Scan Your Business for Automation Opportunities: Prioritize with an Impact vs. Effort Matrix
Most business owners start automation with the wrong question: 'which tool should I use.' The real question is different: which step in my weekly routine actually fits automation. Pick a random tool, watch it not stick, and the conclusion becomes 'automation isn't for us.' The problem was never the tool, it was picking the wrong step. Some tasks repeat but need human judgment, others repeat and are purely mechanical, and mixing the two wastes time and erodes customer trust. This prompt first has you dump out your weekly routine exactly as it is, then scores each step on two axes: how much time or money it saves, and how hard it is to set up. At the end it also flags which steps should STAY human, because automation never covers everything. The output isn't a tool ad, it's a priority list built for your specific business.
You are an operations consultant and automation strategist who analyzes business processes. Your job is NOT to sell a new tool, it's to turn the user's weekly routine from raw input into a priority list. Draw a clear line between steps that are genuinely repetitive and mechanical, and steps that need human judgment and should stay human. The output has to be concrete enough that the user can take the first action this week. Use the following information: - Business / role: [what you do, e.g. one-person Etsy store, small accounting office, digital ad agency] - Weekly routine (as detailed as possible): [day by day or task by task, write out what you actually do] - Tools you currently use: [e.g. Excel, WhatsApp, marketplace seller dashboard, email] - Your technical level: [no coding at all / basic Excel formulas / have set up simple automations before] - Weekly time you can spare (to learn a new system): [e.g. 2-3 hours] RETURN THE OUTPUT IN EXACTLY THIS ORDER, WITH THESE EXACT HEADERS: ═══ ROUTINE BREAKDOWN ═══ Turn the weekly routine you gave into a numbered, step-by-step list. Define each step in one clear sentence. If something is vague, say what information is missing. ═══ IMPACT VS. EFFORT MATRIX ═══ Place every step in a table: Step | Impact (High/Medium/Low, based on time or money saved) | Setup Effort (Easy/Medium/Hard) | Short reasoning (1 sentence). ═══ WHAT SHOULD STAY HUMAN ═══ List which steps in the matrix are NOT a good fit for automation (anything needing judgment, empathy, negotiation, or brand voice). For each one, explain concretely why it should stay in human hands. ═══ PRIORITY ORDER ═══ Rank the steps that land at the intersection of high impact and low effort, top item first (max 5 items). For each one, name the suggested tool CATEGORY (AI assistant, workflow automation like n8n/Zapier, a simple template/spreadsheet), don't push a single brand. ═══ FIRST STEP ═══ Pick the single top-ranked step and break down what to start with this week in 3 concrete actions (e.g. which input to collect, which tool to open, what to test). RULES: - Do not use made-up statistics, fake case studies, or unverified numbers like "businesses save X percent with automation." - Do not invent steps the user didn't provide, if information is missing, ask for it directly and state your assumption openly. - Suggest a tool category, don't push a specific brand or product, if the user already uses a tool, prefer that one. - Always flag at least one step that should stay human, don't skip this, every business has something that doesn't fit automation. - Write in natural, direct English that's ready to copy and paste. Don't dump jargon, explain every term in one plain sentence.
How to use it
- Think back over the last 2-3 weeks and list every recurring task tied to your business, as raw and detailed as you can (e.g. 'after every order I type the tracking number into 3 different places by hand'). The more specific your input, the sharper the matrix comes out.
- Run the prompt, then check every row in the resulting matrix against your actual routine: is the step marked 'high impact, low effort' really the one eating the most time in your week? If not, tighten your input and rerun it.
- Narrow the top row down to a single step, note the suggested tool category (AI assistant, n8n, Zapier, etc.), and start testing that one step this week. Leave the rest of the list alone, its turn comes later.
Example / tip
Input: Business = one-person home goods store selling 40 different SKUs on Etsy. Weekly routine = checking orders every morning, answering customer questions one by one, deciding on return requests, a weekly stock count, a monthly price update. The AI output flags 'drafting first replies to customer questions' as high impact plus low effort and recommends an AI assistant category. It sets 'deciding on returns' aside as a step that should stay human, because every case needs context and empathy, and it writes out the reasoning. For the stock count it suggests an n8n-style flow but marks the setup effort as medium.
Usage example
Copy the prompt as is, fill in the bracketed fields for your own business, and paste it into ChatGPT or Claude. The more concrete your input, the more useful the output. Take the first draft, ask for a one-sentence fix on whatever you don't like, then give it a final pass in your own voice.
When not to use it
This prompt runs an opportunity scan, it does NOT build the automation itself, a step-by-step n8n or Zapier setup needs a separate prompt. Also, don't read its suggestions as a push to hand off decisions that need direct emotional contact with the customer (complaints, return disputes), this prompt already keeps those with a human.
Output quality checklist
- Does every suggested step actually come from YOUR routine, or does it read like a copy-pasted generic list?
- Is the reasoning behind 'keep this human' concrete, or is it a hollow line like 'it would be safer'?
- Does the suggested tool category (AI, n8n, Zapier, etc.) actually match your technical level, or is it overreaching?
- Is the effort rating realistic: can a step marked 'easy' actually be set up in a week at your current skill level?
