Technology Archives - The Officials

Your Most Important Client: Your Own VA Business

As a Virtual Assistant, you’re a master of systems. You’ve probably learned half a dozen project management tools, navigated countless CRMs, and become fluent in your clients’ unique workflows.

But here’s the truth that most VAs don’t want to admit: you’re neglecting your most important client—yourself.

While you’re busy optimizing everyone else’s business, your own VA practice is held together with mental notes, scattered spreadsheets, and a prayer that you’ll remember to follow up with that lead from three weeks ago.

The irony is painful. You’re the systems expert, the operations wizard, the person clients hire to bring order to chaos. Yet your own business? That’s running on autopilot (and not the good, automated kind).

Why VAs Struggle to Build Their Own Systems

The challenge is unique to the VA industry. Unlike other service providers who typically work with one or two clients at a time, VAs juggle multiple clients, each with their own goals, tools, communication styles, and expectations.

You spend your days context-switching between:

Client A’s Microsoft Planner board
Client B’s Monday.com workspace
Client C’s custom Notion setup
Client D’s email-based chaos that you’re trying to organize

By the time you close your laptop, the last thing you want to do is build another system. Your brain is full. Your energy is depleted. And building systems for your own business? That gets pushed to “someday.”

But here’s what happens when “someday” never comes: that first client you landed (you know, the one who practically fell into your lap) eventually moves on. And suddenly, you realize you have no pipeline, no repeatable sales process, and no idea how to find your next client.

If you’re thinking about becoming a VA, or you’re already working as one but feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants, it’s time to treat your VA business like the valuable client it is.

The Three Pillars Every VA Business Needs

Building systems for your own business doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, if you focus on three core areas—Sales, Socials, and Systems—you’ll create a foundation that actually supports your growth instead of holding you back.

1. Socials: Marketing Can’t Be an Afterthought

I know too many talented VAs who are one client departure away from panic. They’re fully booked right now, so marketing feels unnecessary. They tell themselves they’ll focus on it “when things slow down.” But when that anchor client finishes their project, suddenly there’s nothing in the pipeline but that doesn’t stop your bills from being due.

Your social media and content marketing shouldn’t be something you do when you’re desperate for work. It should be a consistent engine that keeps opportunities flowing even when you’re busy.

But here’s the problem: When you’re deep in client work, switching between systems all day, the last thing you have energy for is writing LinkedIn posts or planning content.

This is exactly where tech becomes your best friend.

It’s important to find tools that help you:

Batch-write content and capture ideas
Schedule posts weeks in advance
Repurpose one piece of content across multiple platforms
Keep your presence active even during your busiest weeks

Questions to ask yourself:

If your biggest client left tomorrow, how long would it take to replace that income?
When was the last time you posted about your services?
Do you have a content calendar, or do you post when you remember?
Are you actively building relationships with potential clients, or waiting for them to find you?

2. Sales: Your Client Pipeline Shouldn’t Be a Mystery

Let’s talk about what happens when a potential client reaches out. If you’re like most VAs, the process looks something like this:

Scramble to write a custom proposal in Google Docs
Copy-paste an old contract and hope you updated all the names
Send separate emails for pricing, services, and next steps
Cross your fingers and wait

Then, once they say yes, the real fun begins: the onboarding marathon. It can take weeks to get access to all their systems, understand their workflows, learn their tools, and actually start delivering value. During this time, you’re earning nothing (or very little) while investing significant energy.

What if you had a system instead?

Imagine a sales process where:

Inquiry forms automatically capture all the information you need
Proposal templates auto-fill with client details and your service packages
Service agreements are generated with pre-approved terms
Onboarding sequences trigger automatically upon signing
Payment links are included in every proposal

This isn’t fantasy, this is what happens when you build a proper sales system. You stop recreating the wheel for every new client and start closing deals faster with less effort.

Questions to ask yourself:

Do you have templated proposals and service agreements?
Can you generate these documents quickly, or does each one take hours?
Do you have a clear pricing structure for your services?
What does your client onboarding process look like? Is it documented?
How long does it typically take from “yes” to starting billable work?

