Automation payback calculator
What is that manual process really costing you, and how fast would automating it pay for itself? Enter the time it takes and what you pay the people doing it.
Your estimate
Show as a table
| Month | Cumulative savings | Cumulative cost | Net |
|---|
Estimates only. Time is valued at salary plus on-costs over 1,950 paid hours a year; savings are counted over 48 working weeks. Automation usually means time back for higher-value work, not fewer people.
Frequently asked questions
How is the cost of staff time calculated?
Annual salary plus employer on-costs (CPP, EI, vacation pay and benefits, 20% by default) divided by 1,950 paid hours a year (37.5 hours a week). Saved hours are counted over 48 working weeks to allow for vacation and statutory holidays.
Does automation mean cutting staff?
Usually not. Most small and mid-sized businesses use the time to absorb growth without hiring, clear backlogs, or move people onto work that needs judgment and customer contact. The calculator values that time at what it costs you today.
What does an automation project typically cost?
Most single-workflow automations cost $5,000–$20,000 CAD, and most AI assistants $7,500–$25,000. Running costs are usually modest — software licences and hosting, often under $200 a month. See our pricing page for details.
How accurate is this estimate?
It is only as good as the inputs. The most common error is guessing the time a task takes — time it for a week first. Our AI Kickstart measures this properly and gives you a fixed-price quote.
Want real numbers for your business?
Our AI Kickstart times your actual processes and gives you a ranked list of what to automate, with fixed-price quotes, in two weeks.