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Lesson 13 of 13 — the last lesson

Quality Assurance & Escalation

Output: QA Checklist

Step 1 of 7

Learn

Before you start

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Review administrative work systematically.
  • Find common errors before delivery.
  • Distinguish a mistake from an exception requiring escalation.
  • Report issues clearly and responsibly.
Key idea

Quality control is not a final cosmetic step. It is part of doing the task correctly.

Learn

The five-question check

CheckQuestion
Correct?Is the information accurate?
Complete?Did I finish every requested part?
Consistent?Did I apply the same rules throughout?
Compliant?Did I follow the client's instructions, authority, and security requirements?
Clear?Can the client understand the result and any remaining issue?
Learn

Common final checks, and escalation vs. error

Common final checks:

  • Names and dates
  • Numbers and formulas
  • Links and attachments
  • File names and versions
  • Required fields
  • Formatting consistency
  • Access permissions
  • Client-specific instructions

Escalation vs. error: Escalate when a decision is outside your authority, information is missing, instructions conflict, risk is material, or a deadline is threatened. Correct ordinary mistakes yourself when you can do so safely, then communicate the correction when the client needs to know.

Practice

Find the mistakes

This "completed" update was sent to a client. It contains at least ten real issues. Read it carefully, then check off every issue type you can find.

Weekly Invoice Update — sent Friday, March 32, 2026 Hi Team, Here's this week's invoice status. All invoices have been reviewed and the tracker is fully updated. Status: 12 invoices processed. 3 are marked "Overdue", 2 are marked "overdue" (lowercase), and 1 is marked "OVERDUE - FOLLOW UP". Total amount collected this week: =SUM(B2:B10)*2 Attached: Invoice_Tracker_v2_final_reallyfinal.xlsx (no file actually attached to this email) Client dashboard link: https://client-portal.example.com/reports/invoices (link returns a 404 error) Duplicate entry found for "Ana Reyes" — also listed separately under "Ana R." — left in the tracker as-is. Note: I assumed you wanted duplicates removed automatically, so I deleted 3 records without confirming first. One invoice (INV-2291) turned out to be a special case outside our normal process. I handled it my own way and didn't mention it until just now. Let me know if you have questions!
Practice → Decide

Fix it, or flag it?

During your final check, you spot a typo in the client's name (easy fix) — and you also notice the report references a $200 discount you don't have authority to approve.

What's the right move?

Apply

Work sample: QA Checklist

Run the five-question check against a piece of your own work from this course (or the flawed report above) and mark Pass or Fail for each.

💾 Save your work now. Copy this checklist into a Google Doc — it's the last piece of your starter portfolio.
Preview / export
✓ Lesson 13 Processed

All 13 lessons complete.

You've built a full starter portfolio and practiced the judgment behind General Admin VA work — not just the software. One thing left: bring it all together in the Final Project.

Start the Final Project → Back to Course Map