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Automation of repetitive tasks.

I am often called by clients when they have looked at many solutions to their problems and found out that there was no other way than Excel-VBA. While I am developing such applications, I am asked to review some other things like helping save time and money by automating monotonous and time-consuming manual processes.

Most repetitive tasks that are performed on a regular basis can be automated, ensuring a saving of time and less scope for human error. Among these repetitive tasks that analysts spend their time completing are, manual entries of data, copy/paste of data from text files, opening of tens of reports to refresh data (Essbase, Interactive Excel from SAP and others) and the worst, manual RE-entries of data.

Below, I present you a cost/benefit analysis concerning the automation of repetitive tasks. Notice that saving 15 minutes a day represents $1,875 per year. A 2 hour daily task costs you $15,000 per year. On the savings side, note that the recovery period for an investment of $10,000 is a little more then 3 MONTHS (Do you know of many such investments?).

Among other savings are the cost of training new personnel due to the heavy personnel turnover, mistakes made because of the tedious aspect of the job and more importantly, I have seen so many intelligent people wasting time on repetitive tasks when they could be analyzing data and feeding the decision making processes.

To start saving, discover SUMPRODUCT and INDEX/MATCH formulas, download my 27 Resource Workbooks you will find in them a few good ideas to automate some manual tasks or to improve the performance of some of the workbooks that you already work with. Then, if you want more, retain the services of an expert (test its knowledge with this website).

Think about it.

Data used in the table below

Employee's Annual Salary*:

55 000 $

NB of Working Days in a Year:

250

Employee's Hourly Wage*:

30 $

NB of Working Hours in a Day:

7

* including social benefits, office space, training.

Consultant's Hourly Rate:

75 $

Time
saved

Yearly savings

Consulting
Cost *

Daily
Task

Weekly
Task

Monthly
Task

Yearly
Task

15 minutes

$1,875

$390

$90

$8

$450

1 hour

$7,500

$1,560

$360

$30

$700

2 hours

$15,000

$3,120

$720

$60

$1,000

3 hours

$22,500

$4,680

$1 080

$90

$1,500

4 hours

$30,000

$6,420

$1,440

$120

$2,000

5 hours

$37,500

$7,800

$1,800

$150

$3,000

6 hours

$45,000

$9,360

$2,160

$180

$6,000

1 day

$55,000

$10,920

$2,520

$210

$5,000

2 days

$21,840

$5,040

$420

$7,000

3 days

$32,760

$7,560

$630

$10,000

4 days

$43,680

$10,080

$840

$13,000

5 days

$55,000

$12,600

$1,050

$18,000

* Approximate costs for the development of the first few applications.
Once the Excel-VBA Developer knows about your data and your business,
the costs are substantially reduced.

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Excel: Contents	VBA: Contents	Home	Search	Contacts	Articles
Resources Workbooks			Consulting Services

Employee's Annual Salary*:	55 000 $	NB of Working Days in a Year:	250
Employee's Hourly Wage*:	30 $	NB of Working Hours in a Day:	7
* including social benefits, office space, training.		Consultant's Hourly Rate:	75 $

Time saved	Yearly savings				Consulting Cost *
	Daily Task	Weekly Task	Monthly Task	Yearly Task
15 minutes	$1,875	$390	$90	$8	$450
1 hour	$7,500	$1,560	$360	$30	$700
2 hours	$15,000	$3,120	$720	$60	$1,000
3 hours	$22,500	$4,680	$1 080	$90	$1,500
4 hours	$30,000	$6,420	$1,440	$120	$2,000
5 hours	$37,500	$7,800	$1,800	$150	$3,000
6 hours	$45,000	$9,360	$2,160	$180	$6,000

1 day	$55,000	$10,920	$2,520	$210	$5,000
2 days		$21,840	$5,040	$420	$7,000
3 days		$32,760	$7,560	$630	$10,000
4 days		$43,680	$10,080	$840	$13,000
5 days		$55,000	$12,600	$1,050	$18,000