Stop paying staff to copy and paste.
Reconciliations, payroll uploads, month end close, audit requests. The same spreadsheet tasks repeat every cycle, for every reason. Hotkey pairs each request with Coaches and Practitioners who have done that exact work themselves, and who know how to automate it for good.
Qualified talent. Anonymized data.
AI chatbots send pasted data to servers you can't see. Hotkey anonymizes your files on your own computer and puts a qualified practitioner on the work.
| Your data | Hotkey | AI chatbots |
|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Anonymized on your computer, then stored privately | Sent to the provider's servers as soon as you paste it |
| Who sees it | Only the specialist who signs your contract | The provider, and anyone with access to the account or chat |
| Real values | Never shared. Specialists work on mock data | Shared exactly as pasted |
| How long | Links expire in minutes, access ends at project close | Kept under the provider's retention terms |
| Accountability | A named, reviewed practitioner | No one is accountable for the answer |
| What you keep | Working automation, documentation, and SOPs | Chat answers you still have to build yourself |
Built around how finance and operations teams buy help.
Select any feature for the full details.
From manual process to working automation.
Four steps. Select any step for the full walkthrough.
Specialist tiers, reviewed by Hotkey.
Tiers match the right expertise to the work. They affect who you choose, the rate you pay, and how long the project takes.
Coach
CoachEvery Hotkey specialist starts here, with strong Excel skills.
- Team training, formulas, lookups and PivotTables
- Simple, well defined projects
- Usually lower rates and shorter timelines
Practitioner
PractitionerAwarded by Hotkey for verifiable corporate experience and strong delivered work.
- End to end automation in finance, payroll, HR or operations
- Power Query, Power Automate, VBA, SQL and Power BI
- Suited to complex, multi system work
Expert
ExpertAwarded to top specialists who hold a relevant certification.
- Hardest builds, rescues and deadline work
- Certification checked by Hotkey
- Hotkey's most proven specialists
Every badge above Coach is awarded by Hotkey after reviewing experience, delivered work and certifications.
Who you choose
Coach or Practitioner
Training and simple fixes suit a Coach. Multi system automation suits a Practitioner.
Rate of pay
Set by experience
Practitioners usually propose higher rates that reflect certifications and corporate experience.
Timeline
1 to 12 weeks
Simple projects often finish in one to two weeks, complex automation in four to twelve. Your specialist confirms it in the proposal.
Choose the engagement that fits the work.
Your choice helps match the right tier. You pick the same options when you post a request.
The middle ground between doing it yourself and hiring a consultancy.
| What matters | Hotkey | Consultancy | Hiring full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start time | Proposals in days | Weeks of scoping | Months of recruiting |
| Cost | Direct specialist rate, free to post | Premium rate plus markup | Salary, benefits, and overhead |
| Commitment | Per project, pause anytime | Statement of work | Permanent headcount |
| Expertise | Tiered, reviewed practitioners in your function | Generalist teams | Depends on the hire |
| Expectations | What runs on its own, shown before hiring | Defined in scoping | Learned on the job |
| Data handling | Anonymized files, least access | Full access to live data | Full access to live data |
| What you keep | Automation, documentation, and SOPs | Deliverables per contract | Knowledge leaves when they do |
Common questions from employers.
No. Posting, browsing, messaging, and reviewing proposals are free. When you accept a proposal, a 10% Hotkey fee on the agreed project total is charged upfront, and the specialist receives the full agreed amount. A small monthly service fee will also apply; it will be announced before it starts.
No. Browse specialists and message one directly from their profile. Posting is just the fastest way to receive several proposals.
You fund the project once at the start and Hotkey holds it. Each week you approve the specialist's update, and that week is paid to them through Hotkey's weekly payroll, one week in arrears: the week closes Saturday 11:59 PM, payroll runs Monday, and the specialist is paid by Friday. Approve updates by Saturday night so they're paid on time.
Every project ends with testing on your real data. When you post, name the person on your team who will run the test scripts. If nobody has the time or skills, choose a Hotkey tester: a senior engineer runs extra testing (10 hours or more, by project size) and gives you a second completed set of test scripts. It's priced by length and complexity, never more than $50 an hour, and you can offer a different amount.
Care includes up to 10 hours of small improvements a month, done by the specialist who built your automation. Request them from the project's Payment and upkeep tab. Larger changes are quoted separately.
No. Sole proprietors, founders building a product, nonprofits, small teams, and large enterprises are all welcome. If you have spreadsheet work to automate, it's a fit.
The agreed total is split evenly into weekly payouts every Friday. Each payout requires a status update from the specialist that week, or daily for short projects.
Choose a maintenance option when you post: keep the specialist on a monthly retainer, pay per fix when something changes, or run it yourself using the SOPs.
Yes. Many engagements start as one project. You can bring a specialist on part time or full time, and both sides can record the hire in Hotkey.
It's your budget divided by the total hours (weeks times estimated hours per week), plus 10% for hybrid or 20% for onsite work. Weekly hours can vary; your maximum budget is a hard cap that proposals can't exceed.
Every specialist starts as a Coach. Hotkey awards a Practitioner badge for proven business automation experience and an Expert badge for top skills with certifications, after reviewing evidence.
No. Sample files are anonymized on your computer. Specialists work on mock data with the same structure, and you refresh with live data at the end.
Yes. Accept several proposals on one request, for the same task or different parts of the work.
We only list systems a workbook can reach. Where a file export or upload is needed, the request shows which step your staff keeps.
Company names are shown on requests. You can post under a private alias instead. Admins always see your real details.
You do. Every project ends with the automation, documentation, and SOPs.
Yes. Edit, pause, reopen, close, or duplicate any request from your workspace.
Open a dispute first so Hotkey can step in. If you still end it early, weeks already approved stay paid to the specialist, and the rest is refunded to your card minus a 20% early-cancellation fee. Hotkey's service fee is not refunded once work has started. You can then hire another specialist.
Within 48 hours, for questions, disputes, and refunds.
The shared roadmap for your project: tasks with owners and due dates grouped by week, tests you sign off on real data, and the SOP your team keeps. Specialists send tasks for review and you approve them as done.