Smarter Week

AI and automation by role

How Office managers can use AI and automation

Below are 15 common tasks for Office managers, most common first. For each one you get the best fix (AI, automation, a feature in software you already have, or a simpler process), the steps to set it up and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

Also called: Office Administrator, Workplace Coordinator, Facilities Coordinator, Workplace Manager, Office Coordinator

Task 1 · typically 30 min, once a week

Order office supplies and keep things stocked

Software featureBest fix

Set recurring orders and a simple request form for supplies

Recurring deliveries for the basics and a single request form for everything else replace walk-around stock checks and ad-hoc orders.

Typically saves about 60% of the time45 min to set up
  1. 1List what you order every month and roughly how much.
  2. 2Set up recurring orders (Amazon Business, Staples Business, your local supplier).
  3. 3Create a request form for anything else and review it once a week.
  4. 4Adjust quantities quarterly.

Tools: Amazon Business · Staples Business Advantage · Microsoft Forms or Google Forms

How to automate this task

Task 2 · typically 30 min, a few times a week

Deal with building, cleaning and facilities vendors

Software featureBest fix

Take facilities requests through one form and keep vendor contacts in one sheet

A request form or ticket queue replaces hallway and email asks, and one vendor sheet (contract, contact, SLA) saves hunting each time something breaks.

Typically saves about 35% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Set up a request form or queue (Slack Workflow Builder, Microsoft Forms and Planner, Freshservice, Jira Service Management).
  2. 2Build one vendor sheet: service, contact, contract end date, account number, SLA.
  3. 3Forward requests to vendors from the queue so you have a record.
  4. 4Review open requests twice a week.

Tools: Slack Workflow Builder · Microsoft Forms and Planner · Freshservice · Jira Service Management · UpKeep or MaintainX

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Agree one home for each kind of file

Most searching comes from the same thing living in three places. Pick one place per type and link to it.

Typically saves about 35% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the five things people search for most.
  2. 2Pick one home for each (one folder, one wiki page, one system).
  3. 3Pin the links in your team channel.
  4. 4Move or delete the copies.

Tools: SharePoint, Google Drive, Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Task 3 · typically 15 min, every day

Answer the same questions from coworkers again and again

AIBest fix

Write the answers down once and point people (or a bot) at them

Collect the questions you keep answering into one page; a workspace AI or a ChatGPT Project, Claude Project or Gem can answer from it.

Typically saves about 50% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1For one week, paste every repeat question into a doc.
  2. 2Write the answer under each (or have AI draft it from your replies).
  3. 3Share the page, pin it in chat, and add it to a Claude Project, ChatGPT Project, Gemini Gem or Copilot agent.
  4. 4Reply to repeat questions with the link.
Prompt to copy
Below are questions coworkers keep asking me and my past answers. Turn them into a clear FAQ page grouped by topic. Keep each answer under 80 words and keep any links I gave.

[PASTE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS]

Tools: Claude Projects · ChatGPT Projects · Gemini Gems · Copilot agents · Notion or Confluence

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Ask your workspace AI instead of searching folders

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI and Slack AI can answer questions from your company's own files, chats and email.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company already pays for Copilot, Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI or Slack AI.
  2. 2Ask it the question in plain words, e.g. "What did we quote Acme for the Q3 renewal?"
  3. 3Open the source it cites to confirm.
  4. 4If you have none of these, ask IT. It is often cheaper than the hours lost.

Tools: Microsoft Copilot · Gemini in Google Workspace · Glean · Notion AI · Slack AI

How to automate this task

Task 4 · typically 60 min, once a week

Set up desks, badges and welcome kits for new starters

AutomationBest fix

Have a new hire in the HR system create your office checklist

When HR adds a new starter, a task list for desk, badge, equipment and welcome kit is created for you with the start date already in it.

Typically saves about 40% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Write your new-starter checklist with lead times (badge 5 days, desk 3 days).
  2. 2Ask HR whether their system can assign tasks to you (BambooHR, Rippling, HiBob, Workday all can).
  3. 3If not, build a Zapier, Make or Power Automate flow from the HR system or new-hire form to Planner, Asana or Trello.
  4. 4Keep a stock of welcome kits ready.

Tools: BambooHR, Rippling, HiBob or Workday onboarding · Zapier, Make or Power Automate · Planner, Asana or Trello

How to automate this task

Task 5 · typically 180 min, once a month

Plan offsites, team events and board meetings

Process fixBest fix

Plan every event from a reusable checklist and timeline

Most event work repeats. A template with the timeline, vendors and run-of-show from last time means you start 80% done.

