Automation ROI Tool
Use this interactive calculator to estimate the return on investment from automating repetitive tasks in your business.
Calculate Your Savings
ROI Calculator
Calculate your potential savings from automation
Yearly Savings$25,500
Based on 10 hours/week × $50/hour × 52 weeks - $500 automation cost
Understanding the Calculation
The ROI calculator uses a simple but effective formula:
Annual Savings = (Hours Saved/Week × Hourly Rate × 52 weeks) - Automation Cost
Input Variables
| Input | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hours Saved Per Week | Time freed up by automation | 10 hours |
| Hourly Rate | Fully loaded cost of that time | $50/hour |
| Automation Cost | One-time setup investment | $500 |
Hidden Benefits
The calculator shows direct time savings, but automation delivers additional value:
- Reduced Errors - Automated processes don't make typos
- Consistency - Same quality output every time
- Scalability - Handle 10x volume without hiring
- Employee Satisfaction - Free your team for meaningful work
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Invoice Processing
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Time per invoice | 15 minutes | 2 minutes |
| Invoices per week | 50 | 50 |
| Weekly time spent | 12.5 hours | 1.7 hours |
| Weekly savings | - | 10.8 hours |
At $40/hour, that's $22,464/year in savings.
Example 2: Lead Qualification
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Time per lead | 10 minutes | 0 minutes |
| Leads per week | 100 | 100 |
| Weekly time spent | 16.7 hours | 0 hours |
| Weekly savings | - | 16.7 hours |
At $60/hour, that's $52,104/year in savings.
Making the Case
When presenting automation ROI to stakeholders:
- Be Conservative - Underestimate savings, overestimate costs
- Include Soft Benefits - Error reduction, employee morale
- Show Payback Period - How quickly does it pay for itself?
- Compare Alternatives - Hiring vs. automating
Payback Period Formula
Payback Period (months) = Automation Cost / (Monthly Savings)
For most automations, payback occurs within 1-3 months.
Next Steps
Ready to identify automation opportunities in your business?
- Audit - List all repetitive tasks taking more than 1 hour/week
- Prioritize - Rank by time saved × frequency × complexity
- Pilot - Start with one high-impact, low-risk automation
- Measure - Track actual vs. projected savings
- Scale - Roll out successful automations across the organization