A site operative completing a form and an office administrator checking it may spend different amounts of time and have different hourly employment costs. One average can be a useful rough estimate. For a clearer breakdown, use our paperwork calculator separately for each group.
Separate the people doing different work
Group people who spend a similar amount of time on the process and have a similar hourly cost. For each group, enter its staff count, weekly hours per person and hourly employment cost. Adjust working weeks under “How the calculation works” where needed.
Write down the annual hours and annual cost from each run before changing the entries. The calculator does not save a list of groups or add previous runs for you. You can record the figures in a simple note or spreadsheet.
An example with two roles
Suppose one administrator spends four hours a week checking and chasing records at an hourly employment cost of £30. Over 46 working weeks, that represents 184 hours and £5,520.
Now suppose eight staff each spend half an hour a week completing those records at an hourly cost of £20. Over the same 46 weeks, that is another 184 hours, valued at £3,680. Together, the process represents 368 hours and £9,200 a year. These figures illustrate the method; they are not measured client results.
Count each part of the process once
Time spent filling in a form and time spent reviewing it are separate contributions. However, if your estimate for the administrator already includes chasing missing records, do not add that same chasing time again as an extra task.
Use consistent hourly employment costs and state what they include. If a role works a different number of weeks, calculate it separately. When the time estimate is uncertain, run a lower and a higher estimate and keep both results rather than treating one precise-looking number as certain.
Check where a change would actually help
A clearer staff form might reduce corrections in the office without greatly changing the time it takes to enter information. That matters when deciding where a digital process could help. Use the reduction slider as a hypothetical scenario for each group, not a guaranteed percentage across everyone.
A consultation can then focus on the particular handover, form or approval step causing work. The estimated time value is evidence to explore, alongside the cost and effort of making a change.