How to run a one-day process audit for automation in a small business

Before you buy a tool or commission a build, check what is worth automating at all. The plan below fits into one working day and needs no technical knowledge.

Preparation (before the meeting)

• Invite 2-4 people who actually perform repetitive tasks. They know more than management does.
• Prepare a whiteboard or spreadsheet with columns: process, who does it, how often, how long one run takes, which tools, what often goes wrong.
• Book 4-5 hours with a break.

Step 1. Collect the list of processes (60 min)

Ask each person to write down everything they do on a recurring basis. Do not judge yet. Typical items: handling enquiries, preparing quotes, invoicing, reminders, reports, retyping data between systems.

Step 2. Add the numbers (45 min)

For each process estimate:

• runs per month,
• time per run,
• share of runs with errors or corrections.

Estimates are enough. You need the order of magnitude, not precision.

Step 3. Score on a simple scale (45 min)

Give each process 1 to 3 points in four categories:

1. Repeatability (3 = always the same steps),
2. Clarity of rules (3 = can be described with rules),
3. Data availability (3 = data is in systems, not in people's heads),
4. Low error risk (3 = a mistake is cheap).

Add the estimated monthly time from step 2. Processes with a high score and high time are your candidates.

Step 4. Choose one (30 min)

From the top few, pick the one that:

• hurts the team most,
• has an owner in the company,
• can be delivered in a few weeks.

Write the rationale in three sentences. It will help in conversations with a vendor and when judging the result.

Step 5. Describe the chosen process step by step (60 min)

Write down the trigger, the steps, decisions and exceptions, and the output. Mark where a human is needed. This description is half of a brief for a contractor.

Step 6. Define success (15 min)

Decide how you will know the automation works: shorter turnaround, fewer corrections, faster customer response. Record the baseline value now so you have something to compare against.

What next

You now have a list of processes, a chosen candidate and a description for your brief. The next step is a prototype on real data and a pilot with one person. If you would like us to look at your description and judge whether it is worth building, send it in a brief.