AI Automation ROI Calculator

How does this AI automation ROI calculator work?

The calculator models a 3-year return across up to 6 automation use cases, using a conservative ramp: 0% efficiency gain in month 1, 50% in month 2, and 100% from month 3 onward. This reflects the real adoption curve — most teams need a month to get comfortable before gains are fully realized. Your investment is treated as a one-time year-1 cost with no ongoing fees assumed.

For each use case, specify three things: how many people do the task, how many hours per week each person spends on it, and the loaded cost of their time. The model multiplies those inputs across 52 weeks and 3 years, applies the ramp, then subtracts your investment to show net savings and ROI percentage.

What hourly rate should I use for my team?

Use the loaded cost of the employee's time, not their base salary. In Ontario, employer-side costs — CPP contributions, EI premiums, extended health benefits, vacation pay, and office overhead — typically add 25–35% above base salary. According to Statistics Canada's 2024 Labour Force Survey, the average hourly wage for knowledge workers in Ontario is $34.80, but the fully loaded cost runs 28–32% higher.

Why does the calculator use 52 weeks per year?

Automations don't take vacation, call in sick, or observe statutory holidays — they run every week of the year. A typical Ontario knowledge worker is present for roughly 46–48 productive weeks annually when you subtract vacation entitlements (averaging 2–3 weeks under the Employment Standards Act), sick leave, and public holidays. An automation runs all 52. Using 50 weeks — as many calculators do — understates the return by roughly 4%.

What is a realistic payback period for AI automation?

For most Aurora Designs clients, payback falls between 3 and 9 months. According to McKinsey's 2024 State of AI report, companies that deploy AI-assisted automation in back-office workflows recover their investment within 6–12 months on average. The lower end applies to high-volume, high-frequency tasks. The upper end applies to complex multi-step workflows where the ramp-up period is longer. The calculator's built-in ramp model accounts for this delay.

What does real automation ROI look like?

Two examples from recent Aurora Designs client engagements:

B2B sales team — 8 account executives. Each rep spent 3 hours per week on pre-meeting research and post-call CRM updates. At $60/hr loaded cost: 8 × 3 × 52 × $60 = $74,880 saved per year. After an $18,000 n8n build, 3-year net savings exceeded $206,000 — an 11× return. Payback period: 4 months.

Marketing agency — 3 content coordinators. The team spent 6 hours each week reformatting and scheduling content across platforms. At $40/hr: 3 × 6 × 52 × $40 = $37,440/year. After a $9,500 automation build, 3-year net savings: $102,820. Payback period: 3 months.

How to use this calculator step by step

1. Add a use case — Think of one task your team does manually every week: data entry, CRM updates, invoice routing, report generation, meeting prep.
2. Set people and hours — Be conservative. Even 2–3 hours per person per week produces a significant 3-year number.
3. Pick the hourly tier — Use the loaded-cost table above if unsure. When in doubt, go lower.
4. Set the investment — A typical Aurora automation build runs $10K–$30K. The AI audit is $2,000 and includes a full opportunity report with ROI estimates for each workflow.
5. Read the 3-year number — Net benefit after subtracting your investment, with the ramp built in. Add more use cases if you have multiple processes to automate.

These figures are estimates for business-case planning. Actual ROI depends on workflow complexity, adoption speed, and ongoing tool costs. Book a free intro call and we'll validate your numbers together.