Free template
Virtual Assistant Accountability Worksheet: How to Use It
A simple sheet that keeps your virtual assistant accountable, so they communicate clearly, escalate issues early, and get the work done.
What you need
The worksheet (va-accountability-worksheet.csv) in a shared Google Sheet or Excel file that you and your assistant can both edit. It covers four weeks, Monday to Friday, with a weekly review row at the end of each week.
How it works
Your virtual assistant fills in one row a day. You read it in about five minutes. Nobody has to chase anybody for a status update.
| Column | Who fills it in | What goes there |
|---|---|---|
| Planned today | Assistant, at the start of the day | The tasks they plan to finish today, most important first. |
| Done since the last update | Assistant, at the end of the day | What got finished, with links to the finished work where possible. |
| Blockers or questions | Assistant | Anything stuck: missing access, unclear instructions, waiting on someone. |
| Needs your decision? | Assistant | "Yes" when something cannot move until you decide. This is the one column to check first. |
| Hours worked | Assistant | Hours worked that day. |
| Manager notes | You | Quick answers, feedback, and changes in priority. |
What counts as an escalation
Agree on this in week one, so your assistant knows when to flag something right away instead of waiting for the daily update:
- A client is upset, or a client deadline is at risk.
- Money: a payment failed, a refund was requested, or a charge looks wrong.
- Anything that cannot be undone, like deleting data or sending to your whole list.
- Being stuck on the same task for more than an agreed amount of time (many teams use 30 minutes).
Pick the channel for urgent flags (a direct message, a text) and keep everything else in the worksheet.
The weekly review
At the end of each week, your assistant fills in the review row: wins, what slowed things down, and the top three priorities for next week. Spend 15 minutes on it together. Agree on the priorities, fix one thing that slowed you down, and give one piece of feedback.
Tips that keep it working
- Reply in the Manager notes column the same day, even with a quick "OK." It shows the updates are read.
- Keep the format the same every day. Consistency matters more than detail.
- After four weeks, start a fresh copy and keep the old one as a record.
Onboarding a new assistant? Read our free VA onboarding guide.
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