Glossary
Admin and VA terms, in plain English
No jargon, no acronyms without explanation. If a term you've seen isn't here, ask on a free call and we'll explain it.
- Virtual assistant (VA)
- An experienced administrator who works remotely, supporting one or more businesses for the hours needed — without the fixed cost of an employee. See our services
- Retainer
- A monthly agreement for a set number of hours at a fixed rate. Cheaper per hour than ad-hoc work and guarantees priority in the assistant's diary. See pricing
- Ad-hoc hours
- Support booked as needed, with no monthly commitment. Best for one-off projects or occasional busy spells.
- Inbox triage
- Sorting an inbox into folders, flagging what needs your reply, and handling routine messages — so you open a clear inbox rather than a wall of email.
- Diary management
- Booking, rescheduling and reminding around meetings, so the calendar stays full without you chasing it.
- Invoice chasing
- Following up politely and persistently on overdue invoices so you get paid on time, without the awkwardness of doing it yourself.
- Delegated access
- Granting someone access to a mailbox or account without sharing the password — through a password manager's shared vault or the platform's own delegation feature. Read the security checklist
- Password manager
- A tool that stores and shares logins securely, so a credential can be used without ever being seen or emailed. Revoking access takes one click.
- NDA (confidentiality agreement)
- A simple written agreement that defines what's confidential, how it's handled, and that the obligation ends when the work ends.
- Scope of work
- A written list of the tasks, turnaround expectations and hours agreed before work starts. Removes the 'I thought you were doing that' problem.
- Process documentation
- Writing down how a recurring task is done, step by step, so it can be handed over and done consistently without you.
- Onboarding
- The first stage of working together — the free call, agreeing scope, setting up secure access and handing over the first task. See how onboarding works
- Rota cover
- Arranging for work to continue when the usual assistant is away or unwell — easier with an agency than a solo VA.
- Pillar guide
- A long, evergreen article that covers a topic in depth and that shorter posts link into — the opposite of a quick daily tip. Browse our guides
Go deeper
Read the hiring guide
The glossary explains the words; the guide shows you how to use them to hire the right support.
How to hire a VA in the UKThe Weekly Admin
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