28 Apr 2026 · 6 min read
Measuring ROI for AI automations
ROI is not a vanity chart. It is time saved, errors avoided, and capacity unlocked — measured against a clear baseline your finance team accepts.
Before automating, write down the current cost of the process: minutes per item, error rate, rework loops, and who is interrupted when exceptions appear — especially across shared-services centres.
Pick one metric leadership already cares about — cycle time, first-response time, or exceptions per week — and instrument it before launch.
Pilot narrowly. A clean win on one workflow is more persuasive than a sprawling platform that never finishes.
Include the cost of human review. Human-in-the-loop is not a failure mode; it is often how risk-sensitive and regulated teams unlock automation safely.
Revisit ROI after the process stabilises. Early numbers include learning costs; mature numbers should show whether the automation still earns its keep.