Examine the business case.

Start with capacity. Then test cash savings.

Current monthly effort is the number of items multiplied by minutes per item, divided by 60. Include the work across everyone involved. Remaining human effort includes review, exceptions, corrections, and supervision on the items moved to the new process.

For each month, adoption grows linearly to the target. With a three-month ramp, one third of the target applies in month one, two thirds in month two, and the full target from month three. A zero-month ramp applies the full target immediately.

Released capacity

Monthly volume × (current minutes − remaining minutes) ÷ 60 × that month’s adoption share.

Labor value

Released hours × loaded hourly cost. This describes the value of time; it is not automatically a budget reduction.

Cash labor benefit

Positive labor value × the cash-realization share you can substantiate. If the new process adds labor, its full added labor cost is charged.

Net cash benefit

Cash labor benefit − recurring costs, with the one-time implementation cost charged before month one.

First-year ROI

First-year net cash benefit ÷ implementation cost. A zero implementation cost leaves this ratio undefined.

Payback

The first month when cumulative cash benefit covers implementation cost, within the 36-month horizon. Later losses can reverse that first crossing; inspect recurring net benefit too.

Recurring costs apply in full from month one, even while adoption ramps. Use a single currency for all amounts. No discount rate, tax, financing cost, inflation, revenue uplift, or reduction in error costs is included. The model assumes stable volume, time, and costs after the ramp.

A hypothetical example.

Suppose a team handles 1,000 items per month at 12 minutes each, with a loaded hourly cost of USD 60. Its baseline is 200 hours per month. A proposed process leaves 3 minutes of human work per adopted item, reaches 80% adoption over three months, and realizes 50% of released labor value as cash savings.

At target adoption, that releases 120 hours per month. Across the first year, the ramp yields 1,320 hours of capacity, with labor value of USD 79,200. The assumed cash share is USD 39,600. Subtract USD 9,600 in annual running costs and USD 15,000 for implementation: first-year net cash benefit is USD 15,000, with simple ROI of 100% and first cumulative payback in month 7.

These figures are a calculation example, not a client outcome, quoted engagement price, or industry benchmark. If none of the recovered time reduces cash spending, the cash case changes even when the capacity benefit remains useful.

Use the estimate to ask better questions.

Check the baseline with the operating team. Explain what will happen to the released capacity, who can validate the cash assumption, and what it will cost to review and maintain the new process. Compare your expected scenario with a slower ramp, more remaining work, and higher costs.

Read the workflow mapping guide to examine the baseline, and use the pilot checklist to define the evidence needed before a rollout. A favorable modeled result still needs a feasible implementation, suitable controls, and an accountable owner.