3. Systems: Your Backend Operations Need Love Too

You’re a systems person. You know how important it is to track time, invoice promptly, manage tasks, and stay organized. Yet somehow, your own backend is a disaster.

Maybe you’re:

Using three different tools that don’t talk to each other
Manually logging time across multiple clients
Forgetting to invoice because you’re too busy doing the work
Losing track of your own tasks in the shuffle of client priorities

Your backend systems are what keep your business running. Without them, you’re leaving money on the table, burning out faster, and creating unnecessary stress.

Consider tools that actually work for you:

For time tracking, systems like Kirmada can automatically track your time even when you’re switching between multiple clients. So helpful when you are too busy to remember to start and stop a timer every time you context-switch. (And if you do, you’re probably under-logging your actual hours.)

You need a command center for:

Sales follow-ups
Content creation
Administrative tasks
Client goals and milestones
Professional development
Financial management

For invoicing and payments, building systems is non-negotiable. Your invoices can generate automatically based on your time logs or project milestones. Payment reminders can send themselves.

Questions to ask yourself:

How accurately are you tracking your time across all clients?
Are you invoicing for all the hours you actually work?
Do you have a system for managing your own to-do list?
How long does it take you to prepare and send invoices each month?
Are you using tools that integrate with each other, or constantly duplicating data?

Making It Happen: You Need a Plan

Here’s what I know about VAs: you’re smart, capable, and absolutely able to build these systems. The problem isn’t ability it’s time, energy, and knowing where to start.

You need a plan. Not a “someday I’ll figure this out” plan, but a real, actionable roadmap that helps you build these systems without burning out or abandoning your current clients.

When you start treating your own business like your best client, everything changes: your confidence, your consistency, and your capacity to grow.

The systems you build for yourself will free up time, energy, and headspace to serve clients better and scale sustainably. This isn’t busywork, it’s business maturity.

So take your own advice: get organized, automate what you can, and make your VA business the well-oiled machine it deserves to be.

Ready to Build Systems for Your Most Important Client?

If you’re thinking about becoming a VA or you’re already working as one but struggling with the tech side of running your business, our 6-week live cohort gives you everything you need:

✅ The exact tech stack to run your VA business (with room to customize)
✅ Templates and workflows for sales, onboarding, and client management
✅ Live implementation sessions where you build these systems in real-time
✅ Community support from other VAs who get it
✅ Ongoing accountability to actually finish what you start

Stop treating your own business like your least important client. You deserve systems that work as hard as you do.

Join the VA Business Systems Cohort →

The cohort starts November 10th, 2025, and we meet Mondays at 6 PM UK / 1 PM ET for six weeks. You’ll walk away with a better understand of the tech that work for you and your business and the confidence to run your VA business like a true leader.

The Low-Hanging Fruit of Automation

When I look at how administrative professionals are using AI, it’s only scratching the surface of what it can do. They are mostly using it for augmentation, to make things better, faster, prettier, cleaner. They’re asking AI tools like ChatGPT to write emails, polish copy, or brainstorm ideas. That’s great. But the next step, and the one that will truly move the needle for your workload and your career, is automation.
Automation isn’t the future. It’s the now. And the best part? The low-hanging fruit is everywhere. 🍓

From Augmentation to Automation

AI for augmentation is about assistance. AI for automation is about liberation.
Augmentation helps you do the task better. Automation helps you not do it at all — or at least not manually.

Think of it this way:
When you use AI to draft an email, that’s augmentation.
When you set up a flow that drafts, sends, and files that email automatically when a meeting is booked, that’s automation.
Both are powerful, but one scales the quality of your output. The other scales you.

Why Automation Matters So Much for Administrative Professionals

Let’s talk reality. EAs, office managers, and admin professionals are under more pressure than ever with more stakeholders, more tools, more responsibilities, and fewer boundaries. Every quarter, the expectation bar gets raised.
But here’s the truth: you can’t “work harder” your way out of this anymore. You need to work smarter and smarter means automating.

