Automation hours-saved calculator
Task minutes, frequency and people, as hours and cost saved per year.
FreeRuns in your browserNo signupUpdated 2026-10-29
Hours saved per year
638
15.9 working weeks, out of 750 hours spent today
Net saving, first year
$11,218
After the build cost and 12 months of running cost
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Task runs per year | 3,000 |
| Gross saving per year | $15,938 |
| Running cost per year | $720 |
| Build cost | $4,000 |
| Net saving from year two | $15,218 |
| Payback on the build cost | 3.2 months |
Hours saved only become money if the time is reused or headcount changes. Treat the saving as capacity first.
About this tool
How it works and how to read the result.
Need this done for you?
AI workflow automation
Automate the repetitive work between inboxes, documents and systems.
See the serviceWhat it does
An automation ROI calculator turns a tedious task into a number you can act on. Enter how long the task takes by hand, how often it happens, how many people do it and what their time costs. The page shows hours spent today, hours saved after automation, the money that represents, and how long the build cost takes to pay back once running costs are deducted. It all runs in your browser.
How to use it
- Time the task honestly, including the switching between systems. Enter the minutes per run.
- Enter how often it happens and whether that is per working day, week or month.
- Enter how many people each do it and their fully loaded hourly cost.
- Set the share of time the automation removes. Leave room for checking and exceptions.
- Add the build cost and running cost, then read hours and money saved.
How to read the result
Suppose two people each spend 15 minutes on a task 6 times a working day. That is 3,000 runs a year and 750 hours. At 85% removed, the automation saves about 638 hours, almost 16 working weeks. At $25 an hour, that is $15,938 a year gross. With a $4,000 build and $60 a month to run, the first-year net is $11,218 and the build pays back in about 3 months. From year two the saving is $15,218 a year.
Hours saved is the figure to trust most, because it comes from your own timing. The money depends on what the time is used for; if nobody's hours change, the real return is capacity and fewer errors rather than cash.
A payback over 12 months usually means the task is too small or the build too large. Look for a simpler version, or group several small tasks into one project.
We scope and build this kind of work as AI automation. If the task involves answering customers, the chatbot ROI calculator fits better.
Questions
Frequently asked.
What counts as a task worth automating?
Anything repeated on a schedule or triggered by the same event each time, with clear rules and data that already lives in a system. Copying orders into a spreadsheet, sending the same follow-up email, or re-keying invoices are typical. Tasks that need judgement on every run are poorer candidates.
Why not set the time saved to 100%?
Because someone still checks the output, handles the exceptions and fixes the automation when an upstream system changes. For most workflows 70 to 90% is honest. Reserve 100% for fully unattended jobs that have run for months without intervention.
What is a fully loaded hourly cost?
Salary plus employer taxes, benefits, equipment and software, divided by hours actually worked. It is usually 1.3 to 1.6 times the base hourly pay. Using the base rate alone understates the saving and makes automation look less worthwhile than it is.
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