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Automation opportunity scoring template

This automation opportunity assessment template scores each candidate workflow on rule clarity, data, system access, exceptions and cost of a mistake, then sets the score against hours spent. It is for teams with a long list of ideas and budget for one or two. Score together, compute the weighted score and shortlist the top pick.

Use the templateHow to fill it in

At a glance

Format
3 tables · 12 columns
Best for
Teams with a long list of automation ideas and budget for one or two
Copy as
CSV, tab-separated for Sheets, or Markdown
Last updated
October 16, 2026

The template

The register is the sheet you fill in. The scoring guide and decision rules below it are reference. Run the top pick through the AI readiness assessment next.

Automation opportunity scoring template

Free to copy. No email and no download.

CSV and Sheets copies hold the fill-in tables. The Markdown copy includes the guides.

Opportunity register

Fill in

One row per workflow. Columns E and K are formulas, shown in the steps below. Score every criterion from 1 to 5, where 5 is the easiest to automate.

WorkflowVerb and object.OwnerWho runs it today.Items per monthFrom a system report.Minutes per itemFrom a timed sample.Hours per monthItems x minutes / 60.Rule clarity1 to 5. Weight 25%.Data and inputs1 to 5. Weight 20%.System access1 to 5. Weight 15%.Exceptions1 to 5. Weight 20%.Cost of a mistake1 to 5. Weight 20%.Weighted scoreScore x weight, summed.DecisionFrom the decision rules.

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Scoring guide

Reference

Read the anchors aloud before scoring. Use 2 and 4 when a workflow sits between two anchors.

CriterionWeight1 means3 means5 means
Rule clarity25%People decide case by case, and no two do it alike.A written procedure exists, but people bend it.The rules fit on a page and everyone applies them the same way.
Data and inputs20%Inputs are paper, images or free text, and outcomes are not recorded.A mix of structured fields and documents. Outcomes are partly recorded.Consistent fields or documents, and past cases have the correct outcome recorded.
System access15%No API or export. Screen access only.Exports, or a vendor API after an IT request.API access and a test environment are ready.
Exceptions20%More than half the items need special handling.Between a quarter and a half of items hit an exception.Fewer than one item in ten needs special handling.
Cost of a mistake20%A wrong result is costly or hard to reverse, such as a payment or a legal commitment.Mistakes are caught at the next step within days.Mistakes are cheap, and a person checks before anything leaves the building.

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Decision rules

Reference

Starting points. Change the thresholds if you like, but set them before you score so the result is not tuned afterward.

Weighted scoreHours per monthDecision
4.0 or higherIn the top half of your listPilot first. Measure it with a timed sample before you commit.
4.0 or higherIn the bottom halfQuick win if the build is small. Otherwise park it.
3.0 to under 4.0In the top halfFix the lowest-scoring criterion, then rescore.
3.0 to under 4.0In the bottom halfPark until volume grows.
Below 3.0AnyNot yet. Standardize the process or start recording outcomes first.

Scroll sideways to see every column.

How to fill it in

6 steps, in the order that saves rework.

  1. 1

    List every candidate

    Ask each team for the tasks they would hand over first. Write them as verb and object, such as Reconcile bank statements. A dozen is a good list, and there is no need to filter yet.

  2. 2

    Fill in volume and minutes

    Take items per month from a system report and minutes per item from a timed sample of real work. If a number is an estimate, say so in the Decision column and move on.

  3. 3

    Score one criterion at a time

    Do it with the process owner in the room, using the anchors in the scoring guide. Score every workflow on rule clarity before moving to data. Scoring a whole row at once lets a good first impression lift every number.

  4. 4

    Add the two formulas

    With the register header in row 1, hours per month in E2 is =C2*D2/60. The weighted score in K2 is =F2*0.25+G2*0.2+H2*0.15+I2*0.2+J2*0.2. Copy both down.

  5. 5

    Apply the decision rules

    Sort by weighted score, then read each row against the decision rules. Pick one or two workflows. A score is a screening tool, so it ranks candidates and does not prove a business case.

  6. 6

    Measure the top pick

    Run the readiness assessment on it, then time a real sample and test on past cases. That is what a workflow audit does, and the sample audit shows what the output looks like.

A worked example

A made-up case, so you can see what a filled-in version looks like. None of the numbers are real.

Illustrative

Four candidate workflows

Illustrative. Volumes, minutes and scores are made up. Weighted scores use the weights in the scoring guide.

WorkflowHours per monthScores (rule, data, system, exceptions, mistake)Weighted scoreDecision
Process supplier invoices (1,800 a month at 6 min)1805, 4, 4, 4, 44.25Pilot first
Reconcile bank statements (600 a month at 10 min)1004, 4, 3, 4, 33.65Fix system access and the cost of a mistake, then rescore
Book meeting rooms (300 a month at 3 min)155, 4, 4, 4, 54.45Quick win if the build is small
Redline sales contracts (80 a month at 45 min)602, 3, 3, 2, 22.35Not yet. Write a clause playbook first

Scroll sideways to see every column.

How to read it. Invoices rank first because they combine the highest hours with clear rules. Room booking scores higher on feasibility but saves 15 hours a month, so it only wins if the build is cheap. Contract redlining has real hours but no consistent rules to automate, so the first job there is a playbook, not a system.

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Questions about this template

What is an automation opportunity assessment?

A structured way to compare candidate workflows before you build anything. Each workflow gets a feasibility score from a few criteria and a size from the hours it takes, and the two together decide which one goes first.

How many workflows should I score?

All the ones people name, usually around a dozen. Scoring takes a few minutes each once you have volume and minutes per item. A short list is easy to rank, and a long one shows you which ideas never needed a meeting.

Can I change the weights?

Yes. They are a starting point. If a mistake is very costly in your business, raise the weight on cost of a mistake. Decide the weights before you score, so nobody adjusts them to rescue a favorite.

What score means a workflow is ready to automate?

No score settles it. A score of 4.0 or more with high hours makes a good pilot candidate, and it still needs a measured sample and a test on past cases. We usually treat the score as a way to choose what to measure, not as the business case.

How is this different from the AI readiness assessment?

The readiness assessment takes one workflow through twelve questions across six areas and gives a band and three fixes. This template compares many workflows side by side so you can choose which one to assess.

More free templates

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What happens next

  1. 1

    Strategy call

    We learn how the workflow runs today and what a good outcome would be.

  2. 2

    Workflow audit

    We map the process and measure where a system would save the most time.

  3. 3

    Proposal

    A written scope, timeline and fixed price for your first system. No obligation to build.