Typically saves about 30% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1After your next event, save the checklist, timeline (8 weeks out, 4 weeks, 1 week, day of) and vendor contacts as a template.
  2. 2Keep it in Asana, Planner, Monday or a shared doc.
  3. 3Copy it for each new event and adjust dates.
  4. 4Add one "what went wrong" note after each event.

Tools: Asana, Planner or Monday templates · Shared doc

One more way to fix it
AI

Have AI draft the event plan, agenda and budget

AI can produce a first-pass agenda, timeline, budget lines and venue criteria, so you spend time on calls and decisions.

Typically saves about 35% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Write the basics: purpose, headcount, dates, location, budget.
  2. 2Use the prompt below.
  3. 3Check venue suggestions directly; AI may be out of date on prices and availability.
Prompt to copy
Help me plan a [EVENT TYPE] for [HEADCOUNT] people in [LOCATION] on [DATES], budget [AMOUNT]. Goal: [PURPOSE]. Give me: a draft agenda, a planning timeline working back from the date, a budget split by category, a checklist of things people forget (accessibility, dietary needs, AV, insurance), and questions to ask venues. Do not recommend specific venues or prices as fact; mark any as [CHECK].

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 6 · typically 30 min, once a week

Process office invoices, receipts and purchase requests

Software featureBest fix

Use a company card with receipt capture and budgets for office spend

A spend card with built-in receipt matching and a monthly office budget cuts paperwork and pre-approval for small purchases.

Typically saves about 50% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Ask finance for a card on Ramp, Brex, BILL Spend & Expense or your bank's card program.
  2. 2Agree a monthly office budget and what you can buy without approval.
  3. 3Snap receipts in the app or forward them by email.
  4. 4Send vendor invoices to finance's AP inbox instead of handling them yourself.

Tools: Ramp · Brex · BILL Spend & Expense · Expensify

One more way to fix it
Automation

Move approvals into a tracked workflow with reminders

Approvals in Teams/Power Automate, Slack Workflows, or your e-signature tool remind people for you and show what is stuck.

Typically saves about 60% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the approvals you chase most.
  2. 2Set up an approval flow (Power Automate Approvals, Slack Workflow Builder, DocuSign or your HR/finance system).
  3. 3Add automatic reminders after 24 hours.
  4. 4Agree a default: no answer in 48 hours means it goes ahead (where safe).

Tools: Power Automate Approvals · Slack Workflow Builder · DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign

How to automate this task

Task 7 · typically 45 min, every day

Sort through and reply to email

AIBest fix

Have AI draft replies to routine email

Paste the thread and a one-line instruction; edit the draft instead of writing from a blank page. Most routine replies take a minute instead of five.

Typically saves about 35% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Open the AI assistant your company allows (or the one built into Outlook or Gmail).
  2. 2Paste the email thread, or use the built-in "draft reply" button.
  3. 3Tell it the point you want to make in one line.
  4. 4Read the draft, fix anything wrong, and send.
Prompt to copy
Draft a reply to the email below. My point: [WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY IN ONE LINE]. Keep it under 120 words, friendly and direct, and match the tone of the sender. Do not invent facts or commitments.

Email:
[PASTE THE EMAIL]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot · Gmail "Help me write" or Outlook Copilot

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Batch email twice a day and let rules file the noise

Rules move newsletters, notifications and CCs out of your inbox, and checking at set times stops email from cutting your day into pieces.

Typically saves about 25% of the time20 min to set up
  1. 1Create rules that move notifications, newsletters and emails where you are only CC'd into folders.
  2. 2Turn off desktop and phone notifications for email.
  3. 3Pick two or three set times a day to process the inbox to zero.
  4. 4Tell your team that anything urgent should come by phone or chat.

Tools: Outlook or Gmail rules

How to automate this task

Task 8 · typically 20 min, every day

Book meeting rooms and desks for people

Software featureBest fix

Let people book rooms and desks themselves

Room resources in Outlook and Google Calendar, or tools like Robin, Skedda and Envoy, let people see what is free and book it, with screens outside rooms.

Typically saves about 70% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Make sure every room is set up as a bookable resource in Outlook (or Microsoft Places) or Google Calendar.
  2. 2For desks, use Microsoft Places, Robin, Skedda or Envoy Desks.
  3. 3Turn on auto-release of no-show bookings.
  4. 4Send one how-to and stop booking on others' behalf except for executives.

