Before you hand anything to an agent, find out where the friction really is. This four-step audit takes an afternoon and points to the workflows worth automating first.

1. List the hand-offs

Walk one request from arrival to done and write down every time it changes hands or tools. Hand-offs are where work waits.

2. Time the waiting

For each hand-off, note how long work sits before someone picks it up. The longest waits are your first candidates.

3. Score the variation

• Low variation, clear rules: classic automation is enough

• High variation, clear goal: a strong fit for an agent

• High variation, unclear goal: keep a person in charge for now

4. Pick one workflow

Choose the workflow with long waits and a clear goal. Ship an agent for it, keep an approval step, and measure response time for 30 days.

Key takeaways

• Hand-offs and waiting time reveal the real friction.

• Agents fit work that varies but has a clear goal.

• Start with one workflow and measure it.