Does Copilot Save Time? Here’s How to Prove It with ROI

As AI tools become more integrated into the workplace, decision makers are asking a critical question: “What’s the real return on investment?” Microsoft Copilot, with its deep integration into the Microsoft 365 suite, promises to save time, boost productivity, and streamline repetitive tasks.

How do you quantify its value in practical terms? In this article, we break down the numbers, explore how time savings translate into measurable ROI, and look at why Copilot is quickly becoming a no brainer for forward thinking organisations.

To get a basic sense of return on investment, start by considering the cost of employee time. Take a typical knowledge worker, such as a sales executive or data analyst, earning $90,000 annually. That equates to roughly $45 per hour. If Microsoft Copilot helps save even one hour each month, the tool effectively pays for itself. That’s a break-even point with just minimal usage.

Realistically, Copilot’s time saving potential goes well beyond that. With its ability to summarise meetings, draft documents, analyse data, and automate repetitive tasks, it’s reasonable to expect savings of multiple hours per month. In those cases, the ROI climbs significantly. Even modest gains in daily efficiency can lead to a strong financial return, often with a multiplier effect across teams.

Microsoft has announced the Copilot solutions for Dynamics 365 Sales, Dynamics 365 Service, and Dynamics 365 Business Central will be available at no extra cost. These AI tools, previously offered as standalone add-ons, will also be included in the standard Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription.

Consider the day-to-day tasks performed by knowledge workers, writing emails, generating reports, summarising meetings, drafting documents, or analysing Excel files – many of which can take between 15 to 60 minutes per instance. Copilot can automate or accelerate large portions of this workload. If a worker saves just 15 minutes a day, five days a week, that adds up to 5 hours a month. At $45 per hour, you’re looking at a productivity gain of $225 per month per employee for a tool that costs far less. That’s a 5:1 ROI without stretching any assumptions.

Copilot for Office 365 price point is straightforward, typically $45 per user per month depending on your licensing structure. When compared to the value of even modest time savings, the return becomes tangible and easy to communicate to stakeholders. It helps to shift the conversation away from cost-saving and instead focus on time reallocation. Copilot doesn’t replace jobs. It helps staff reclaim time and direct it toward higher value work. Across an organisation, this adds up quickly and significantly.

Whether you’re saving hours, improving accuracy, or simply reducing mental load, the ROI will speak for itself. If you need guidance on where to begin or how to build a case internally, get in touch. We’ve helped other teams build a case for Copilot and can help you achieve the results you are aiming for.

Reference:
Forrester Consulting. The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft 365 Copilot: Cost Savings and Business Benefits Enabled by Microsoft 365 Copilot. A Forrester Total Economic Impact™ Study commissioned by Microsoft. March 2025. https://tei.forrester.com/go/microsoft/M365Copilot/docs/TheTEIOfMicrosoft365Copilot.pdf

1. What ROI did Forrester report for Microsoft 365 Copilot?
The Forrester Total Economic Impact™ study found a 116% ROI over three years, with a net present value of $19.7M for the composite organisation.

2. How much time does Copilot save employees?
Employees saved an average of 9 hours per month by streamlining tasks such as drafting emails, generating reports, and summarising meetings.

3. Does Microsoft Copilot impact revenue growth?
Yes. The study found Copilot increased sales win rates by 2.5%, improved qualified opportunities by 2.7%, and boosted customer retention by 1.0%, generating $14.8M in net profit.

4. What productivity gains did organisations see?
The composite organisation achieved $18.8M in productivity savings across finance, HR, IT, legal, and procurement functions by automating repetitive tasks.

5. How does Copilot support employee experience?
Copilot reduced repetitive workloads, improved job satisfaction, and accelerated new-hire onboarding by 25%, delivering $3.25M in value through improved retention and engagement.

6. What unquantified benefits did Forrester identify?
Benefits include stronger compliance, reduced data leakage risk (compared to unsanctioned public AI), enhanced decision-making, and increased speed to innovation.

7. How much does Microsoft Copilot cost?
Pricing is around $45 per user per month, depending on licensing. The study shows even minimal time savings can cover the subscription cost.

8. How was the Forrester study conducted?
Forrester interviewed 16 decision-makers across 12 organisations and surveyed 367 Copilot users, creating a composite company model with 25,000 employees and $6.25B in revenue.

9. What’s new for Dynamics 365 users?
From mid-October 2025, Copilot features for Dynamics 365 Sales, Service, and Business Central will be included at no extra cost, further strengthening ROI.

10. Is Microsoft Copilot suitable for all organisation sizes?
Yes. The study indicates that both large enterprises and smaller organisations see significant ROI, as time savings and efficiency gains scale proportionally across teams.