What a manual process actually costs before automation

One invoice processed, incident resolved or report prepared is more useful than “administration”. Set where the work starts and ends.

• ✓One observable output.
• ✓Normal monthly volume and peaks.
• ✓People involved in each run.
• ✓Exceptions outside the average.

Active time directly consumes capacity. Waiting exposes dependencies, but should not be multiplied by hourly cost as though somebody worked throughout it.

Current cost is a descriptive ceiling, not a savings pool. A bounded test should measure what work changes, which supervision remains and what new costs appear.

• ✓Same sample and period before and after.
• ✓Quality and exceptions as well as time.
• ✓Model, integration, operation and review cost.
• ✓Written condition to proceed, correct or stop.