TidySlot Discipline Guide
TidySlot is set up once, but it runs on daily habits. This guide tells you exactly what disciplines keep it working — and what breaks it.
"Your team should never have to think about what to work on or where to find it. Every scheduled job takes them directly to the work — one click to the exact sheet, tool, or page they need. No searching. No tab-hopping. No losing the thread."
TidySlot replaces the "what should I do today?" question with a personal calendar that already has the answer. But only if the team member opens it.
The discipline: open My Calendar before anything else — before WhatsApp, before email. This takes 30 seconds and sets the day.
- Open TidySlot at the start of the day
- Check My Calendar for today's time slots
- Click the job URL and start work
- Log time in Time Sheet as work is done
- Wait for WhatsApp instructions instead
- Open TidySlot only when reminded
- Skip logging time because it "seems minor"
- Ignore the calendar and work off memory
Categories are the backbone of your reporting and calendar view. If they proliferate, your calendar becomes noise. Aim for 5 to 10 categories maximum — and don't create a new one every time a new job arrives.
- Use broad, concept-level names (e.g. "Compliance Filing" not "GST Filing July")
- Review and prune the list every quarter
- Ask: can this slot fit an existing category?
- Create a category per client or per month
- Leave unused categories in the list
- Use overlapping category names
👉 See: Categories — Best Practices
The three non-negotiables for every time slot:
- Category — without it, the slot won't appear correctly in reports and calendar views.
- URL — this is the core of TidySlot. Without a URL, the team member has to search for the tool manually. The URL makes the job one click away.
- Block Days — without block days, the slot will not appear on any calendar. This is the most commonly forgotten step.
- Add the exact portal URL — not the homepage
- Set block days immediately after creating a slot
- Archive slots that are no longer active
- Update slots when job schedules change
- Leave the URL field blank
- Delete slots — archive instead (payroll depends on history)
- Create slots without setting block days
- Use vague names like "Work" or "Task"
👉 See: Time Slots — Best Practices
The Time Sheet is how TidySlot tracks job progress and team utilisation. End-of-week logging is inaccurate — the team member won't remember how long each job took.
- Log time when the job is done — same day
- Record actual time, not estimated
- Mark jobs as In Progress or Done as you go
- Leave the week blank and fill retroactively
- Round up hours to look busy
- Log time on the wrong job to save time
👉 See: Time Sheet
TidySlot doesn't self-update when your firm changes. When new jobs are added, team members leave, or seasonal work begins, the admin needs to update the system.
- New job type? Add a time slot. Assign to the right person. Set block days.
- Team member leaves? Remove from the Team module. Update block days for the slots they were assigned.
- Seasonal work ends? Archive the time slot — don't delete it.
- Category creep? Review the category list quarterly. Merge or remove unused categories.
The Weekly Rhythm That Works
Firms that get consistent results from TidySlot follow a predictable weekly pattern.
Signs TidySlot Is Working
- Team members check their calendar without being reminded
- The partner hasn't sent a "what are you working on today?" WhatsApp in over a week
- Time Sheet data is consistent and filled within the same day
- New team members are productive on Day 1 because the structure already exists
- The Team Calendar shows a balanced, visible workload — no surprises
Signs Something Is Breaking Down
- Calendars are empty → Check block days on all time slots
- Team isn't opening the app → Remind the team of the daily check-in habit; it takes 2–3 weeks to form
- Time Sheet is always blank → Set a daily reminder; don't wait for end-of-week
- Too many categories → Review and merge; aim for under 10
- Time slots don't reflect actual work → Admin needs to do a monthly maintenance pass