ROI Calculator
Fill this out at the end of AI Day. Real numbers. Most teams under-count by 50% because they forget the second-order effects (faster decisions, less context-switching, better quality).
Per-workflow time savings
| Workflow you built | Hrs/wk before | Hrs/wk after | Hrs saved | People | Total/wk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | |
| ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | |
| ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | |
| ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | |
| ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ | |
| WEEKLY TOTAL HOURS: | ___ | ||||
Convert hours to dollars
Blended hourly cost (salary + benefits + overhead): $________ /hr
Weekly hours saved (from above): ________ hrs
Weekly $ recovered: Hourly cost × hours saved = $________ /wk
Annual $ recovered: × 50 weeks = $________ /yr
Don't forget second-order savings
- Faster decisions (fewer meetings, less waiting) — estimate hours: ____
- Less context-switching (deeper work blocks possible) — estimate hours: ____
- Higher-quality output (fewer revisions / errors / rework) — estimate hours: ____
- Things you DIDN'T do before because they took too long — new value created: $____
- Less burnout / better retention — qualitative but real: ____
What this paid for
Total annual recovery: $________
Tool cost (Claude Pro / ChatGPT Plus / Zapier / etc., per month × 12): $________
AI Day investment (DIY = $0; Live = $X): $________
Net annual recovery: $________
Payback period
Investment ÷ weekly recovery = ________ weeks to break even.
Use this number
Hand this to leadership. Hand it to yourself in 90 days when you're wondering if AI is "working." The math is the math.