By automating elements of your day-to-day processes, you:
Free up brain space for the strategic work your execs actually need from you.
Create measurable impact by saving time and money and you can prove it.
Scale your role to handle increasing demands without burning out.
This isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about future-proofing your career. Automation is what separates an overloaded assistant from a strategic operations partner.

AI + Automation: A Powerful Duo

AI isn’t just the tool that helps you build automation, it’s the tool that can live inside it.

Imagine:
An AI that categorizes your incoming emails, labels newsletters “To Read,” and summarizes key updates automatically.
A workflow that generates meeting notes, identifies action items, and updates your tracker in seconds.
A system that notices when a deadline is missed and pings you before it becomes a problem.
That’s not science fiction. It’s Tuesday afternoon when you’ve learned the basics of automation platforms like Power Automate, Zapier, or Google Apps Script.

And with the rise of tools like Microsoft Copilot and Gemini, automation isn’t just mechanical — it’s becoming intelligent. AI can now make decisions within your automations: “If this email is urgent, forward it; if not, archive it.” That’s not replacing you. That’s supporting you.

The Low-Hanging Fruit: Start Small, Scale Fast

You don’t need to be a developer. You just need to start.

Here are three examples of where most assistants can win today:
Inbox triage – Automatically label newsletters, file receipts, or forward specific emails.
Meeting prep – Generate agendas and pull key documents when a meeting is added to the calendar.
Task tracking – Auto-update a dashboard or Notion board when a project milestone is hit.
Each of these takes minutes to set up but saves hours every week.

Ready to Go from “AI Curious” to “AI Confident”?

If this resonates, you’re not alone. Thousands of assistants are realizing that automation is their next power move — and they’re learning how to make it work now.
That’s exactly what we’re diving into at the AI for EAs: Virtual Summit on October 29. I’ll be leading a live session — “How To Get Started With Automation” — where I’ll show you three practical examples of automations every EA can use, plus how AI fits into the mix.

👉 Reserve your spot for the AI for EAs Virtual Summit (You’ll leave with real-world tactics you can use the next day.)

Want to Take It Further?

If you’re ready to build your own system — a personal dashboard that keeps you one step ahead of your exec — come join one of our HQ Live: Build Your Admin Dashboard sessions.

We’ll help you design a personalized workspace in Google, Microsoft, or Notion, so you can track, automate, and visualize your workload like a pro.

👉 Join our next dashboard workshop (Premium HQ members only — free trial available.)

Final Word

Automation isn’t about replacing what you do. It’s about elevating how you do it.
Start with the low-hanging fruit. Then, keep climbing. Because the assistants who automate now? They’re the ones leading tomorrow.

A woman in a yellow sweater at a podium. There are 3 women on the stage at The PA Show speaking on a panel.

Why Attending Industry Events Can Be the Key to Unlocking Your Career Potential as an Administrative Professional

As administrative professionals, we often feel like we’re stuck behind the scenes—providing support, managing schedules, and handling details—but rarely in the spotlight. I used to feel the same way. But attending industry events, especially those dedicated to our profession, changed everything for me.

The First Step Towards Connection

I’ll never forget the first time I attended The PA Show as an assistant. Walking into that space at the ExCeL in London, I felt an overwhelming sense of excitement. There I was, surrounded by hundreds of other assistants, all experiencing the same challenges, triumphs, and pressures I knew so well. But more importantly, it was a space where I could finally connect with others who understood my role.

At the time, I was too shy to network with anyone beyond a few vendors. But just being there was a pivotal moment for me—a reminder that there was an entire community out there who shared the same passion for their work, and that my profession mattered. That event sparked something in me, a desire to do more, learn more, and connect more.

A Bold Moment That Changed My Career

Fast forward to one of my last times attending as a delegate. That year, I made a wild decision. While standing in the middle of the event, feeling that familiar buzz of inspiration, I grabbed my phone and went live on Instagram. In that moment, I proclaimed that by the next year, I would be on stage at the event as a speaker.