Tools: Outlook room resources and Microsoft Places · Google Calendar resources · Robin · Skedda · Envoy

How to automate this task

Task 9 · typically 20 min, a few times a week

Order lunches and catering for meetings

Software featureBest fix

Order catering through a platform with saved orders and dietary needs

ezCater, Forkable, ZeroCater and Sharebite save repeat orders, dietary preferences and billing so ordering lunch takes a minute.

Typically saves about 50% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Pick one platform and set up a company account with central billing.
  2. 2Save your common orders (team lunch for 10, board lunch).
  3. 3Collect dietary needs once in a form and keep them on file.
  4. 4For regular team meals, let people pick their own meal through the platform.

Tools: ezCater · Forkable · ZeroCater · Sharebite

How to automate this task

Task 10 · typically 30 min, every day

Sort mail and track down package recipients

Software featureBest fix

Scan packages and let the app notify the recipient

Package tools read the label photo and message the recipient automatically, then log the pickup.

Typically saves about 50% of the time45 min to set up
  1. 1Use Envoy Deliveries, Sign In App deliveries, PackageX or a similar app.
  2. 2Photograph each label as it arrives; the app matches the name and sends a notice.
  3. 3Set reminders for packages not picked up after two days.
  4. 4Log pickups in the app so you can answer "did my package come?" instantly.

Tools: Envoy Deliveries · Sign In App · PackageX

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Have postal mail scanned and emailed to the right person

Virtual mailroom services open and scan mail so it can be routed by email, which helps hybrid teams and keeps a searchable record.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Decide which mail can be scanned (most) and what must stay physical (checks, legal notices).
  2. 2Use a service such as Earth Class Mail, Anytime Mailbox or iPostal1, or scan in-house to a shared inbox.
  3. 3Send checks to a bank lockbox or remote deposit.
  4. 4Route scanned items to owners by rule.

Tools: Earth Class Mail · Anytime Mailbox · iPostal1 · Bank lockbox

How to automate this task

Task 11 · typically 30 min, once a week

Keep phone lists, contact sheets and org charts up to date

AutomationBest fix

Let the directory and org chart update from the HR system

Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and most HR systems generate the staff directory and org chart from live data, so there is no list to maintain.

Typically saves about 60% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Check that HR or IT keeps title, manager, phone and location current in the HR system or Microsoft Entra ID / Google directory.
  2. 2Point people to the built-in org chart (Teams, Outlook, Google contacts, BambooHR, Rippling).
  3. 3Retire the spreadsheet phone list.
  4. 4For visitor-facing lists, publish one page that pulls from the directory.

Tools: Microsoft Teams and Outlook org chart · Google Workspace directory · BambooHR or Rippling org chart

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Agree one home for each kind of file

Most searching comes from the same thing living in three places. Pick one place per type and link to it.

Typically saves about 35% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the five things people search for most.
  2. 2Pick one home for each (one folder, one wiki page, one system).
  3. 3Pin the links in your team channel.
  4. 4Move or delete the copies.

Tools: SharePoint, Google Drive, Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Task 12 · typically 15 min, a few times a week

Chase people for approvals or sign-offs

AutomationBest fix

Move approvals into a tracked workflow with reminders

Approvals in Teams/Power Automate, Slack Workflows, or your e-signature tool remind people for you and show what is stuck.

Typically saves about 60% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the approvals you chase most.
  2. 2Set up an approval flow (Power Automate Approvals, Slack Workflow Builder, DocuSign or your HR/finance system).
  3. 3Add automatic reminders after 24 hours.
  4. 4Agree a default: no answer in 48 hours means it goes ahead (where safe).

Tools: Power Automate Approvals · Slack Workflow Builder · DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign

How to automate this task

Task 13 · typically 60 min, once a week

Build or update spreadsheet reports by hand

AIBest fix

Let AI build the formulas, pivots and summary

Copilot in Excel, Gemini in Sheets, or uploading the file to ChatGPT or Claude can build the pivot, the chart and the commentary in minutes.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Export or open the data.
  2. 2Ask Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets, or upload the file to an approved AI assistant.
  3. 3Describe the report you want, including the breakdowns.
  4. 4Check the totals against the source before you share.
Prompt to copy
Here is [DESCRIBE THE DATA]. Build a summary that shows [THE NUMBERS YOUR MANAGER WANTS] by [BREAKDOWN], compared with [LAST PERIOD]. Give me the Excel formulas or pivot setup to reproduce it, and three sentences on what changed and why it matters.

