DAM ROI Calculator

Compare the spend you could cut by finding and reusing files with the cost of rolling out and running a DAM. Time freed up and spend saved are shown separately.

The starting values are an example scenario: they are not customer data, Polimake pricing or industry averages. Replace them with your own measurements, estimates and quotes.

Searching for files

People who search for filesWorking weeks per yearAccount for holidays and inactive periods.Search hours per person per weekMeasure the current time with your own library.Expected search reduction (%)The share of that time you expect to free up; use 0 if there’s no improvement.Cost per hour (€)Used to value the team’s time.

Repeated work

Team rework hours per monthTeam total caused by not finding material. Exclude search hours already counted.Expected rework reduction (%)Only the work that could be avoided by retrieving files.

Estimated spend savings

Freed-up time that reduces spend (%)For example, fewer billed external hours. If spend doesn’t change, use 0.Other annual error costs (€)Documented additional expenses. Exclude time already counted.Expected error reduction (%)A library doesn’t automatically eliminate mistakes or rights issues.

DAM costs

Annual DAM cost (€)Use the quote from the vendor you’re evaluating.Other annual costs (€)Administration, support and integrations not already included.Upfront cost (€)Rollout, migration and initial training. Paid at the start of the scenario.

How it’s calculated

Search hours freed up = people × weekly hours × weeks × expected reduction.
Rework hours avoided = the whole team’s monthly hours × 12 × expected reduction.
Spend saved = value of hours freed up × percentage that reduces spend + other error costs avoided.
First-year ROI = (annual savings − recurring costs − upfront cost) ÷ (recurring costs + upfront cost) × 100.
Simple payback, in months = upfront cost ÷ (annual savings − recurring costs) × 12, when net savings are positive.

Percentages are divided by 100 before they’re applied. The upfront cost sits at the start, and recurring savings and costs are spread evenly across the year. The model doesn’t include an adoption period, taxes, financing or discounting of future cash flows. ACCA’s explanation of payback distinguishes simple payback from discounted cash flow analysis.

Time freed up vs. money saved

Finding a file sooner can free up time for another task without changing what the team costs. That’s why the value of time is shown separately, and only the share you enter counts toward spend saved. Don’t add those hours again as an extra speed gain. If an error cost already includes rework, leave it out of the other-errors line so you don’t count it twice.

Compare with the features you already use

Google Drive lets you manage file versions and Dropbox offers version history. Dropbox also documents search by file name and content. Availability and limits depend on each feature, file and plan.

When you evaluate another library, test search, formats, versions, permissions and integrations with the material you actually use. Seeing a file in the version history doesn’t mean that version is approved for publication. Review, rights and expiry features need to be checked in each product and plan.

Polimake lets you archive, search and retrieve video, audio and images from the app, the API or MCP, and search external sources without uploading the originals. See how it works in the media library.