You know the bucket is a great invention. I tried to do some research on when the bucket was invented and if anyone was able to pin the accomplishment on any one human… and I didn’t find anything.
Anyway, as promised from my last post, I am working through a series that supports the idea that automation is only as good as the people, time, and effort that is freed up. I have written about the definition as well as what automation is not. Then I gave you advice on how to choose a service provider based on time. I concluded choosing the service provider post with somewhat of a warning. I wrote that there were two buckets of time. Those buckets of time are:
- Soft Time
- Hard Time (not like jail)
Soft time is time that is affected by automation but not completely eliminated. Hard time is time that is 100% eliminated by automation. Here is an example. In a paper driven accounts payable process there is a need for people to code and approve invoices. When that process is automated, there is still a need for people to code and approve invoices. Now, when automated the number of people may change and they may spend less time, but there is still a need. With hard time, if you are able to convert all of your invoices into electronic form (which by the way is possible… ask me) then there is no need to open invoices… meaning whoever was opening invoices no longer has that task and that time can be used somewhere else in the company.
Hang on… more drama… If you base your new time judgement or if your new time calculation has any element of soft time then your numbers (ROI) will be off and your service provider selection will be wrong.
I am on a roll, so next week I am going to give you the 5 steps on finding your cost as well as your new time number… stay tuned.
Buy the book – The Argument to Automate – How Innovation Can INSPIRE Not Fire – click here to buy
(Also) To get your copy of The 8 Pitfalls of Accounts Payable Automation – click here to buy
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