It might have seemed like a bold, maybe even crazy statement at the time, especially since I had never spoken to any of the organizers of the event. But here’s the thing: I believed it. I believed that attending these events—and showing up with my authentic self—could propel me toward something bigger.

And the best part? One of the organizers reach out to me, without ever seeing my post. I had just come onto their radar through my advocacy and they invited me to speak the very next year.

From Delegate to Advocate: A Career Transformation

That moment was the launchpad for what became an entirely new chapter of my career. The PA Show—along with the connections I made at that event—gave me the platform to start advocating for assistants in a bigger way. By attending, I didn’t just learn from incredible keynote speakers or discover useful resources; I also put myself in a position to be seen, to build a presence, and to make connections that would eventually lead to speaking engagements, opportunities to train, and the privilege of helping so many assistants take their careers to the next level.

The PA Show didn’t just support me as an assistant—it supported me as an advocate, a trainer, and now as someone who gets to pay it forward by helping others grow in their careers, just like mine grew from attending that event.

Unlocking Your Potential

Now, I make it a point to treat every person I meet at events with the same warmth and openness that I needed when I was just starting out. I know how it feels to walk into a room and feel unsure, nervous, or disconnected. That’s why I make it a priority to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and confident to connect.

Whether you’re an assistant, EA, PA, or office manager, attending industry events is one of the most powerful ways to unlock your career potential. You get the chance to network with people who share your challenges and aspirations, discover new tools and resources that can help you succeed, and most importantly, put yourself in the position to be seen and heard by those who can help you take your career to the next level.

Just like it did for me, an industry event could be the first step in a journey that transforms your career. So, take the leap—attend an event, make that bold post, step into the spotlight, and see where it takes you.

Ready to Take Your Career to the Next Level?

If you’re ready to experience the power of industry events for yourself, don’t wait! Whether you’re looking for inspiration, career advancement, or just a chance to connect with others, attending these events is the first step toward unlocking your true potential.

Learn more and sign up for the next PA Show on 26 and 27 February 2025 and get ready to open the door to new opportunities, just like I did. And check out our events page for more ways to connect.

Why Every Assistant Needs a Dashboard: The Secret Weapon to Getting (and Staying) Organized

Let’s be real: being an assistant is a fast-paced, high-stakes juggling act. Between coordinating schedules, fielding endless requests, tracking every little detail, and making sure everyone else is where they need to be, there’s a lot on your plate. Staying organized isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. But even the most organized among us can only do so much without some serious backup.

Please note this page may contain affiliate links that support us to do what we do best. We only partner with products and services we love. You can read our Affiliate Disclaimer for more information.

Enter The Admin Attaché, a dashboard made just for assistants. Think of it as a one-stop command center designed to keep your day streamlined and sane. With everything you need in one place, it’s built to help you get things done quickly, efficiently, and—yes—with a lot less stress. Here’s why a Notion dashboard like The Admin Attaché could be your new best friend at work.

What Is an Assistant Dashboard, Anyway?

Imagine if you could take all the different tools you use—calendar, to-do list, project trackers—and combine them in one, super-organized workspace. That’s what an assistant dashboard is. Instead of jumping from app to app or shuffling between tabs, a dashboard keeps it all together in one view, so you can see your entire day (and week) laid out in front of you.

For assistants, this setup is a game-changer. A dashboard is more than just a workspace—it’s like a backstage pass to every project, deadline, and priority you’re managing. The Admin Attaché makes sure that no email gets lost, no appointment is double-booked, and no task slips through the cracks.

Why Notion is the Perfect Platform for Assistant Dashboards

The Admin Attaché is built as a Notion template, which means it taps into the flexibility and power of Notion’s all-in-one workspace. Notion is a favorite among assistants because it’s highly customizable, allowing you to shape your dashboard exactly the way you need. With Notion, you can create a centralized hub that combines task management, document storage, project tracking, and more—all in one place. Plus, Notion’s intuitive, drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to keep everything organized and quickly adapt to the unique demands of your role.

