Which task should you automate first?
List the repetitive tasks in your business, score each on five factors, and get a ranked shortlist of what to automate first. Your list stays in your browser.
Score your tasks
Rate each task from 1 (low) to 5 (high) on every factor. Your list saves in this browser.
| Task | Volume | Time | Cost of a miss | Rule clarity | Stability | Total | Remove |
|---|
- Volume
- How often it happens. 5 means many times a day.
- Time
- Minutes per run, including switching apps. 5 means 15 minutes or more.
- Cost of a miss
- What a slip costs. 5 means a lost customer or a late payment.
- Rule clarity
- Could a new hire follow written steps? 5 means clear if-this-then-that rules.
- Stability
- How settled the process is. 5 means unchanged for a year.
Your automation shortlist
18 or more out of 25: automate first. 13 to 17: a good candidate once the basics are done. Under 13: leave it manual for now.
Review My List With an ExpertHow to use the scorer
- List your candidates. Spend ten minutes with your team writing down every task that is repetitive, rule-based, or annoying. Most businesses find 15 to 30.
- Score each factor from 1 to 5. Be quick and honest; relative scores matter more than precision.
- Read the shortlist. Tasks scoring 18 or more out of 25 are strong first candidates. When two tie, pick the one closer to revenue.
Why these five factors
The best first automations happen often (volume), take real effort (time), hurt when they slip (cost of a miss), follow clear rules (rule clarity), and will not change next month (stability). A task that scores high on all five pays back fast and rarely breaks. A task with low rule clarity or stability is a better candidate for process cleanup first, or for an AI-assisted step with human review.
This is the same framework we use on every free consultation. Read the full method in what to automate first, then put numbers on your top pick with the time savings calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What should a small business automate first?
Usually a high-volume, rule-based task close to revenue: replying to new leads, appointment reminders, invoicing and payment reminders, or client intake. They score high on volume, cost of a miss, and rule clarity.
What if a task scores high but the process is messy?
Clean up the process first. Write the steps down, remove the ones that exist only because of old tools, and agree on how exceptions are handled. Automating a messy process just makes the mess happen faster.
Where is my list saved?
Only in this browser, using local storage. Nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data or using a private window will reset it.