00 / Audit
Score your task before you build the workflow.
Six questions. No email needed. Tells you whether this task is a strong first-week automation, needs a fix first, or should be left alone for now.
1 of 6
Question 1 / Frequency
How often does this task happen?
Question 2 / Time per run
How long does one run take a person?
Question 3 / Stability
How stable are the steps over time?
Question 4 / Apps involved
How many separate apps does it touch?
Question 5 / Human judgment
Does any step need a human's judgment?
Question 6 / Documentation
Could you write the steps in 5 bullet points right now?
01 / Method
Why these six questions.
Every workflow I've automated for a small business that worked first try shared the same four traits: high frequency, stable steps, few apps, and zero judgment. The two extra questions catch the patterns that look automatable but break in week three.
The full reasoning is in Workflow Automation for Small Business: Where to Start.