ROI Calculator Building

Build defensible ROI models for AI/ML implementations targeting B2B enterprise clients.

<intake>

When to use: Building financial justification for AI projects, creating client-facing ROI calculators, estimating automation cost savings, or preparing business cases for executive approval.

User Says	Route To
"Build an ROI calculator" / "prove the value" / "business case"	workflows/build-roi-model.md
"What metrics" / "how to measure" / "KPIs"	references/roi-frameworks.md
"Template" / "starting point" / "spreadsheet model"	assets/roi-model-template.md

</intake> <quality_gates>

ROI model is complete when:

• Current state costs documented (labor, tools, error rates, cycle time)
• Future state projections modeled (with AI implementation)
• Implementation costs captured (licensing, integration, training, maintenance)
• Payback period calculated (months to break even)
• 3-year TCO comparison produced (current vs. AI-augmented)
• Sensitivity analysis included (optimistic, expected, conservative)
• Assumptions explicitly stated and defensible
• Non-financial benefits listed (quality, speed, scalability, employee satisfaction)

</quality_gates> <reference_index>

Workflow	Purpose	When to Read
workflows/build-roi-model.md	Step-by-step: current state → future state → costs → payback → sensitivity	Building any ROI calculator

Reference	Purpose	When to Read
references/roi-frameworks.md	ROI metrics by use case, benchmark data, common pitfalls	Selecting the right metrics and avoiding overclaiming

Asset	Purpose	When to Use
assets/roi-model-template.md	Reusable ROI model structure with formulas and example values	Starting any new ROI calculator

</reference_index> <quick_reference>

Example: "Build a business case for automating our claims processing with AI" — follow workflows/build-roi-model.md, produce 3-year TCO comparison with payback period.

Core ROI formula:

ROI = (Net Benefits - Total Costs) / Total Costs × 100
Payback Period = Total Investment / Annual Net Benefits
3-Year NPV = Σ (Net Benefits_year / (1 + discount_rate)^year) - Initial Investment

Environment note: Configure financial parameters (discount rate, tax rate, growth assumptions) via environment variables when integrating ROI models into automated reporting pipelines.

</quick_reference>