How the calculator works
Estimated hours saved per month = (weekly task hours × automation share − weekly review hours) × 4.345. The calculator never reports negative time savings as a benefit. Net monthly value equals the value of those hours minus the recurring tool cost. First-year net value subtracts the one-time setup cost from 12 months of net monthly value.
What should count as time saved?
Count only time actually removed from the workflow. If AI drafts a report but a person must spend the same amount of time checking every fact, the net saving may be small. Include monitoring, prompt updates, exception handling and integration maintenance.
How to use the result
Run a limited pilot, compare quality against the current process and record real time spent before and after. Start with a reversible, low-risk task. For sensitive information or high-impact decisions, confirm policy and keep appropriate human review.
Explore future-facing AI tools
Read our guide to AI tools to watch in 2027 for a practical overview of agents, local models, multimodal workflows and evaluation criteria.