Free Delegation Planner

Estimate what you can hand over

Start with a task you already do. Count how often it happens and how long it takes you, rather than guessing the hours a provider will need. Add the time you expect to spend checking the work and explaining the process. Use the up and down buttons to put your preferred trial task first. Sorting is a suggestion, not a decision about who should have access to your business.

A VA here is an outsourced independent service provider. Keep decisions that need your authority with you, and agree the service scope, outcomes and approval boundaries together. For a useful starting list, see what to delegate first. Then work through how to hand over the task.

How the delegation planner works

Monthly occurrences = your count × period factor. A calendar day uses 365 ÷ 12; a weekday uses 260 ÷ 12; a week uses 52 ÷ 12; a month uses 1. These are annualised planning averages, not a forecast for a particular month or a holiday-adjusted working calendar.

Gross owner hours = monthly occurrences × owner minutes ÷ 60. Monthly review hours use the same calculation with review minutes. Net monthly hours = gross hours − review hours − one-time setup hours ÷ the number of months you select. First-month net hours subtract all setup hours immediately. Negative answers remain negative. Candidate-only totals exclude tasks marked “Prepare or retain”. The separate all-task totals include those held tasks and are not a recommended savings forecast. Do not count the same work in two task rows, and do not treat the combined total as the time saved by a shortlist you have not actually chosen.

The score is an editorial sorting heuristic, not a validated suitability test. Clear rules add 30 points, some judgment adds 15, and owner-only judgment adds 0. A documented process adds 30, partial documentation 15, and no documentation 0. Positive net monthly hours add 3 points per hour, rounded down and capped at 30. Sensitive access deducts 15 and an approval flag deducts 10. The score is floored at 0, with a maximum of 90.

Owner-only judgment, no documentation or non-positive net time triggers “Prepare or retain” regardless of the score. Sensitive tasks can still need a specialist, confidentiality terms or additional security checks even when they score well. Approval flags do not add review time automatically: enter that time yourself. Read how to limit access safely before sharing accounts or records.

Turn the shortlist into a usable brief

Define the output in the “done” field. A report is not finished merely because a file exists: specify the format, source records, checks and delivery point. The TXT export includes your ordered tasks, inputs, scoring reasons and a reminder to agree deadlines, exceptions, access and a review checkpoint. Edit that local file to add the details you want to share. Do not put passwords, bank details or identifiable client information in the worksheet or export.

Once a provider has estimated the service hours and price, use the VA cost and break-even calculator. Owner hours in this planner are not automatically the same as purchased VA hours.

Questions about delegation planning

Should I always delegate the highest-scoring task?

No. The score helps you notice a repeatable task with a measurable time benefit. Your judgment about authority, risk, specialist competence and the cost of a mistake comes first. A small, reversible paid trial can reveal whether your estimates hold.

Why might outsourcing save no time initially?

Explaining a process and checking early work can take longer than doing it yourself. The first-month figure includes all setup time. The spread figure is useful for a longer comparison, but it does not remove the work you must do at the start.

Does the planner choose or contact a VA?

No. It works from your entries in this browser tab. It does not assess a person, contact providers, submit your brief or use AI. Export only when you want a local copy.

Are my tasks saved when I leave?

The tool does not save entries to browser storage or a server. A refresh or navigation can lose them. A browser may temporarily preserve a page when you go back; use Clear all to remove the current worksheet. Downloaded files and printouts remain under your control.