Automation ROI calculator

Make the cost of repeated admin visible.

Use one workflow—not your whole business—to estimate manual cost, recoverable capacity, payback and potential year-one return in Australian dollars.

Calculate

What could one better workflow return?

Enter realistic numbers for the people who perform this task. The result is a prioritisation signal, not a promise of savings.

Repeated workflow

People doing this workWeekly hours per person

Hourly employment cost per person (A$)Estimated implementation cost (A$)Routine work that could be streamlined: 50%Start cautiously. Keep exceptions, judgement and approvals visible.

Estimated result

Weekly manual cost: $450
Monthly manual cost: $1,800
Annual manual cost: $21,600
Recoverable time: 240 hrs/year
Potential annual saving: $10,800
Year-one net value: $6,300
Indicative payback: 20 weeks
Year-one ROI: 140%

Based on 48 working weeks. Capacity recovered is not automatically cash saved; actual value depends on workflow quality, adoption and how the released time is used.

A sensible first scope

Classify enquiries, draft first responses and trigger routine follow-ups.

Human oversightApprove early drafts; keep unusual or sensitive enquiries with a person.

Likely tool layerShared inbox or CRM + automation platform + AI drafting

If the number is meaningful, map the trigger, owner, inputs, output, approval points and exceptions before buying software.

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Manual vs connected

Automation changes the routine. People keep the judgement.

AreaManual processConnected workflowWhere people stay involved

TriggerRelies on memory, inbox checking or somebody noticing.Starts from an agreed event, date, form or status change.A person decides when the standard path no longer fits.

PreparationReplies, checklists and updates are rebuilt each time.Routine drafts, classifications and checklists are prepared consistently.People review sensitive context and higher-risk outputs.

Follow-upBusy periods create delays and missed actions.Follow-up is prepared or sent when agreed conditions are met.Commercial and unusual cases stay visible to the team.

MeasurementTime loss and rework are felt but rarely measured.Time, response speed, exceptions and rework can be tracked.The owner judges whether the workflow improves the business.

Interpret the result

Do not automate a messy process faster.

Small and infrequent

Use a checklist, template or clearer owner first. Automation may cost more than the problem.

Repeated but unclear

Standardise the trigger, input, output and exceptions before choosing tools.

Meaningful and repeatable

Audit the workflow, test routine cases and keep approval points where risk requires them.

Turn the estimate into a plan

Find the smallest workflow worth fixing.

A free assessment will test the assumptions and identify what should be automated, standardised or left human.

Start your assessment ↗