker notes. Teacher checks the weekly report against the task list. Covered in module 8, Capstone: a month of support.
Slide 5 L5 Specialist: Multi-client team support
Manage 5 clients across a team of 2 helpers using shared checklists, and keep privacy rules, such as ending access on closure, with no missed item.
Speaker notes. Teacher audits the access list for one closed client. Check local data rules with an expert.
Slide 6 L6 Advanced: Assistant team lead
Lead 4 assistants for a month with clear task hand-offs, a quality check on 10 percent of work and one coaching talk each.
Speaker notes. Teacher samples 5 finished tasks and checks the checks were recorded.
Slide 7 L7 Super expert: Agency standards and training
Set agency standards for pricing, response time and privacy, and train 3 new assistants until each passes a 10-task practice test.
Speaker notes. Teacher reviews the standards sheet and the test scores. Check local rules with an expert on data and tax.
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Virtual assistant
- Executive assistant
- Administrative coordinator
- Freelance assistant
- Office manager
ten locations and global
Your place
Local rules change licences, data handling, pricing words and names of bodies. Check them for your place before you act.
India (Bengaluru)
Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Currency: INR. Data rule for what you publish: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.
Netherlands (Eindhoven area)
Language: Dutch, English. Currency: EUR. Data rule for what you publish: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.
UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
Language: Arabic, English. Currency: AED. Data rule for what you publish: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Currency: BRL. Data rule for what you publish: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.
Canada (Toronto)
Language: English, French. Currency: CAD. Data rule for what you publish: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.
United States
Language: English, Spanish. Currency: USD. Data rule for what you publish: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.
Singapore
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Currency: SGD. Data rule for what you publish: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.
Australia
Language: English. Currency: AUD. Data rule for what you publish: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.
Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)
Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Currency: HKD. Data rule for what you publish: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.
Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)
Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Currency: GEL or ILS. Data rule for what you publish: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.
Cayman Islands (Caribbean)
Language: English. Currency: KYD. Data rule for what you publish: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.
Mexico
Language: Spanish, English. Currency: MXN. Data rule for what you publish: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.
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Draft
Draft flagship. Own wording. Not live.