See what automation is worth.
List the tasks your team repeats, how often and how long they take. See the hours and money saved, when the build pays for itself and the return over three years.
Use salary plus overheads divided by working hours. A loaded cost is usually 1.3× pay.
×
85%
767 h a year today → 652 h saved · $20,853
×
90%
138 h a year today → 124 h saved · $3,974
×
75%
920 h a year today → 690 h saved · $22,080
×
80%
192 h a year today → 154 h saved · $4,915
Common tasks
Use honest numbers
Time a task once with a stopwatch. Most teams underestimate repetitive work by half.
Not everything should be automated
A 60% share is realistic for tasks with exceptions. The remaining work goes to people, with the boring part done.
Running costs count
Hosting, licences and support are taken off the saving every year, so the payback is the real one.