Published October 13, 2026 · Stonegait Consulting
1. Start with a task, not a tool
Look for a task your team repeats every week: copying inquiry details, creating a project record, preparing a recurring summary, or chasing a handoff. Ask the person doing it to walk through the most recent example.
Write down the trigger, inputs, decisions, output, and exceptions. If the process changes every time or nobody agrees on the desired result, clarify it before trying to automate it.
2. Count the effort you want to recover
Record the weekly volume and typical time per task. Include the time spent correcting mistakes or chasing missing information. This gives you a baseline to compare against after a pilot.
Illustrative calculation: 20 tasks per week × 12 minutes each is four hours of current effort. If a pilot reduces the complete task to five minutes, it recovers about 2.3 hours weekly. That estimate must include review and exceptions; it is not a guarantee or a client result.
3. Decide whether AI is needed
If the inputs and rules are predictable, ordinary automation may be sufficient. AI can be useful when a step requires interpreting text, preparing a draft, or finding relevant information. It also creates output that may need checking.
Compare the simplest approaches first. A native feature in your existing software might solve the problem without a new integration or subscription.
4. Set boundaries before connecting anything
Identify what data the workflow needs and who can authorize access. Define the actions it may perform and the point at which a person reviews the result. Keep confidential information out of early demonstrations unless an appropriate handling arrangement is in place.
Plan for missing inputs, duplicate records, unavailable systems, and uncertain outputs. There should be a practical way for a person to continue the task if the automation stops.
5. Evaluate the whole workflow
Test representative cases with the people who will use the system. Track completed tasks, cycle time, correction burden, exceptions, and ongoing costs. Ask whether the work is easier to understand as well as faster.
Compare benefits with implementation, subscriptions, and support. Recovered time is useful capacity; whether it creates financial value depends on how the business uses it.
A simple first-project checklist
- The task happens regularly and someone owns it.
- The inputs and desired output are understood.
- The necessary systems can be connected or configured.
- Review points and exceptions are defined.
- The baseline and success measures are recorded.
- The pilot is small enough to learn from without disrupting the business.
Stonegait Consulting can help mid-Missouri teams assess the task and plan a focused pilot. Learn about our workflow automation service or start a workflow conversation.