Automation ROI Calculator
Put numbers around one repetitive process before buying software or building automation. The calculator separates total labour allocation from the smaller portion that may actually be repeatable.
Scenario inputs
Estimate the labour capacity tied up in one repetitive process. The “automatable share” should represent only the repeatable coordination work—not expert judgment, approvals or exceptions.
Current process time
520 h
per year across the people entered
Current labour allocation
$20,800
annual capacity at the loaded hourly cost
Repeatable capacity
260 h
per year worth reviewing for automation
Gross capacity value
$10,400
before implementation and run costs
Scenario interpretation
After the ongoing tool/run cost entered above, the scenario has approximately $9,800 of annual capacity value associated with the repeatable portion.
After the one-time implementation cost, the first-year scenario value is $6,800. The simple capacity-value payback is approximately 3.7 months.
Important
This is not a promise of cash savings or ROI. Recovered time only becomes economic value if the organization can actually redeploy it, avoid incremental hiring, improve throughput, reduce errors or create another measurable benefit.
Capacity is not the same thing as cash savings.
If automation gives a team ten hours back, the financial result depends on what happens to those ten hours. The value may show up as more throughput, fewer missed handoffs, less overtime, lower future hiring pressure, faster customer response or simply better work quality.
The calculator deliberately calls this “capacity value.” Before implementing anything, identify the actual business outcome and the human decisions that should remain outside the automation.
Choose a process that is frequent, bounded and measurable.
Find candidates
Review 25 common business processes and separate repeatable coordination from expert work.
02See implementation options
Explore workflow automation around forms, email, CRM, documents and reporting.
03Scope a real workflow
Bring the current process, tools and constraints to System Current for a practical implementation discussion.