How the math works
    • The model runs month by month for 36 months. Payback is searched for up to 60 months.
    • One-time cost, plus contingency, is spent evenly over the months until go-live.
    • After go-live, use ramps from zero to your adoption level over the ramp months. AI usage cost ramps up over the same months, to the full amount you entered.
    • Savings are multiplied by adoption and by your attribution share, so only the AI's part is counted.
    • Time freed counts as cash only when you say it is cut from cost. Otherwise it is reported as capacity and kept out of ROI.
    • The conservative and optimistic cases move improvement, adoption and go-live timing together. When a project loses money every month, a later go-live can make the conservative 3-year loss smaller. That means fewer losing months, not a better project.

    Disclaimer

    This calculator gives estimates based only on the numbers you enter. It is an educational planning tool, not financial, accounting, legal or investment advice, and it does not guarantee any result. Actual costs and savings depend on your data, people, vendors and execution. Check every figure with your finance team before you rely on it. Example values are fictional. Views are the author's own and do not represent any current or past employer. Use of this tool is at your own risk.