- Microsoft Outlook
- Google Calendar
- Calendly
- Trello
- Asana
- Monday.com
- Evernote
- OneNote
- Notion
Communication and Collaboration
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
- Boomerang for Gmail
- SaneBox
- Unroll.me
Document Sharing and Collaboration
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Toggl
- GetHarvest
- Clockify
- LastPass
- 1Password
- Dashlane
- Odoo
- Cirrus Insight
- Doodle
- Grammarly
- Hemingway Editor
- ProWritingAid
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- Sprout Social
- TripIt
- Skyscanner
- Kayak
File Conversion and Compression
- Smallpdf
- Online-Convert
- PDF Compressor
- DocuSign
A soldier without his weapon would not survive in the battleground. Likewise, a virtual assistant (VA) providing virtual assistant services without his tools won’t be efficient in accomplishing his tasks. What makes an executive virtual assistant invaluable is their ability to utilize tools that can help make their job easier and more efficient. Using the right tools can help VAs complete their tasks more efficiently and save valuable time. VAs need to stay organized to manage their tasks effectively. There are certain project management tools that they can use to help set deadlines, prioritize tasks, and keep track of progress. Some tools are useful for communicating with their clients, especially in different time zones and locations.
These tools help VAs to streamline their tasks, enhance productivity, and provide better support to their clients.
What are these tools? We gathered 40 useful tools for executive assistant VAs to use and learn to make their life easier. Get to know them all as you continue to read this post.
Calendar Management
In order to maintain a well-organized and efficient workflow, VAs need an effective calendar management tool. This will help make sure that the tasks are completed on time and you won’t miss any meetings or deadlines. When you’re able to use calendar management tools effectively for yourself, you can do the same for your clients who may need help in this area.
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Microsoft Outlook
– A popular email and calendar application with robust scheduling features and integration with Microsoft Office Suite.
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Google Calendar
– A user-friendly web-based calendar that syncs across devices and integrates with other Google services.
Calendly
– An online scheduling tool that simplifies setting up meetings and appointments by offering availability options to participants
Task and Project Management
Task and management tools play a significant role in helping VAs streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and maintain effective communication with clients and team members. With these tools, you can manage multiple projects simultaneously and still deliver high-quality results and meet your client’s expectations.
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Trello
– A visual project management tool using boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks and collaborate with team members.
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Asana
– A versatile task management platform with project tracking, due date reminders, and team collaboration features.
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Monday.com
– A customizable work operating system that enables teams to manage projects, tasks, and workflows effectively.
Note-taking and Organization
VAs need note-taking and organization tools in order to record, manage, and retrieve information efficiently and accurately. As a VA, you are likely to deal with a vast amount of data, instructions, and details related to your clients and projects. You can’t always rely on your memory so you definitely need these tools.
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Evernote – A note-taking app that allows users to organize and sync notes, documents, and web clippings across devices.
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OneNote
– Microsoft’s digital notebook lets users capture, organize, and share notes and ideas seamlessly.
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Notion
– A versatile workspace tool that combines note-taking, task management, and databases in a single platform.
Communication and Collaboration
Communication is key when it comes to building and maintaining a professional relationship with your clients. As a VA, it’s important that you know several communication and collaboration tools that will help you connect with your client and vice versa for a more efficient way of delegating tasks and keeping them updated.
Other than communication through email or social media apps like Whatsapp or Messenger, you need to know these tools to effectively communicate with your clients.
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Slack
– A real-time messaging and collaboration platform ideal for team communication and file sharing.
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Microsoft Teams
– An integrated collaboration tool that combines chat, video conferencing, and file sharing for Microsoft 365 users.
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Zoom
– A leading video conferencing solution offering virtual meetings, webinars, and screen-sharing capabilities.
Email Productivity
One of the basic tasks you’ll encounter as an executive virtual assistant from the best virtual assistant company is to manage multiple email accounts and handle a significant volume of messages. With email productivity tools, you can easily organize these emails and enhance your efficiency, organization, and overall productivity.
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Boomerang for Gmail
– A Gmail add-on that lets users schedule emails, set reminders, and snooze messages for later.
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SaneBox
– An email management tool that automatically filters and prioritizes emails, minimizing inbox clutter.
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Unroll.me
– A service that helps users unsubscribe from unwanted email subscriptions and consolidate desired ones into a daily digest.
Document Sharing and Collaboration
As a VA, you need to know the tools that allow you to share documents and access to your clients. Even so, you need to know the tools that your clients are using when it comes to sharing documents. This will give your clients a sense of confidence that you know simple tools like this in order to have a seamless back-and-forth of assigning and submitting completed tasks.
