Time and cost data is what turns a process map into a business case. It is the foundation of every FixFlow report. Without it, the report cannot calculate savings, surface the true cost of bottlenecks, or produce accurate recommendations.
THE GOLDEN RULE: BUILD FIRST, QUANTIFY SECOND
Map the complete workflow first. Then go back through each step and add time and cost.
Do not add time and cost mid-session during a discovery call. It breaks the flow of the conversation, makes the session feel like an accounting exercise, and often means you never finish mapping the full workflow. Get the map built, then go back.
During a 90-minute discovery session, the recommended time to add time and cost is minutes 70 to 85 of the session, after the full map is built.
TIME FIELDS
Manual Task: how long does this step typically take? Enter in minutes, hours, or days.
Automated Action: how long does the tool take to run? For instant automations, use a very small value. For batch processes that run overnight, enter the actual duration.
Delay: the duration of the wait is the time cost. Set the delay duration and the time is calculated automatically.
Meeting: set the meeting duration. Cost is calculated automatically from duration multiplied by participants' rates. There is no separate time field to fill in.
Approval Required: enter a time estimate for how long approval typically takes.
COST FIELDS
Per hour: enter an hourly rate. The step cost is calculated automatically as (time in hours) multiplied by (hourly rate).
Fixed per step: a set cost regardless of time. Use this for automated actions with a per-use fee or for tasks where the cost is fixed rather than time-dependent.
Opportunity cost on delays: a separate field for the financial impact of a wait. Set to 0 if the delay does not block revenue or other meaningful work.
WHAT RATES TO USE
Use the actual cost to the business, not take-home salary. A rough guide:
Founders and senior leaders: the rate should reflect the value of their time. £100 per hour or higher is typical.
Mid-level staff: use their actual hourly employment cost including employer contributions.
VAs and junior team members: £30 to £50 per hour is a common range.
If unsure, use an estimate. FixFlow will flag missing data and the report can still be generated with estimates in place.
During a discovery session, if a client is unsure of the exact cost, ask for an estimate and move on. Rough figures are far better than nothing, and FixFlow will note any missing data in the report.
WORKFLOW FREQUENCY
Set the workflow frequency in the Workflow Overview panel (click Edit next to the frequency field). This tells WorkflowMaps how often the process runs, for example once per week, five times per day, or twice per month.
The monthly duration and monthly cost estimates shown in the Workflow Overview are calculated using this frequency. FixFlow also uses frequency to calculate annualised savings in reports. A bottleneck costing £50 per occurrence costs very differently at twice per year versus three times per week.
VALIDATION
The Validation panel in the left sidebar flags every step that is missing time or cost data. Click on any flagged item to jump directly to that step and fill it in.
A fully complete map with all steps validated gives the most accurate FixFlow report. However, you can generate a report with incomplete data. The tool will warn you and give you the option to proceed. Reports generated from incomplete maps will note which steps were missing data.
To run a FixFlow report, a minimum of 3 steps must have time and cost data entered.
HIDING TIME AND COST
If you need to share the map with team members who should not see salary or cost information, use the Hide Time and Cost toggle in the Workflow Overview panel. This hides all cost data from the step cards on the canvas. Refresh the page after toggling for the change to take effect.
This is useful when presenting the map to a wider team after running the session with senior stakeholders who provided the cost data.