Decision Rights and Approval Limits for Your Assistant

One of the most common frustrations in working with an assistant comes from unclear authority. Either the assistant asks permission for everything, which saves the leader little time, or acts on things the leader expected to decide, which creates anxiety and mistakes. The fix is simple but rarely done: write down decision rights.

Decision rights define what the assistant can decide alone, what needs a quick check, and what always stays with the leader. Approval limits put boundaries on spending, commitments and communications. This guide explains how to set them up, provides a matrix you can adapt, and covers how to expand authority over time. For general delegation practices, see how to delegate to an executive assistant.

Three levels of authority

A practical framework uses three levels:

• Act: the assistant decides and acts without asking, and may report afterward in a regular summary.
• Recommend: the assistant prepares a recommendation and acts after a quick approval.
• Escalate: the leader decides; the assistant gathers information.

Everything the assistant touches should fall into one of these levels.

A sample decision-rights matrix

Adapt the matrix to your role, company and comfort.

Spending limits

Set clear spending limits: a per-transaction amount the assistant can spend without asking, a monthly total, and categories that always need approval. Use company tools with built-in controls, such as virtual cards with limits or purchase requests in your expense system. This keeps spending visible and protects the assistant from ambiguity. Specific amounts are your decision and should match your company's policies.

Payments are different

Payments deserve special care because payment fraud often targets assistants and finance staff. A strong rule is that assistants prepare but do not approve or release payments, and any change to payment details is verified through a known phone number before use. See payment fraud controls for assistants and wire fraud prevention for executive assistants.

Communications on your behalf

Assistants often send emails in the leader's name or their own. Clarify:

• Which messages the assistant sends as themselves, and which as the leader.
• Which templates are pre-approved.
• Topics the assistant never addresses, such as pricing, legal matters, HR issues and personal topics.
• When to copy the leader.

Our article on shared inbox and calendar permissions explains how to set up delegate access for sending.

Commitments and signatures

Assistants should not sign contracts, agree to terms or make commitments on the company's behalf unless your company explicitly authorizes it. They can prepare documents, route them for signature and track their status. This boundary protects both the company and the assistant.

Confidential information

Decision rights also cover information. Define what the assistant can share, with whom and through which channels. For example: calendar availability can be shared with anyone scheduling; travel details only with named people; financial information only with finance; personnel matters never.

Writing it down

Put the decision-rights matrix in a short document both people can see, ideally in your SOP library. Review it in the first month and then quarterly. When the leader overrides a decision, use it as a chance to clarify the rule rather than simply reversing it.

Expanding authority over time

Trust grows with experience. A typical progression:

• Month 1: mostly Recommend, with Act limited to routine scheduling and filing.
• Months 2–3: more scheduling, routine email and travel move to Act.
• Later: vendor management, more communications and project coordination move to Act, with limits.

Expansion should be explicit: update the matrix and tell the assistant. Our first 30 days success plan describes early stages.

When the assistant isn't sure

Even with a matrix, gray areas arise. A good rule: when unsure, treat it as one level higher, so Act becomes Recommend, and Recommend becomes Escalate. Over time, these questions refine the matrix.

Decision rights during absences

When the leader is traveling, on vacation or unreachable, decisions don't stop. Agree in advance what changes during absences: which decisions the assistant can make in the leader's absence, who acts as the backup decision maker for escalations, and which matters simply wait. For example, the assistant might reschedule all non-urgent meetings, route urgent client issues to a named colleague and hold anything involving spending above the usual limit. Write these absence rules into the matrix so there's no improvisation under pressure. Our article on coverage and backup planning covers the assistant's own absences too.

Decision rights for specialized roles

The matrix looks different for different roles. A bookkeeping assistant may Act on categorizing transactions and reconciling accounts, Recommend journal entries and Escalate anything involving tax positions. A sales support assistant may Act on CRM updates and meeting scheduling, Recommend outreach lists and Escalate pricing or contract questions. A recruiting coordinator may Act on interview scheduling, Recommend candidate communications outside templates and Escalate offers and rejections involving sensitive circumstances. Building a role-specific matrix during onboarding prevents confusion later. Our industry role pages list typical boundaries by industry.

Documenting decisions the assistant makes

For decisions the assistant makes under Act authority, a light record helps: a weekly summary of notable decisions, such as meetings declined, vendors chosen or exceptions handled. This keeps the leader informed without requiring approval and creates a history that helps when reviewing the matrix. It also protects the assistant, who can show that decisions followed the agreed rules.

Aligning with company policy

Decision rights for an assistant can never exceed what the leader is permitted to do under company policy. If the company has a delegation-of-authority policy, spending approval levels or procurement rules, the assistant's matrix must fit inside them. In larger organizations, finance or compliance may want to review assistant permissions, especially for spending and system access.

A worked example

A managing partner is frustrated that her new assistant asks about every meeting request. They spend 30 minutes building a decision-rights matrix: internal meetings follow calendar rules without asking; new external requests come as recommendations; anything involving clients' fees or staffing escalates. Purchases under a small agreed limit for office supplies and approved vendors are Act; larger purchases are Recommend. Payments are prepared but never released by the assistant. Within two weeks, questions drop sharply, and after two months, they move travel bookings and routine client scheduling to Act.

Common mistakes

No written rules. Assumptions differ.

Too restrictive forever. Expand authority as trust grows.

Mixing payment approval with preparation. Keep them separate.

Unclear sending rules. Define what goes out in whose name.

Measuring success

• Fewer routine questions over time.
• Fewer surprises for the leader.
• Faster turnaround on requests.
• Number of areas moved to Act.

Frequently asked questions

Should the assistant ever approve payments?

Generally no. Preparation and approval should be separated. See accounts payable controls for small business.

How specific should spending limits be?

Specific enough to avoid questions, set by you to match your policies.

What if the assistant makes a wrong call within their authority?

Treat it as a learning opportunity and refine the rule. Mistakes within agreed authority are a system issue, not a personal failure.

Does this apply to teams of assistants?

Yes. Each assistant should have a matrix, especially when supporting different leaders. Enterprise rollouts can use a common template; see multi-department rollout.