To close a virtual assistant engagement cleanly, first qualify the client’s needs, then send a proposal that makes the scope and price clear. Resolve questions, put the accepted terms into an agreement, follow the agreed signing and payment process, and only then prepare access and begin onboarding. This is a practical workflow—not a legal rule that every VA must use the same order.
1. Qualify the work before writing a proposal
Start by finding out what the client needs done and what outcome they expect. A useful proposal answers the client’s central question: “what will I pay and what will I get?” That is difficult to answer well until the work and constraints are understood.
- Tasks and desired results, including what is outside the request.
- Schedule, expected hours or deliverables, and any deadlines.
- Systems involved and what access the work may require.
- Preferred communication channel and realistic response expectations.
- Who can approve work, answer questions, and authorize changes.
Write a brief summary of the discussion. It gives both sides a chance to catch misunderstandings before they become proposal language. Avoid promising hours, access, services, or response times that were not discussed.
2. Make the proposal specific enough to decide
Present the proposed arrangement in plain language so the client can assess the work, boundaries, timing, and cost before committing. A VA proposal example from Bonsai includes an engagement overview, scope, hours, and acceptance; those are useful examples, not mandatory fields for every engagement.
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- Include space for total cost and terms of payment
- General contract provisions are printed on back
- 3-part carbonless form
- 8.5 x 11 inches
- White, canary, pink paper sequence
- Services and boundaries: describe the tasks included and important exclusions.
- Deliverables or schedule: say what will be produced or when support will be provided.
- Pricing and assumptions: identify the pricing model, what it covers, and assumptions such as expected hours or workload.
- Timing and availability: state the anticipated start, duration, and availability only to the extent agreed.
- Decision path: invite the client to approve the proposal or request a revision. Add a decision date only if it reflects your actual policy.
Optional services can be listed separately when they help the client choose without muddying the core scope. The proposal is a decision document: the client should not have to guess whether a task, deadline, or price is included.
3. Resolve questions and lock the accepted version
Discuss questions and revise the proposal when scope, price, or timing changes. Keep a clear record of the version the client accepted, including its date or version identifier. Silence, a conversation, or an informal request should not be treated as unambiguous approval of terms that were never recorded.
Rank #2
- Large area for complete description of work proposed
- Includes space for customer to sign his/her acceptance of proposal.
- 1-part form includes carbons to create 2 part forms if necessary.
- Space at top for company stamp.
If the client requests additional work after acceptance, agree on the effect on fees and timing before doing it. The VA agency Atelier Virtual Assistants describes written addenda for scope changes; a written revision or change record helps keep the agreed work traceable.
4. Put the accepted terms into an agreement
Use the accepted proposal as the commercial basis for the agreement. The agreement can add operational and legal detail, but should not quietly change the service, price, or payment schedule the client approved. Common terms to consider include:
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Rank #3
- Carbon interleaved proposal book
- Wraparound cover attached to back of book to place between sets
- 2 part carbonless formats provide clean, easy to ready copies
- 50 sets per book
- Space at top for company stamp
- Names of the parties, services, exclusions, hours or deliverables.
- Fees, invoicing, payment timing, and any agreed initial payment.
- Confidentiality, data handling, access, and client approvals.
- Ownership of work where relevant.
- Term, how either party may end the engagement, and any applicable notice.
- How the parties will approve changes to scope, fees, or timing.
VA-focused contract guidance from Salag and Business in a Box discusses provisions such as scope, hours, rates, payment, confidentiality, ownership, data protection, and termination. These commercial resources are examples, not legal authorities or universal templates. Applicable law and the engagement may call for other terms or professional advice.
5. Sign and keep an accessible record
For covered transactions in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, the U.S. E-SIGN Act says that “a signature, contract, or other record relating to such transaction may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form.” See 15 U.S.C. § 7001(a)(1), published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. The Act preserves other legal requirements, does not require every party to accept electronic records, and includes consumer-record provisions and exceptions. It does not mean that every agreement signed in every jurisdiction is enforceable simply because a particular app was used.
Rank #4
- Include space for total cost and terms of payment
- General contract provisions are printed on back
- 3-part carbonless form
- 8.5 x 11 inches
- White, canary, pink paper sequence
Where applicable law requires record retention, an electronic record must accurately reflect the contract and remain accessible and reproducible for the required period. Keep the signed agreement and the accepted proposal in a form both parties can retrieve. Cross-border work, regulated sectors, consumer transactions, and unusual document types can raise additional requirements; check the rules relevant to the actual parties and transaction.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Follow the agreed payment process, then onboard
Use the payment schedule the parties agreed to in the proposal and agreement. One operational approach is to collect a deposit or first payment after signing and before work begins; it is not a universal legal requirement or a fit for every service arrangement. Make the start date and any payment condition clear to both sides.
Best Value
- Clear and concise way to bid on jobs
- 8. 5" x 11" detached
- 50 sheets per book
- Item Package Dimension: 11.41L x 8.38W x 0.38H inches
- Item Package Weight - 0.50 Pounds
Once the engagement is ready to start, confirm the practical details:
- Priority tasks and the first expected deliverable.
- Communication channel, routine, and escalation path.
- Decision-maker and how approvals will be given.
- Accounts or systems needed, with separate or delegated permissions limited to the task where available.
- How client data and access will be handled during the engagement and at offboarding.
Record kickoff decisions in a short brief. This gives the client and VA a shared starting point without relying on memory from the call. Onboarding guidance from VA Starter Hub similarly emphasizes scope, authority, payment, access, and kickoff as operational considerations.
Why “independent contractor” wording is not enough
In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service says worker classification depends on the facts of each case and that “What matters is that the employer has the legal right to control the details of how the services are performed.” See the IRS page Independent contractor defined. Calling someone an independent contractor in an agreement does not by itself settle tax, labor, or classification questions.
Quick Recap
A simple handoff checklist
- Summarize the need, expected result, constraints, and decision-maker.
- Send a proposal that states scope, boundaries, timing, assumptions, and price.
- Answer questions, revise as needed, and record the accepted version.
- Prepare an agreement that matches the accepted commercial terms and explains operational rules.
- Complete signatures and follow the agreed payment schedule.
- Confirm kickoff details, provision task-limited access, and document the first priorities.
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