Estimate the simple payback period for a delivery robot investment using upfront cost, recurring economic benefit, operating cost, and residual value. The calculator also shows annual net benefit and an undiscounted horizon return to help screen a proposal before a full cash-flow analysis.
Horizon net value = annual net benefit × years + residual value − investment.
Payback is the time required for recurring net benefits to equal the initial investment. A shorter period reduces exposure, but it does not measure all project risks.
This is an undiscounted screening estimate. Validate taxes, depreciation, financing, ramp-up, and benefit assumptions separately.
A $180,000 investment with $95,000 in annual benefit and $22,000 in annual operating cost creates $73,000 in net annual benefit. Simple payback is 2.47 years.
No. It is a simple undiscounted payback calculation and does not include financing costs.
Yes, if it is a realistic cash benefit attributable to the robot deployment.
Residual value affects horizon net value and ROI, but not the simple payback period.
The calculator reports no payback because the project has no positive annual net benefit.
No. Use a discounted cash-flow model for decisions sensitive to timing, taxes, inflation, or cost of capital.
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Upfront investment | Purchase, integration, and launch cost |
| Annual benefit | Avoided cost plus incremental contribution |
| Annual operating cost | Service, energy, software, and support |
| Residual value | Estimated value at the horizon |
| Analysis horizon | Period used for net value and ROI |