Student Guide
Module 14
The Automation Audit
The final capstone. Audit your organization's operations, score the highest-value automation opportunities, build one end-to-end, calculate the ROI, and walk out with a business case ready for leadership.
Charter Oak Strategic Partners · Claude Mastery Program
- How to inventory every recurring process in your department
- A five-dimension scoring matrix for identifying automation candidates
- How to build one automation end-to-end
- How to calculate ROI with real numbers
- How to build a six-slide business case for leadership
Part 1: Process Inventory
List every recurring process in your department. Target: ten or more. Include:
- Process name
- Frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
- Who does it
- How long it takes per occurrence
- Pain level (1–5)
Most people list five before they stall. That is when you start remembering the ones you do on autopilot: the weekly report from three spreadsheets, the monthly reconciliation, the onboarding checklist you copy-paste for every new hire.
Part 2: Scoring Matrix
Score each process 1 to 5 on five dimensions:
| Dimension | 5 = Best Candidate | 1 = Poor Candidate |
|---|---|---|
| Repetitive | Identical every time | Completely different each time |
| Structured Input | Always a CSV from the same system | Random emails from different people |
| Clear Rules | Written checklist exists | "Use judgment" |
| Error-Prone | Errors caught weekly | Rarely wrong |
| Time Value | Frees up a senior person | Frees up time nobody needs |
20+: Strong automation candidate. Build it.
15–19: Possible candidate after the 20+ list is complete.
Below 15: Automation investment likely exceeds the value.
Part 3: Build the Automation
Take your highest-scoring process. Build the automation using the tools you have learned: a skill in Cowork, a scheduled task, a compound workflow, or a combination.
Rule: Automate the first step. Get it working. A working automation of one step is worth more than a plan for all five.
Part 4: ROI Calculation
Pre-Filled Example: Weekly Defect Report
Before automation: 32 hours/month (8 hrs/week × 4 weeks)
After automation: 6 hours/month (1.5 hrs/week for review and exceptions)
Time saved: 26 hours/month
At $75/hour fully loaded: $1,950/month → $23,400/year
Implementation cost: $600 setup + $120/year API = $720 first year
Net first-year ROI: $22,680
Payback period: 3.7 working days
Fill in the formula with your numbers:
- Time before automation (hours/month)
- Time after automation (hours/month)
- Time saved (hours/month)
- Cost of time (hourly rate × time saved)
- Implementation cost (setup + ongoing)
- Net ROI (annual savings minus implementation)
- Payback period (implementation cost ÷ monthly savings)
Part 5: Leadership Presentation
Build in Cowork. Three minutes to present.
- The process today. What it costs. Who does it. How long it takes.
- The automated process. What changed. What Claude handles. What humans still do.
- The ROI. Time saved, money saved, payback period.
- Implementation plan. What it takes to deploy.
- Risks and mitigations. What could go wrong and how you handle it.
- The ask. What you need from leadership to move forward.
If the numbers are real, present this to your actual leadership next week.
Five Scoring Dimensions
Repetitive + Structured Input + Clear Rules + Error-Prone + Time Value. Score 1–5 each.
ROI Formula
Time saved × hourly rate = annual savings. Minus implementation cost = net ROI.
The Deliverable
A working automation and a six-slide business case. Ready for leadership.