Methodology
How we estimate recoverable hours
Every number of hours shown on this site is an indicative estimate: for each task, weekly volume × minutes of manual work per unit × automatable share, divided by 60. The assumptions are visible and editable; they are never client results.
Updated: Oct 1, 2026
- Formula
- hours / week = Σ (volume × minutes × automatable share) ÷ 60
- Hours per year
- hours / week × 47 working weeks
- Value in euros
- hours / year × hourly rate (€35/h by default, editable)
- Basis
- one typical business per industry, stated on each page (e.g. "30 properties, 3 people")
- Status
- indicative estimate: neither a promise nor a client result
- Verification
- free 30-minute assessment on your real volumes, then measurement after go-live
Definitions
The five parameters of the calculation
The same parameters are used on the industry pages, the automation pages and the calculator.
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Volume
How many times the task comes back each week for the typical business: messages received, invoices entered, appointments scheduled, reports sent…
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Minutes per unit
Manual working time of a person used to the task, for one occurrence. A deliberately cautious assumption.
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Automatable share
Share of that time the automation takes over, leaving approval and edge cases to people. Never 100%: sensitive cases and approvals stay with your team.
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Working weeks
47 weeks per year, to allow for leave, public holidays and quiet periods: this turns a weekly saving into a yearly one.
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Hourly rate
Loaded cost of one hour of work: €35/h by default; replace it with yours in the calculator. It only translates hours into euros.
Where do the default assumptions come from?
The default volumes, durations and automatable shares of each industry page are set by Iselia Projects from the typical repetitive tasks of that industry, described on the page, and cautious durations.
They are neither statistical averages from a study nor measurements taken at clients: they give an order of magnitude for a typical business, which you then adjust to your situation in the calculator.
Default estimates, industry by industry
Result of the formula with the default assumptions of each industry page. Your situation may be very different: adjust it in the calculator.
| Industry | Typical business | Tasks | Hours / week | Hours / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term rental management | 30 units, team of 3 | 7 | 18.1 h | 850 h |
| Real estate agencies | 5 people incl. 3 negotiators, ~60 listings | 7 | 12.2 h | 574 h |
| HOA & condo association management | 40 associations (~1,200 units), team of 6 | 7 | 15.1 h | 710 h |
| Accounting firms | 10 people, around 350 clients | 7 | 22.5 h | 1,056 h |
| Law firms | 5 lawyers, 2 assistants | 7 | 13.5 h | 635 h |
| Construction & trades | 8 people, including 1 office administrator | 7 | 8.2 h | 384 h |
| E-commerce | 3 people, about 150 orders / week | 7 | 10.5 h | 493 h |
| Marketing & creative agencies | 15 people, 20 retainer clients | 7 | 17.0 h | 801 h |
| Recruitment agencies & HR | 8 consultants, 25 open roles | 7 | 21.7 h | 1,020 h |
| Transport & logistics | 20 vehicles, 4 office staff | 7 | 16.3 h | 767 h |
| Hotels & restaurants | 40 rooms + 80-cover restaurant, 15 staff | 8 | 14.7 h | 690 h |
| Training providers | 8 staff, 8 courses a week | 7 | 16.1 h | 757 h |
| Insurance brokers | 6 people, around 2,000 clients | 7 | 17.3 h | 814 h |
| Travel & events agencies | 8 people, tailor-made travel and corporate events | 7 | 18.9 h | 886 h |
| Veterinary & allied health practices | 3 vets, 3 vet nurses | 7 | 9.5 h | 446 h |
| Home services & cleaning | 25 cleaners, about 150 clients, 2 office staff | 7 | 9.2 h | 432 h |
Verification
How the estimate is checked against reality
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01
Calculator
You adjust the volumes, times and automatable share of your own tasks.
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02
Free assessment
In 30 minutes, we go through your tasks, your real volumes and your tools.
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03
Prioritisation
Automations are ranked by recoverable hours relative to the build effort.
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04
Measurement after go-live
Volumes actually handled by the automation and remaining manual time: the observed saving replaces the estimate.
What the estimate does not count
- Set-up, training and supervision time during the first weeks.
- Indirect gains (fewer errors, faster replies, revenue): not quantified, to stay cautious.
- Tasks specific to your organisation that are not in the industry’s typical list.
- Seasonal variations: volumes are weekly averages.
- The cost of building and supporting the automation: the euro value is the value of the time recovered, not a return on investment.
- Responsibility
- Pages and blog articles are published by Iselia Projects (PRIOMAT LLC), which is responsible for them; the stated author is the organisation.
- Sources
- A market statistic is only quoted when it is widely established and attributed (organisation and year); otherwise the point stays qualitative.
- Examples
- Worked examples are typical scenarios, labelled as such. No invented testimonials, reviews, client logos or case studies.
- Tools
- Writing may rely on AI tools; every published piece remains the responsibility of Iselia Projects.
- Dates
- Each article shows its publication date and, where relevant, its last update.
- Corrections
- Spotted an error? Report it to contact@iseliaprojects.com: we fix it and update the modification date.
FAQ
Questions about our estimates
Are the hours shown results achieved for clients?
Why 47 weeks per year?
How is the automatable share chosen?
Is the euro value a return on investment?
How do I get an estimate for my business?
Methodology
Your own estimate, in two minutes
Pick your industry, adjust your volumes: the calculator applies this method to your tasks.