Why Technology Is an Assistant’s Best Friend

For many people in administrative roles, technology isn’t just helpful; it’s essential to keep up with the demands of the job. An assistant dashboard like The Admin Attaché brings together the tools that make life easier, so you’re not constantly playing catch-up. The goal isn’t to make you “more tech-savvy”—it’s about using the right tech to help you be more organized, less stressed, and better prepared to tackle any last-minute changes or requests.

It’s like having a personal assistant for your assistant role. Everything you need is just a click away, and that quick access can make all the difference in a job that requires as much flexibility as precision.

Customization: Why It Matters and How It Helps You

Not all assistants work the same way, and The Admin Attaché gets that. One of the best things about this dashboard is that it’s customizable. So, instead of forcing you to adapt to someone else’s system, it lets you create a setup that works best for you. Maybe you want a top-down view of your daily tasks, or maybe you need quick access to a list of contacts and email threads. However you like to organize things, you can make your dashboard fit your style and priorities.

And this flexibility is crucial—when you can set things up the way you like, you’re more efficient. A customized dashboard means less time spent hunting down information and more time focusing on the work that matters most.

The Admin Attaché: Designed to Make Your Life Easier

So, what makes The Admin Attaché stand out from other tools? It’s designed specifically for administrative professionals, by administrative professionals, with all the little details that make an assistant’s job easier.

Here are some of the standout features that make The Admin Attaché such a valuable tool:

Every thing you need in one place: Keep all your important notes, meetings, itineraries, while tracking your tasks in one secure and easily accessible dashboard. No more searching through multiple platforms or folders.
Enhanced Organization: Stay organized with customizable categories and tags. Easily categorize and find the essential data, making it effortless to stay on top of your administrative tasks.
Time-Saving Efficiency: Save time by having all your essential information in one place. No more wasted minutes searching for what you need or trying to remember where you saved that important note.
Full Customization: Make your dashboard your own. Organize tasks, notes, or messages in a way that works for you.
Seamless Collaboration: Easily share updates or handover notes with other team members, keeping everyone in the loop.

Why an Assistant Dashboard is Worth It

Let’s face it—assistants keep the wheels turning in any team or organization. But it’s a demanding role, and sometimes you need tools that can help manage that demand. The Admin Attaché is designed to give you a little breathing room by helping you keep track of it all, without feeling overwhelmed.

Once you’re set up, this dashboard saves you time, reduces the mental load, and helps keep you on top of every task, request, and meeting on your plate. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and giving yourself a leg up in a role that asks a lot.

Embrace the Power of a Dashboard

If you’ve been handling it all solo, a dashboard might just be the missing link in your workflow. The Admin Attaché is here to bring some clarity to the chaos, help you find what you need when you need it, and give you that extra edge.

So, if you’re ready to streamline your workload, reduce stress, and stay organized, a dashboard could be just the solution you’ve been looking for. Give yourself the gift of a system built specifically for your role, and discover how much smoother each day can be.

A beautiful woman of color with curly red hair sitting with her silver laptop. She is a proud tech savvy assistant.

Embrace Technology: An Assistant’s Best Friend in the Workplace

Hey there, fellow administrative professionals! If you’re like me, you juggle a million things each day—from managing schedules and organizing files to keeping everything running smoothly. It’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed when challenges pop up. But here’s a little secret: there is an app for that! Technology has become our best friend, and it’s more intuitive than ever, ready to help us tackle any challenge that comes our way.