Tools: Copilot in Excel · Gemini in Google Sheets · ChatGPT or Claude with file upload

One more way to fix it
Automation

Build the report once so it refreshes itself

Connect the spreadsheet or dashboard straight to the source so next week's report is already done.

Typically saves about 80% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1List where each number comes from.
  2. 2Use Power Query (Excel), a connected sheet, or a Google Data Studio or Power BI dashboard pulling from the source.
  3. 3Schedule the refresh and send the link instead of an attachment.

Tools: Excel Power Query · Power BI · Google Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio) · Google Sheets connectors

How to automate this task

Task 14 · typically 90 min, once a month

Write how-to guides or training material

AIBest fix

Record yourself doing it once and let AI write the guide

Record your screen while you talk through the task; AI turns the transcript into a step-by-step guide.

Typically saves about 60% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Record your screen and voice doing the task once (Loom, Teams, Zoom or Scribe).
  2. 2Get the transcript.
  3. 3Paste it into AI with the prompt below.
  4. 4Add screenshots where it says [SCREENSHOT].
Prompt to copy
Turn this transcript of me doing [TASK] into a step-by-step how-to guide for a new hire. Number the steps, keep each to one action, mark where a screenshot helps with [SCREENSHOT], and list common mistakes at the end.

[PASTE TRANSCRIPT]

Tools: Loom · Scribe · Tango · ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 15 · typically 180 min, once a month

Make training, how-to or marketing videos

AIBest fix

Turn a script or procedure into a finished video with AI

AI writes the script from your notes, then a video tool turns it into a clip with a natural voiceover or presenter, in any language. A 2-minute training video goes from days to an afternoon.

Typically saves about 60% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Paste your procedure, slides or notes into an AI assistant with the prompt below to get a short script.
  2. 2Pick a tool: a presenter video (HeyGen, Synthesia), a voiceover over your own screens or photos (ElevenLabs, Descript), or generated scenes (Gemini Omni in Google Vids, which is free with a Google account).
  3. 3Keep it under 3 minutes, add captions, and check every fact, name and number on screen.
  4. 4Label AI voices and presenters, and never clone a real person’s voice or face without their written permission.
Prompt to copy
Turn the material below into a script for a [LENGTH, e.g. 2-minute] [TRAINING / HOW-TO / PRODUCT] video for [AUDIENCE]. Use short spoken sentences, one idea per scene. Give me a table with: scene number, what’s on screen, and the voiceover line. End with a one-line recap. Don’t add anything that isn’t in my material.

[PASTE PROCEDURE, SLIDES OR NOTES]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot for the script · HeyGen or Synthesia · ElevenLabs or Descript · Gemini Omni in Google Vids

How to automate this task

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you had AI draft a reply to a tricky or routine email?
You paste the email and say the point you want to make; the AI writes a draft you edit. Outlook and Gmail now have this built in.
Have you asked AI to build a spreadsheet formula, pivot or chart for you?
You describe the result you want in plain words, and Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets builds it. ChatGPT or Claude can also analyze an uploaded file.
Have you asked an AI that can see your company files a question, instead of digging through folders?
Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean and similar tools search your email, chats and files and answer with links to the source.
Have you set up a ChatGPT Project, Claude Project or Gem loaded with your team's documents?
You upload your guides and FAQs once, and the assistant answers questions using them, so you stop answering the same thing twice.
Have you recorded yourself doing a task and had AI turn it into a written guide?
Record your screen while you talk, and AI writes the step-by-step guide from the transcript. Tools like Scribe even grab the screenshots.
Can people book rooms and desks themselves from their calendar?
Set up each room and desk as a bookable resource in Outlook or Google Calendar, or use a tool like Robin or Skedda. People see what is free and book it.
Do your regular office supplies arrive on a recurring order?
Recurring orders on Amazon Business or your supplier deliver the basics on a schedule. A request form handles everything else in one weekly batch.
Have you let an AI notetaker write your meeting notes and action items?
Tools like Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion or Otter join the call, write the summary and list who owes what. You just check it and send.

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

Find out which of these cost your team the most

Each person picks their role, taps the tasks they really do and says how long each takes. The free check gives you your own top fixes; the team scan adds up the hours across everyone and turns them into a 30-day plan.

Answers are anonymous. Leaders only see team totals.

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