Cost of interruptions calculator
Say you're halfway through a tricky trust return when the phone rings. Four minutes later you hang up and stare at the screen, trying to remember where you were. That second part costs time too. This calculator puts a dollar figure on both. Enter your hourly rate, how many calls you take yourself each day, how long they run, and how long it takes you to get back into the work afterwards. Be honest with that last one. You'll see the hours a year and what they're worth at your own rate. We don't use a research figure for refocus time. It's your estimate.
Fill in your rate, your calls and the minutes to see the cost.
How this works
Each call costs its own minutes plus your refocus minutes. That times your calls a day gives minutes a day. Minutes a day divided by 60, times your working weeks times your working days a week, gives hours a year. Hours a year times your rate gives dollars a year. The split shows how much of that is time on the calls and how much is time getting back into the work.
Every number is yours, including the refocus time. The calculator uses no research figure.
Frequently asked questions
What hourly rate should I use?
Whatever an hour of your time is worth to the practice, which might be your charge-out rate or the profit you aim to make from each hour you bill.
Where does the refocus time come from?
From you. We don't use a research figure. If you're not sure, time yourself after the next few calls.
Does it count calls other staff take?
No. It's for the calls you take yourself. Run it once per person if you want the whole team.
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General information only, not tax, legal or financial advice.