The Magic of Technology at Your Fingertips

Every day, we encounter situations that require quick thinking and creative solutions. Whether you’re trying to organize a complex meeting or sort through a mountain of emails, instead of stressing out, why not explore the amazing digital resources available to you? Here’s why embracing technology can make your life a whole lot easier—and boost your value as an employee:

User-Friendly Tools: So many software applications are designed with you in mind. You don’t need to be a tech genius to navigate them! Platforms like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are super intuitive, making it easy to find solutions quickly.
Streamline Your Work: Automation is a game changer! With the right tools, you can set up automated tasks that save you time and reduce errors. For example, Microsoft Power Automate lets you create workflows that connect your apps. If you’re constantly copying data between Excel and other platforms, let’s find a way to automate that!
Collaboration Made Simple: Working with your team has never been easier. Whether it’s using Google Docs for real-time editing or Microsoft Teams for instant chats, these tools help us collaborate seamlessly and make teamwork fun.
A Wealth of Resources: The internet is full of helpful resources! From tutorials and webinars to forums where you can ask questions, there’s no shortage of information to help you level up your skills. Plus, many apps come with built-in support, so you can troubleshoot problems without breaking a sweat.

Why Embracing Technology Makes You More Valuable

Now, let’s talk about how embracing technology can elevate your career and make you a more valuable asset to your team:

Increased Efficiency: By leveraging technology, you can streamline processes and complete tasks faster. This efficiency not only helps you stay on top of your workload but also impresses your supervisors and colleagues, showing them that you’re proactive and resourceful.
Enhanced Skill Set: Staying up to date with the latest tools and technology means you’re constantly expanding your skill set. This not only boosts your confidence but also makes you more marketable within your organization. Employers value team members who are adaptable and eager to learn!
Better Problem Solving: Embracing technology equips you with a variety of tools to tackle challenges creatively. When you can quickly find solutions and implement them, you become the go-to person in your office for tech-related issues, further establishing your value as a reliable team member.
Improved Communication: Technology enhances communication and collaboration within teams. By mastering tools that facilitate smooth communication, you contribute to a more cohesive work environment, making you an indispensable part of your organization.

Cultivating a Tech-Friendly Mindset

Now, let’s talk about how to embrace this tech-savvy mindset. Here are some friendly tips to get you started:

Think Like a Problem Solver: When you hit a bump in the road, ask yourself, “Is there an app for that?” Take a few minutes to explore potential solutions online. Whether you’re looking for a better way to manage your calendar or an app to help with project tracking, I promise the right tech is out there just waiting for you to discover it!
Dive into Built-In Features: Before searching for new tools, take a look at what you already have. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are packed with features that can help you. For example, check out Microsoft To Do for tracking tasks or Google Keep for organizing notes and reminders. You might find everything you need is already at your fingertips!
Learn and Grow: Investing time in learning how to use your tools can really pay off. Many platforms offer free or low-cost training resources to help you become more confident. Consider joining online workshops or webinars specifically for administrative professionals to get the latest tips and tricks.
Connect with Fellow Assistants: Don’t underestimate the power of community! Networking with other administrative pros can open up new ideas and strategies. Share your experiences, ask for advice, and learn from each other to discover tools and methods that work for you.

Conclusion

Embracing technology isn’t just about making your job easier; it’s about empowering yourself to work smarter and enjoy your day even more! The next time you face a challenge, remember: there is an app for that! By developing a mindset of curiosity and exploring the intuitive tools at your disposal, you can boost your productivity, streamline your workflow, and truly shine in your role as an administrative professional.

Let’s embark on this exciting digital journey together, embracing technology as our trusted ally in the workplace! We’ve got this, and together, we’ll show the world just how valuable we can be!

Join our Tech Hacks

Ready to take your tech skills to the next level? Join us for our free Tech Hacks webinars designed specifically for assistants!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your skills and become an even more valuable member of your team. Sign up today and let’s explore the world of technology together!

Learn More

Microsoft Designer for Assistants Replay

Boost Your Productivity and Creativity: How Microsoft Designer Can Help Assistants Shine

In the fast-paced world of administrative professionals, assistants often wear multiple hats, managing everything from scheduling and project coordination to event planning and presentation design. It’s no wonder that finding tools that streamline workflows and simplify design tasks can be a real lifesaver! Microsoft Designer is one of those tools, bringing the power of AI-driven design and ease-of-use right into the hands of administrative professionals. Whether you’re handling social media, presentations, or creating team resources, this tool is worth exploring.

What is Microsoft Designer?

