Tool 01 / ROI & Payback

Will automating that line pay for itself?

Enter what the process costs in labor today and what the automation would cost. The payback readout updates as you type.

01 Current operation

Operators per shiftPeople running the process now

Shifts per day

Loaded labor rateWage + benefits + overhead

Hours per shift

Operating days per year

Automation costEquipment + integration + install

Operators still neededHeadcount after automating

Annual running costMaintenance, energy, service

Scrap / quality savingsRework and waste avoided per year

Other annual gainsAdded throughput, uptime, etc.

Result

Live

Payback period

—

Annual net savings

—

5-year net benefit

—

5-year return

—

Labor saved / yr

—

Pays off

Get a one-page PDF report built around these exact numbers, plus the assumptions behind them.

Loaded labor rate: Use the fully burdened rate — wage plus benefits, payroll tax, and overhead — usually 1.25–1.5× the base wage.
Payback period: Automation cost ÷ annual net savings. The simple, pre-tax break-even most capital requests lead with.
Annual net savings: Labor freed up, plus scrap and other gains, minus the automation's yearly running cost.
5-year return: Net benefit over five years as a percentage of upfront cost. Directional — not a discounted-cash-flow NPV.