“Can you automate this?” is almost always yes. The better question is whether you should — because some tasks cost more to automate well than they'll ever cost to just keep doing by hand.
The rule of thumb
Automation pays off when a task is frequent, rule-based, and low-judgment. Copying the same fields from one system into another every morning is a perfect candidate. Deciding which customer gets a refund is not — that's judgment, and judgment is the part you want to keep.
Start with the boring stuff
The highest-return automations are rarely the flashy ones. They're the small, invisible handoffs between tools you already pay for — an order in one place quietly becoming a record in another — that each save five minutes and never make a mistake.
Leave room for people
The goal isn't a business that runs without you. It's a business where the repetitive work runs itself, so the hours you spend are the ones that actually need a person. Automate the copying. Keep the calls.