AI Workflow Audit Checklist

A workflow audit helps you identify where AI agents can deliver the most value. This isn't about replacing people—it's about freeing them from repetitive work so they can focus on what humans do best.

Before starting, gather: • Process documentation (even informal notes) • Access to employees who perform these tasks • Data on volume, time spent, and error rates • List of tools and systems involved

For each process you're considering:

☐ Document the trigger (what starts the process?) ☐ List every step in sequence ☐ Identify the inputs at each step ☐ Identify the outputs at each step ☐ Note the tools/systems involved ☐ Record who performs each step ☐ Estimate time per occurrence ☐ Track how often it happens (daily, weekly, monthly)

Score each workflow on these criteria:

Volume (1-5) How often does this happen? 1 = Rarely (monthly) 5 = Constantly (100+ times daily)

Time per task (1-5) How long does each instance take? 1 = Seconds 5 = Hours

Repetitiveness (1-5) How similar is each instance? 1 = Every case is unique 5 = Nearly identical every time

Rule-based (1-5) Can it be defined with clear rules? 1 = Requires significant judgment 5 = Follows clear logic

Calculate: Volume × Time × Repetitiveness × Rule-based = Priority Score

Plot your candidates on a 2×2 matrix:

High Impact, Low Complexity → Start Here These are your quick wins. Prioritize these.

High Impact, High Complexity → Plan Carefully Worth doing, but break into phases.

Low Impact, Low Complexity → Maybe Later Easy but not valuable. Deprioritize.

Low Impact, High Complexity → Avoid Not worth the effort. Skip these.

For your top candidates, verify:

☐ Data availability: Is the required information accessible? ☐ System integrations: Can we connect to the necessary tools? ☐ API access: Do systems have APIs or automation hooks? ☐ Data quality: Is the input data clean and consistent? ☐ Security requirements: Any compliance or privacy constraints? ☐ Existing automation: Any RPA or scripts already in place?

For each candidate, calculate:

Time savings (Instances per month) × (Minutes saved per instance) × (Hourly rate / 60)

Error reduction value (Current error rate) × (Cost per error) × (Expected reduction %)

Opportunity cost recovered What could employees do with freed-up time?

Implementation cost Development + Integration + Training + Ongoing maintenance

ROI Timeline Months to break even = Implementation cost / Monthly savings

Rank your candidates by:

1. ROI within 6 months — Prioritize quick payback 2. Strategic alignment — Does this support key business goals? 3. Risk level — Start with lower-risk implementations 4. Dependencies — Can this be done independently? 5. Team readiness — Is the team prepared for change?

Your first AI agent should be a clear win that builds confidence and demonstrates value.