Automation ROI calculator

Multiply the hours saved each month by the cost of an hour, subtract the monthly running cost to get the net saving, then compare it with what you spent. First-year ROI here is the first-year net saving minus the build cost, divided by the build cost plus a year of tool cost.

Use the fully loaded cost: salary plus benefits, payroll tax and overhead, divided by working hours. Using salary alone understates the saving, so the result here will only be as honest as that number.

There is no universal rule, but a payback inside a few months is easy to defend because the build cost is recovered quickly and the saving continues. Long paybacks deserve a second look at how many hours the automation really removes.

Only through the monthly cost you enter. Automations need upkeep when APIs and tools change, so add an allowance for maintenance time to the monthly cost if you expect it.