Microsoft Designer is an AI-powered design tool within Microsoft’s suite of apps that makes creating professional-looking visuals incredibly easy. If you’re familiar with other graphic design tools, such as Canva or Adobe Spark, you’ll recognize the same drag-and-drop interface and customizable templates, but with the added benefits of seamless Microsoft 365 integration and powerful AI features.

In a nutshell, Microsoft Designer can help you create high-quality visuals quickly, even if you don’t have a background in graphic design. This is especially helpful for assistants who need polished graphics but may not have the budget or time for extensive design work.

Key Features of Microsoft Designer

Microsoft Designer offers several features designed to make visual content creation easy and accessible for all skill levels. Here are some standout features:

Templates for All Occasions
Designer comes with a range of ready-made templates for social media posts, presentations, newsletters, and more. Whether you’re crafting an event flyer, preparing slides for a meeting, or creating a social media graphic, Microsoft Designer has templates that will help you get started with ease.
AI-Powered Suggestions
One of the most innovative features in Microsoft Designer is its AI-powered design suggestions. When you input your content, the tool automatically generates several design options based on your text and chosen theme. This means you can see multiple design possibilities instantly, saving you the time you might otherwise spend brainstorming ideas from scratch.
Effortless Customization
After choosing a template, you can easily personalize it with your colors, fonts, images, and logos to make it fit your brand. Designer allows you to import media from your device or even use the images and icons in its library, making customization a breeze.
Collaboration Features
With Microsoft Designer’s integration into Microsoft 365, sharing and collaborating on designs is simple. You can share drafts with your team members and even collect feedback directly within the document, streamlining the approval process.
Seamless Microsoft 365 Integration
If you’re using Microsoft 365, Designer integrates well with other Microsoft apps like PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. This means you can easily move designs between these programs and use your visuals across different projects without hassle.

How Microsoft Designer Can Benefit Assistants

Here are some specific ways administrative professionals can leverage Microsoft Designer to make their workdays smoother:

1. Create Eye-Catching Event Invitations

Organizing an office event or a company outing? With Designer’s templates, assistants can quickly craft event invitations that look professional and polished, saving time for other event-planning tasks.

2. Design Presentation Slides

Presentation preparation is a big part of many assistants’ roles. With Designer, you can create slide templates and add engaging visuals that elevate the overall quality of the presentation. The AI suggestions are particularly useful when you’re pressed for time.

3. Social Media Content for Internal Communications

If you manage internal communications, creating graphics for announcements or social media-style posts can boost engagement within the company. Designer’s social media templates are a great fit for sharing announcements, team highlights, or employee recognition posts.

4. Save and Reuse Templates for Consistency

Brand consistency can be challenging when there’s limited time to create visuals from scratch. With Designer, you can create and save templates that reflect your company’s branding, allowing you to maintain a consistent look across all your materials. This is especially helpful when managing materials like newsletters or recurring event flyers.

5. Simplify Reporting and Data Presentation

Microsoft Designer can help assistants present data in a visually appealing way, whether in PowerPoint, Excel, or Word. It’s a perfect tool for creating infographics and charts that make information more digestible.

Accessing Microsoft Designer

It’s important to note that Microsoft Designer is currently available only through a personal Microsoft account and is not accessible via business accounts. This means that if you’re using a work account, you might need to set up a personal account to take advantage of Designer’s features. The good news? Microsoft Designer is completely free to use, making it an accessible tool for all assistants looking to enhance their design capabilities without any financial investment. This accessibility allows you to create stunning visuals without the barriers of expensive software or subscriptions, empowering you to elevate your work efficiently.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Designer is a versatile and accessible design tool that can be a huge asset to administrative professionals. By saving time on creating graphics and presentations, assistants can focus on other core responsibilities, ultimately adding more value to their role. Plus, its integration with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem makes it an ideal fit for assistants already familiar with other Microsoft tools.

If you’re an assistant looking to add some design savvy to your toolkit, Microsoft Designer is definitely worth exploring. With its AI-powered features, it puts professional design capabilities within reach, even if you’re short on time or resources.

