Automation Maintenance: Why 'Set and Forget' Is a Myth

The Dangerous Assumption

There is a phrase that appears in almost every automation pitch: 'set it and forget it.' The promise is compelling - build the workflow once, deploy it, and watch it run forever while you focus on more important things.

It is also a myth. A dangerous one that leads to broken processes, frustrated teams, and automation projects that fail to deliver their promised value.

Why Automations Break

Automations do not exist in isolation. They connect systems, process data, and interact with applications that are constantly changing. Here is what happens in the real world:

APIs and connectors update. The services your automation connects to release new versions, deprecate endpoints, and change authentication methods. Microsoft alone releases Power Automate updates monthly. Third-party systems update on their own schedules. Each change is a potential breaking point.

Business processes evolve. The workflow you automated six months ago may not match how the team works today. New approval steps get added. Data requirements change. Exceptions that were rare become common. Without updates, the automation increasingly misses the mark.

Data formats shift. A new field gets added to a form. A column changes name in SharePoint. An email template is redesigned. Automations that depend on specific data structures fail when those structures change - often silently, processing incorrect data without anyone noticing.

People leave and join. Automations often rely on specific accounts, permissions, or people being in certain roles. When someone leaves the organisation, their automations may stop working. New team members may not know certain workflows exist.

The Real Cost of Neglect

Research from Ernst and Young indicates that 30-50% of initial RPA projects fail. One of the primary causes? The 'deploy and forget' mentality - implementing bots without mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and maintenance.

Industry analysis suggests that licensing only accounts for 25-30% of the cost of automation implementations. The majority of expenses come from maintenance and ongoing development. Organisations that budget only for the initial build are setting themselves up for trouble.

For custom automation work, allocating 15-20% of the initial development cost annually for maintenance is standard practice. This covers updating APIs, testing after system changes, and adapting to evolving business needs. Skip this investment, and problems compound until the entire automation needs rebuilding.

What Proper Maintenance Looks Like

Maintaining automations is not dramatic or time-consuming when done properly. It is routine care that prevents problems rather than fighting fires.

Regular monitoring. Check that automations are running successfully. Review error logs. Track execution times to spot degradation before it becomes failure. Most platforms provide dashboards for this - use them.

Scheduled reviews. Quarterly reviews of each automation should confirm it still matches business requirements, uses current connector versions, and follows security best practices. Brief check-ins prevent nasty surprises.

Documentation. Every automation should have clear documentation explaining what it does, why it was built that way, and who to contact if issues arise. When the original builder moves on, documentation is what keeps things running.

Testing after changes. When connected systems update, test affected automations before assuming they still work. A few minutes of testing beats hours of troubleshooting failed processes.

Version control. Keep records of changes made to automations over time. When something breaks after a modification, being able to roll back quickly minimises disruption.

Building for Maintainability

The best way to reduce maintenance burden is building automations that are easy to maintain from the start:

Use clear naming conventions. Future you (or your replacement) will thank present you when flows are named descriptively and actions are labelled meaningfully.

Add error handling. Build in notifications when things fail, graceful degradation when possible, and logging that helps diagnose issues quickly.

Avoid unnecessary complexity. The cleverest solution is rarely the best one. Simple, readable flows are easier to troubleshoot and modify.

Document as you build. Waiting until the end means documentation never happens. Add notes and descriptions during development.

The Partnership Approach

For organisations without dedicated automation expertise, ongoing maintenance can feel overwhelming. This is where an implementation partner adds value beyond the initial build.

We work with clients not just to build automations, but to maintain them over time. Regular check-ins identify issues before they become problems. When systems update, we ensure connected automations still function. As business needs evolve, we adapt workflows to match.

This is not about creating dependency - it is about ensuring automations deliver sustained value rather than becoming technical debt.

The Reality Check

Automation is not a project with an end date. It is an ongoing capability that requires attention, just like any other business system. The organisations that succeed with automation are those that plan for maintenance from day one, budget for ongoing support, and treat their automations as living systems rather than finished products.

Set it and forget it makes for good marketing. But build it and maintain it is what actually works.

Ready to discuss automation that lasts? Let us talk about building solutions designed for the long term.