The formula is simple, the data is everything
ROI is calculated as follows : (gains minus total cost) divided by total cost. The entire challenge lies in the quality of the gains selected. For them to be credible, they must be measured within your organization, both before and after.
Step 1 : Establish the baseline
Before activating AI, record the following for a specific scope (a site, a department ):
- the weekly time spent on data entry, report writing, and document searching ;
- the average time to close a corrective action ;
- the data completeness rate of your reports and registers ;
- the number of follow-ups required to obtain information.
Without this baseline, no gains can be demonstrated.
To get a first order of magnitude before launching your measurements, the Symalean QHSE ROI calculator estimates in 2 minutes the annual hours and savings from switching from Excel to QHSE software, based on your profile and tasks. The result is a preliminary estimate. Compare it with your own records to validate it.
Step 2 : Choose a few indicators, and make them verifiable
Four indicators are enough for an initial pilot :
- Hours saved on targeted tasks, valued at the internal hourly rate.
- Action closure time before and after.
- Data quality : empty fields, duplicates, corrected errors.
- Adoption : share of active users. A theoretical gain is worthless if the tool isn't used.
Step 3 : run a three-month pilot, then decide
A pilot of about three months on a limited scope provides actionable data. Then, compare this with the baseline situation, documenting your assumptions. Present measured gains separately from estimated gains.
Step 4 : include real costs
Licensing, configuration, team support, and training time. And for AI, compliance costs: impact analysis, GDPR review, and documentation. An ROI that ignores these is incomplete. The criteria to examine when choosing a vendor are detailed in our article on the 10 questions to ask your vendor.
What ROI doesn't tell you
A risk avoided doesn't show up in a spreadsheet. It must be documented differently: by tracking near-misses detected earlier or non-conformities handled faster. These elements complement the financial calculation without replacing it.
