Estimate whether automating a repeatable process pays back, and how fast. It's for small and mid-size business owners deciding if a process is worth automating now. Every number is yours, so time real runs first. See what to automate first.
How it works
- Enter the currency, runs per month, minutes per run and hourly cost of the person.
- Enter the error rate and the minutes it takes to fix one error.
- Enter the share of automated runs that still need human review.
- Enter the setup cost and the monthly running cost.
cost per run = (Minutes per run + Error rate/100 x Minutes to fix one error) / 60 x Hourly cost; gross savings = Runs per month x cost per run x (1 - Review share/100); net savings = gross savings - Monthly running cost; payback months = Setup cost / net savings; 12-month ROI = (net savings x 12 - Setup cost) / Setup cost x 100; break-even runs = Monthly running cost / (cost per run x (1 - Review share/100))
It ignores tax, ramp-up time and benefits like faster replies. For budget decisions, consult a professional. To test a real process, talk to Kuan AI.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as monthly running cost?
Software subscriptions, AI usage fees, hosting and the time spent maintaining the automation. Maintenance is the one people forget, so include a realistic estimate.
What should I enter for the review share?
The percentage of automated runs where a person still checks or corrects the output. With no data, run a small pilot and count; start higher than feels comfortable.
Why does payback say never?
Net monthly savings are zero or negative, so setup can't be recovered. Usually volume is too low, review share too high, or running costs too big for the time saved.