Watch the replay

Watch our demo where we showcase how assistants can utilize Microsoft Designer to create impactful images for presentations, events, and internal communications—all without needing extensive design experience.

Sign up as a member today to gain access to this valuable resource and many more!

Learn More

4 Must-Have Tools for Administrative Professionals to Maintain a Clutter-Free Digital Workspace

Please note this page may contain affiliate links that support us to do what we do best. We only partner with products and services we love. You can read our Affiliate Disclaimer for more information.

In the fast-paced world of administrative roles, keeping your digital workspace organized is paramount. With a multitude of tasks, appointments, and documents to manage, having the right tools can make all the difference. Here are five essential tools that can help you maintain a clutter-free digital workspace and boost your productivity.

What you’ll find here:

Notion for keeping your organized
Tags for Google Calendar Chrome Extension for easy calendar tagging
ChatGPT Chat Organizer Chrome Extension to help you find the AI thread you need
Tango for creating easy to follow How To guides in half the time

Notion: The Ultimate All-in-One Solution for Assistant Organization

Notion is the ultimate digital Swiss Army knife for administrative professionals. It combines note-taking, task management, project collaboration, and database functions into one sleek platform. Create a centralized hub for your tasks, meetings, and reference materials. Collaborate seamlessly with team members and keep everything organized in one place.

Spoiler Alert: We are launching a new Notion-based solution for assistants to help keep you organized so you never miss a task and have an intuitive way to capture relevant information and SOPs.

Tags for Google Calendar™ Chrome Extension: Streamline Your Scheduling

Here at The Officials we use Google Workspace and being a small organization we don’t need the robust plans that a larger enterprise might need. If you work for an SMB in the same situation, you may be missing out on Google Calendar tags and labels available in the the bigger plans but not anymore!

Tags for Google Calendar™ is a Chrome extension that allows you to color-code and tag your events. Easily distinguish between meetings, deadlines, and personal appointments. This visual organization can help you manage any schedule with ease.

ChatGPT Chat Organizer: Tame Your Digital Conversations for Easy Reference

Assistants rely on ChatGPT for daily, sometimes hourly, support in their roles, but managing chat threads can be a real challenge. That’s where the ChatGPT Chat Organizer comes in. This extension empowers you to effortlessly create folders for various topics, projects, or clients, simplifying chat organization and retrieval. Bid farewell to the hours wasted on scrolling and searching. With just a few clicks, you can efficiently organize your chats, saving valuable time while preserving your conversations. It’s the essential tool to regain control of your digital workspace.

Courses for assistants by assistants!

Digital Declutter Course for Assistants

Find sanity in your digital workspace. Get your digital workspace organized so you can save time, mental energy, and work in a pleasant digital environment with your talented instructor, Melissa Peoples.

No more overflowing inboxes. No more FOLDERS OF DOOM sitting on your digital desktop. It’s time to take back control!

Learn more

Tango: Effortlessly Create Interactive How-To Guides in Minutes

We actually first heard about Tango from an Official (thank you again, Jana)! With Tango, documenting any process via a browser becomes a breeze as you simply click through the steps, eliminating the need for screenshots. You use Tango via a Chrome Extension or you can use the desktop app.

This innovative tool automatically transforms your process into a step-by-step interactive walkthrough. And that’s not all—Tango also takes care of formatting screenshots, crafting clear descriptions, and generating shareable links for your guides. Plus, it turns your guides into interactive walkthroughs, ensuring your team knows precisely where to click. No more searching for answers; Tango’s extension notifies you about relevant how-to guides in real-time, right when you need them. Say goodbye to tedious work and hello to streamlined, effective guidance with Tango.

By using our link you can get 25% off Tango Pro of 15% off Enterprise.

Wrap Up

As we conclude our journey through these fantastic tools, remember that the path to a clutter-free and productive workspace begins with a single click. These tools are your companions on the road to streamlined efficiency. So, why wait? Embrace the digital transformation, and let these tools be your guiding stars toward a more organized, stress-free, and successful future!