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Workflow Automation ROI Calculator

Build a transparent automation business case. Estimate released staff time, identify the part that becomes cash benefit and compare it with upfront and ongoing costs.

Use the automation roi modelRead the companion guide

A transparent cash business case and sensitivity comparison.

Enter your own evidence, or try the clearly labeled fictional example. Generate a report, print it or save an editable copy to reopen later.

Inputs stay in page memory and are not submitted to Regal Nexus Group. Work is not saved automatically. Save an editable copy before leaving and store downloaded business information deliberately.

Prepared by the Regal Nexus Group editorial team. Version 1.0 · 21 October 2026.

Build a business case you can explain

Separate released staff time from cash savings. Model total costs, cash ROI, payback and three benefit scenarios in one consistent period.

You will create: A transparent cash business case and sensitivity comparison. Read the companion guide.

The model uses steady cash flows for simple payback. It does not account for the time value of money. See ACCA’s explanation of payback and discounted payback for the distinction.

Scope and period

Required.

Required.

Required.

Between 1 and 120 months.

Work and time

Required.

Required.

Cannot exceed current handling time.

0–100; account for exceptions and adoption.

Required.

Use 0 unless avoided overtime, contractor cost or another actual budget reduction is evidenced.

Costs and additional cash effects

Include implementation, integration, internal effort, training and transition.

Software, model usage, maintenance, monitoring and review.

Exclude labor savings already captured above.

Use contribution after incremental costs, not gross revenue. Avoid overlap with other benefits.

Required.

Record the basis for volume, time, adoption, costs and financial realization.

How this tool works

  1. Monthly hours released = cases × minutes saved ÷ 60 × adoption. Capacity value = hours released × hourly labor cost.
  2. Monthly cash benefit = capacity value × cash realization share + other evidenced avoided cost + incremental contribution. Keep benefit categories separate.
  3. Period cash ROI = (period cash benefits − total period costs) ÷ total period costs. Simple payback = upfront cost ÷ positive monthly net cash benefit. Zero-cost ROI is undefined; non-positive monthly net benefit does not produce payback.
  4. This is a steady-month model. It excludes ramp-up, discounting, tax and financing. Sensitivity cases scale adoption and other benefits by 50%, 100% and 125%, cap adoption at 100% and hold costs fixed.

A worked example

The fictional example releases 80 hours monthly. Only 20% of the USD 2,000 labor capacity value becomes cash. With USD 100 additional avoided cost, USD 200 running cost and USD 6,000 upfront cost, 12-month cash ROI is −28.57% and simple payback is 20 months.

Questions before you use it

Are hours saved the same as cash savings?

No. Released capacity may support more work without reducing spending. Count it as cash only where an actual budget or cash effect is substantiated.

Does simple payback account for the time value of money?

No. Use an appropriate discounted appraisal with your finance team when timing, financing and longer-term cash flows matter.

Download the companion checklist (PDF) · Read the full guide

Validate my automation business case

Bring your assumptions to a free 30-minute assessment. Discuss the operational baseline, implementation scope and whether the expected benefits are credible.

Validate my automation business case

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