Automation · 03 JUN 2026 · 5 min read
When not to automate a workflow
Three patterns where automation reliably costs more than it saves.
Low volume, high variance
If a task runs weekly and looks different every time, the maintenance cost of the automation
exceeds the time it saves. This is the most common failed automation we see.
exceeds the time it saves. This is the most common failed automation we see.
Unclear ownership
An automation with no named owner breaks quietly. Six months later nobody knows why the
numbers are wrong.
numbers are wrong.