Automation ROI Calculator

Work out automation roi instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Automation ROI Calculator

Automation ROI must net off maintenance, which is what most business cases omit. A script saving 50 hours a month but needing 40 hours of upkeep is barely worth having. Subtracting maintenance first, then dividing build cost by the net monthly saving, gives an honest payback period — and occasionally shows that the task should be eliminated rather than automated.

Formula

Automation payback

net monthly saving = manual minutes x runs / 60 - maintenance hours; payback = build hours / net monthly saving

Worked example

With the default values below, Automation ROI Calculator returns Payback period of 1.3. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Manual time per runminimum 0.1 min: 25 min
Runs per monthminimum 0.1: 120
Hours to build the automationminimum 0.1 h: 60 h
Maintenance hours per monthminimum 0 h: 2 h

Results

Payback period: 1.3 months
Net hours saved per month: 48.0 h
Net hours saved in year one: 516.0 h
Assessment: Strong case - pays back within six months

Step by step

1Values used
2Automation payback
3Payback period= 1.3 months
4Net hours saved per month= 48.0 h
5Net hours saved in year one= 516.0 h
6Assessment= Strong case - pays back within six months

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is usually underestimated?

Maintenance. Automation breaks when the environment changes, and someone must own it. Budget 10 to 20 percent of build effort per year as ongoing cost.

Are there benefits beyond time saved?

Yes — consistency, auditability and lower error rates. For risky manual procedures those often matter more than the hours, and should be argued separately.