Process Automation ROI
Calculate the value of automating manual business processes
Process Automation ROI
Calculate the business case for automating manual processes.
Takes ~3 minutes. Get payback estimates and annual savings projections.
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What this calculator does
The Process Automation ROI calculator builds the business case for automating manual processes: hours returned, error and rework costs avoided, netted against implementation and running costs, with payback estimates across three scenarios.
It is the template calculator for the suite — enter volumes, time per task, and loaded labour cost, and the receipt-style ledger shows exactly how the annual figure is built.
How it works
Answer a short set of questions — volumes, time, and costs you already track. The calculator runs a pure, versioned formula and presents conservative, moderate, and optimistic scenarios, a receipt-style ledger tracing every figure back to an input, and a multi-year NPV/IRR view. Each report lists its assumptions so reviewers can challenge them line by line. See the methodology for how the models work, or view a complete sample report.
Benchmarks you can defend
- Organisations that measured RPA outcomes reported 16% average cost reduction (Deloitte UK, 2017); by 2022, implementers self-reported 32% — treat the lower bound as the defensible default. Deloitte automation surveys, 2017 and 2022
- Average pilot payback lengthened from 16 months (2020) to 22 months (2022) — plan for realistic timelines. Deloitte Intelligent Automation Survey, 2022 (479 executives)
- Manual knowledge work carries a 1–5% error rate (average cell error rate 3.9% across 14 studies); 94% of inspected real-world spreadsheets contained errors. Panko, EuSpRIG spreadsheet error research, 2015
Every constant used in-product is cited — the full source list, with caveats, is on the methodology page.
Frequently asked questions
What cost reduction should I model for automation?
Anchor conservative on 16% — the measured average among Deloitte UK implementers — and let the optimistic scenario reach towards the 32% self-reported 2022 figure. More than half of surveyed organisations had never calculated their actual reduction, which is exactly why a cited, scenario-based case stands out.
Can I model error and rework savings, not just time?
Yes — manual error rates of 1–5% are citable (Panko, 2015), and eliminating rework is often the sturdier half of an automation case because it does not depend on redeploying freed-up hours.
Is the Process Automation ROI calculator free?
Your first calculator is free forever, with unlimited re-runs and one saved report — no card required. You enter your email to view and save results, and upgrading to Pro unlocks all 13 calculators, unlimited reports, exports, and share links.
Can I change the assumptions?
Yes — every assumption is editable before you calculate, and the report records exactly what you used. Industry constants are cited on the methodology page, and the receipt-style ledger traces each figure in the result back to an input.