What 'automation capture rate' actually measures

If you've poked at our ROI calculator, you've seen a slider labeled "Automation Capture Rate." It defaults to 40%. That number does a lot of work, and people get it wrong a lot.

What it represents #

Capture rate is the percentage of identified repetitive work that current AI and automation tools can handle effectively. Note the qualifiers: identified, current, effectively.

It's not how much of the team's total time you can automate. It's not the upper bound of what's theoretically possible. It's a working estimate of what would actually ship.

Why 40% is the conservative anchor #

In practice, well-implemented automation programs land between 50% and 60% over the course of two years. Year-one programs often land in the 30% to 45% range, because the team is still learning what to trust the tools with.

We anchor at 40% because it's defensible. If the engagement underperforms, the model is still honest. If it overperforms, the client is delighted. That's the right asymmetry.

What can push it higher #

• Strong existing data hygiene
• Clear process documentation before the audit
• Leadership willingness to retire workflows entirely (instead of automating bad ones)
• A team that wants the change

What can push it lower #

• Tribal knowledge that lives only in someone's head
• Compliance constraints that limit AI involvement
• A "tool of the month" culture that won't commit
• Process steps that exist because of one customer's special request

The slider in the calculator is a guess. The audit makes it a number you can defend.