Automation ROI Calculator
What is manual work really costing you?
Re-keying data, chasing approvals, copying between spreadsheets — it adds up fast. Estimate the annual cost of repetitive work, and what you could win back by automating it.
The hidden cost of manual work
Repetitive admin rarely shows up as a line item, but it’s one of the biggest silent costs in a growing business. Re-keying orders, chasing approvals, sending reminders, reconciling spreadsheets — multiply those hours across your team and the annual figure is usually far larger than people expect. The calculator above puts a number on it, and shows how much you could reclaim by automating the routine parts.
Automation isn’t about replacing people — it’s about freeing them from the work software does better, so they focus on customers and judgement calls. Not sure what to automate first? Our AI Automation Finder turns a description of your operations into concrete opportunities.
Automation ROI questions, answered
How do you calculate the cost of manual work?
We multiply the number of people doing the work by the hours each spends per week, across the year, by an hourly cost (monthly salary ÷ 160 working hours). The “automatable” share of those hours is what you could win back — that’s your potential annual saving.
What kinds of tasks can be automated?
Repetitive, rule-based work is the best fit: re-keying data between systems, sending confirmations and reminders, routing enquiries, generating reports, chasing approvals, and reconciling records. Judgement-heavy work stays with your team — AI handles the routine.
How quickly does automation pay back?
It depends on scope, but many SME automation projects recover their cost within the first year through reclaimed hours and fewer errors. The calculator shows the annual saving so you can weigh it against a build cost.
What share of manual work is realistically automatable?
For most back-office processes it lands between 50% and 80%. The calculator lets you set this; if you’re unsure, 60% is a reasonable starting point.
How do we get started with automation?
Start with one high-volume, well-understood process rather than “automate everything”. A free scoping call maps your operations and identifies the best first candidate — or try our AI Automation Finder to surface opportunities instantly.