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Google Drive
– A cloud-based file storage and sharing service that allows users to collaborate on documents in real-time.
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Dropbox
– A cloud storage solution that enables file synchronization and sharing across devices and platforms.
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Microsoft OneDrive
– Microsoft’s cloud storage service integrated with Office apps for easy file collaboration.
Time Tracking
There are some clients who require their VAs to use time-tracking tools to keep track of productivity. Whether your client requires you to use one or not, knowing different time-tracking software can be useful to help you stay on top of your tasks. If you’re a freelancer working with different clients, you can indicate a specific number of hours for each client and keep track of them. This will keep you from being overwhelmed or burnout because you managed your time well.
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Toggl
– A time-tracking app that helps individuals and teams monitor the time spent on tasks and projects.
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GetHarvest
– A time tracking tool with expense tracking and invoicing features, suitable for freelancers and businesses.
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Clockify
– A simple time tracker with features for tracking billable hours and generating timesheets.
Password Management
Your clients will have to share sensitive information with you in order to access some accounts or important documents. You can’t expect them to directly hand over their password to you. It’s important that you know some password management tools so you can offer to use it when you sense that they’re hesitant to give their Facebook or other personal account’s information.
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LastPass
– A secure password manager that stores and auto-fills login credentials across websites and apps.
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1Password
– A password manager with strong encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure sharing options.
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Dashlane
– A password manager that not only stores passwords securely but also helps generate strong passwords.
Virtual Meeting Scheduler
Virtual meeting scheduler tools are important for VAs because they help simplify the process of scheduling meetings. As a result, you will be able to improve your time management skills and make communicating and coordinating with your clients and team members easier. You can say goodbye to the burdens of scheduling appointments with these tools.
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Odoo
– An AI-powered virtual scheduling assistant that handles meeting coordination, saving time and effort.
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Cirrus Insight
– A scheduling tool that integrates with Gmail and Outlook to help users find mutually convenient meeting times.
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Doodle
– An easy-to-use scheduling platform that simplifies group event planning by finding suitable meeting times.
Grammar and Writing
One of your tasks as an executive virtual assistant is to write copies and create content for your client’s website, social media accounts, email newsletters, and more. You won’t always have the most accurate spelling or grammar that’s why you need these grammar and writing tools. They can help you write better and improve your copies.
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Grammarly
– An AI-powered writing assistant that checks for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in real-time.
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Hemingway Editor
– A writing tool that highlights complex sentences, adverbs, and passive voice for clearer communication.
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ProWritingAid
– A comprehensive writing and editing tool with style suggestions, readability analysis, and more.
Social Media Management
One of the most common tasks an executive virtual assistant will handle is managing the client’s social media accounts. In a competitive industry, you need to stand out from your competitors with what you can offer and the tools that you know how to use. These are just some of the social media management tools that will help you schedule posts across multiple platforms so you don’t have to do them manually.
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Hootsuite
– A social media management platform that allows users to schedule posts, monitor social media channels, and analyze performance.
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Buffer
– A social media scheduler with analytics and content curation features to manage multiple social media accounts efficiently.
Sprout Social
– A social media management tool with engagement, publishing, and social listening capabilities.
Travel Planning
As an executive virtual assistant, your clients will rely on you in almost everything, including arranging their travel plans. Even if your clients don’t require you, it would be a nice thing for you to offer to take care of their bookings for them since you know the right tools to use. This just makes you an even more indispensable member of your client’s team.
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TripIt
– An all-in-one travel organizer that consolidates travel itineraries, bookings, and trip details in one place.
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Skyscanner
– A travel search engine that compares flight, hotel, and car rental options to find the best deals.
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Kayak – A travel aggregator that searches multiple booking sites to help users find the most affordable travel options.
File Conversion and Compression
You will be handling a wide range of tasks as an executive assistant VA and with that comes dealing with various file formats. It’s important that you know the right conversion and compression tools to optimize file sizes for efficient storage and sharing.
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Smallpdf
– A web-based platform that offers various PDF tools, including PDF conversion, compression, and editing features.
Online-Convert
– A versatile file conversion tool supporting a wide range of file formats, including documents, images, and videos.
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PDF Compressor
– An online tool for reducing PDF file sizes while maintaining quality and readability.
Digital Signature Tools
Another essential tool that you need to know as an executive assistant VA is a digital signature tool. This will allow you to have a secure and efficient way to sign, send, and manage your client’s documents online.
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DocuSign
– A widely used e-signature platform that allows users to sign, send, and manage digital documents securely.
These are just 40 of the best executive assistant tools you should know. There are more tools out there waiting for you to discover them. The next thing to do is to invest in learning these tools so you can provide the best service to your clients.
