Automation ROI: how to estimate payback before you build

Why ROI models fail

Teams often estimate ROI based on vague “efficiency.” A better model ties savings to a specific workflow and failure handling.

Quick ROI formula

Monthly net savings ≈ (hours saved/week × loaded hourly cost × 4.33) − tool cost/month

Pick the right first workflow

• High volume
• Clear inputs/outputs
• Low variance (few edge cases)
• Known failure handling

Example table