Should I Automate This?
Free calculator to decide if automating a task is worth your time
Should I Automate This? Overview
Should I Automate This? is a free online calculator designed to help users determine whether automating a task will be worth the time investment. The tool calculates the break-even point, payback period, and present value of time saved to provide a data-driven verdict. It's ideal for professionals, productivity enthusiasts, and anyone looking to optimize their workflow by evaluating the cost-benefit of automation. The tool addresses common pain points like time management, task prioritization, and efficiency optimization, offering clear metrics to make informed automation decisions.
Should I Automate This? Screenshot
Should I Automate This? Official screenshot of the tool interface
Should I Automate This? Core Features
Time Savings Calculator
Calculates how much time you'll save annually by automating a task, helping you understand the long-term benefits of automation compared to manual effort.
Break-Even Analysis
Determines how many times you need to perform a task after automation to recoup the time invested in setting up the automation.
Payback Period
Shows the number of months required to recover your initial time investment in automation, helping you evaluate short-term vs. long-term benefits.
Present Value of Time
Calculates the current value of future time savings, accounting for the principle that time saved today is more valuable than time saved later.
Visual Analytics
Provides intuitive charts and graphs to visualize time savings and break-even points, making complex calculations easy to understand.
Should I Automate This? Use Cases
Monthly File Renaming
A user spends 1 minute renaming each of 200 files monthly. The tool shows automation would take 3 hours to set up but save 200 minutes (3.3 hours) per month, with a payback period of just 1 month.
Weekly Status Reports
Creating weekly status reports manually takes 15 minutes. Automation would require 8 hours to set up but save 13 hours annually, with a 7-month payback period.
Finance Data Export
A monthly finance export takes 5 minutes manually. The tool reveals that automating it (40 hours setup) would take 8 years to break even, suggesting manual work is better for this infrequent task.
How to Use Should I Automate This?
Enter the manual time required to complete the task without automation (e.g., 5 minutes per task).
Input the time it would take to automate the task (e.g., 2 hours to set up automation).
Specify how often you perform the task (e.g., weekly, monthly).
Review the tool's verdict and detailed analysis, including annual time saved, break-even point, and payback period.
Use the insights to decide whether to automate the task or continue performing it manually.