Automation ROI calculator
Explore whether a proposed improvement could justify its cost. Released time creates capacity; it only becomes financial benefit when you reduce costs or put that capacity to productive use.
The initial values are illustrative assumptions. Change them to match your business. This estimate excludes tax, financing and inflation and assumes steady benefits; allow separately for rollout and adoption delays.
Use the relevant fully loaded hourly cost.
Measure a representative task, including any normal rework.
Use a typical volume, not the busiest week.
Your assumption, not a typical or guaranteed saving.
Allow for holidays, seasonality and downtime.
Use 0% if time is released but no cost reduction or additional contribution is expected.
Include setup, training, migration and internal implementation time.
Include subscriptions, hosting, maintenance and support for all 12 months.
Your estimate
- Annual capacity released
- 200.0 hours
- Notional labour value of that capacity
- $7,000
- Assumed realised financial benefit
- $3,500
- Annual ongoing cost
- $600
- Annual net benefit before initial investment
- $2,900
- First-year net benefit after initial investment
- -$2,100
- Estimated payback
- 20.7 calendar months
- First-year return on initial investment
- -42.0%
Annual net benefit = released hours × hourly cost × realised percentage − annual ongoing costs. Payback uses this annual net benefit. A negative result is useful information, not a reason to increase assumptions.
Next step
Check the assumptions before choosing a solution.
Bring your inputs and the process you want to improve to a conversation about Tech Clarity. The calculator helps frame a decision; it does not establish a business case by itself.