01 · Current work
Start with the cost you can observe
Estimate who touches the workflow, how much time it takes, and the fully loaded cost of that time. Use a range when the process varies.
AI workflow ROI
Put a value on the work before you price the build.
A useful AI business case starts with work your team can see and measure. Estimate the current cost, use a conservative assumption for what software may handle, and validate the rest before making an investment decision.
A practical business case
Calculate capacity first. Then validate the outcome.
The calculator is a planning tool, not a promise of savings. Its job is to make the assumptions visible enough for a useful first conversation.
02 · Feasible share
Separate repeatable work from judgement
Estimate the share software could responsibly handle. Keep uncertain, sensitive, and difficult-to-reverse decisions with people.
03 · Investment case
Compare capacity with the full deployment cost
Include design, development, integrations, model and infrastructure usage, rollout, support, and the cost of operating the new workflow.
Calculator
Estimate the work your custom AI system could own
Move the inputs to estimate what repetitive work costs each month and how much capacity purpose-built software may give back to your team.
Inputs
people
How many people touch this work.
%
Use a conservative estimate. People should keep exceptions and sensitive decisions.
hrs / week
Estimated hours each person spends on repeatable work weekly.
$/ hour
Fully-loaded cost per team member.
ROI questions
Keep the estimate honest and useful.
Direct answers about capacity, savings, assumptions, and the costs a complete AI business case should include.
Start with the current monthly hours and fully loaded labor cost, estimate the share of repeatable work software may handle, and compare that capacity value with the complete cost of building and operating the deployment. Then add revenue, speed, quality, and risk effects that can be measured credibly.
No. Reclaimed capacity is the value of time that may become available for other work. It becomes cash savings only when the organization actually reduces spend. It may instead create faster service, more throughput, fewer delays, or room for growth without adding headcount.
Automation potential depends on the workflow, data, exception rate, quality requirements, and consequence of mistakes. A conservative adjustable assumption is more useful than a fixed claim. Paid Strategy can validate the baseline and feasible share with real examples.
Include product and engineering work, data cleanup, integrations, security review, model and infrastructure usage, testing, rollout, training, monitoring, maintenance, and ongoing improvement. A credible proposal also explains third-party costs and ownership after launch.
Value before commitment
If the value is there, choose how to move.
Take a known priority into Engineering, validate the business case through Strategy, or start the prototype yourself in Studio.