Can You and Your VA Work in Asana at the Same Time? | How to Use Asana With a Virtual Assistant
Today we’re tackling a question I I was recently asked by a prospective client.
Can you and your assistant both work in Asana at the same time? Without breaking anything? Lol.
So Asana was literally built for collaboration, and by the end of this post you’ll know how to co-create tasks in real time, keep conversations in context, and stop the dreaded file finding scavenger hunt.
Either keep reading or watch the video below:
You might not know this, but when I first started my business, I was juggling client work, a mom-life schedule, a full-time job, and still trying to keep every project in my brain. The struggle was real.
Fast forward to now: I’ve guided dozens of freelancers, coaches, and small teams to ditch that chaos and live inside clear, colour-coded Asana projects.
That brings me to a clarity chat I had recently…
I had a clarity chat with a prospective client the other day and she wasn't sure how it worked to be in Asana together along with her virtual assistant or if they were going to be able to use the projects and workflows that I set up as well.
She’s not alone! Lots of solopreneurs worry their VA will accidentally delete a task or duplicate three of them. So, if you secretly wonder the same thing, this video is for you.
What’s the biggest collaboration headache you’ve experienced with a teammate or VA—inside Asana or any tool? Drop it in the comments so we can brainstorm solutions together. I read every single response!
Common Worries
So let's talk about the worries you might have and whether they can happen.
Worry #1 – “If we click the same task at the same time, everything will break.”
Here’s the truth: If you're familiar with Google Docs and collaborating in there, Asana is very much the same.
The moment your VA changes something, you see it in real time—no spinning wheels, no mysterious overwrites. You can literally watch them add in tasks and see the update on your screen while you're adding a comment. It's very cool.
Worry #2 – Having to hand over the whole account or nothing at all.
Nope. Asana lets you customize your permissions exactly the way you need. Maybe you want your VA to edit the Marketing board but only comment on the Finance board—done.
You can even just give them access to a single task and they won't be able to see the rest of the project.
The options are endless and you can set it up for the bast way that works for you and your team.
Worry #3 – If someone deletes something, it’s gone forever.
Breathe—Asana has version history. Now, the amount you are able to control is dependant on your plan. You might be able to retrieve deleted tasks or projects through advanced search if you are on a paid plan. But if you are on a free plan, you will need to contact support. But rest assured, it's not gone forever.
Bottom line? You and your assistant can work side-by-side without stepping on toes and have seamless collaboration.
Here's a tip: Train your VA to drop a quick note if they’re editing a mission-critical task. Something as simple as ‘Updating links—BRB!’ in the task comments avoids mid-edit awkwardness.
Asana is really so great for collaborating with your VA.
Other things you can do
Here are some other things you can do as a team:
Collaborate real time on tasks – updates happen instantly across accounts.
Communicate right within Asana – comment on tasks to keep conversations task-specific, send project-specific messages to members, or general messages to anyone on your team.
Be kept up to date on all status updates, all communication within tasks/projects, when tasks are completed or running late, etc.
Assign tasks to others or add others as collaborators to keep them in the loop of what you're working on.
Share files and documents with each other, right within tasks even!
So for example, if you’re outlining a podcast episode and your VA drops the show-notes draft directly in the description box, you notice a typo and mention them, they fix it, mark ‘Complete,’ and BOOM—the next task ‘Upload to Buzzsprout’ auto-assigns to them. That's the seamless stuff I'm talking about!
Click here for a full step-by-step tutorial on using Asana as a team.
And hey, if you’re on Asana’s free plan, you get 10 free team members, and a whackload of features—it's actually one of my favourite things about Asana - just how far the free version can take you. So most online entrepreneurs that I work with do just fine with the free plan for the first few years of their business.
Quick sidenote—because people ask:
The Free Plan is perfect if you and one VA just need Boards, Lists, and Calendar views. And you're good without fancy automations just yet. And you can always use my signature toolkit, Asana Essentials, to help you optimize the free version!
The Starter Plan unlocks features like rules, custom fields, forms, dashboards, and other types of project views. This is the one I personally use currently and my new mini-course, Content on Repeat, shows exactly how to use these features to make the most out of your time when creating and repurposing content!
The Advanced Plan adds features like dependencies, approvals, and portfolios. Think bigger teams or agencies.
Common Mistakes
Now let's talk about some Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Mistake #1 – Living in the projects
Don't spend your days sifting through all the projects for updates. Stay focused with the notifications inside your Inbox.
Mistake #2 – No clear owner
Every task needs an Assignee and a Due Date to avoid slipping through the cracks.
Mistake #3 – Missing files or not having any clue where to find them
Attach files directly to the task.
Mistake #4 – Not using “My Tasks” correctly
Teach your VA to triage “Recently Assigned” daily or use the calendar view for a clear overview of priorities.
Mistake #5 – Skipping project default views
If you're constantly switching to board view, but the project automatically opens up in list view, set default views to save time. And you can have this apply to everyone on your team.
When you and your VA get this right, magical things happen:
Fewer last-minute fires.
Crystal-clear capacity planning.
And you can actually log off at 5 p.m. on Friday and skip the Sunday Scaries.
Now, if you’re thinking that you love this in theory, but you still need someone to peek over your shoulder when you're stuck, I got you!
I offer Back-Pocket Support, which is my asynchronous mentoring container where you literally have me in your pocket—via video, voice, and text messages. I answer your Asana emergencies, audit your projects, and keep you accountable.
It’s perfect if you’re this close to having a smooth system but need an expert on standby rather than hiring an OBM or Asana Expert on your team.
You can click here and check out the details. Spots are limited so I can serve each client personally.
Let’s quickly recap:
Yes—multiple people can live in Asana at once, stress-free.
Keep communication and files inside tasks.
Use permissions, automations, and clear owners to stay organized.
