The 5 Real Reasons MSPs Lack Automation in Autotask (And How to Fix It)
If you’ve ever sat in a room full of MSP owners, you’ve probably heard some version of this complaint: “We’re paying for Autotask’s automation features, but barely using them.” Or worse: “It’s not actually automated, we still do most things manually.”
It’s not just you. Somewhere between two-thirds to nearly every MSP we talk to admits they’re underutilizing Autotask’s PSAutomation tools. Despite investing in a platform that has six levels of automation and dozens of built-in mechanisms, the return often feels like a trickle.
The truth? Most MSPs are sitting on a goldmine of automation, but don’t have the map to find it. The cost isn’t just in license fees or training hours either it’s the staggering amount of wasted billable time.
The Hidden Cost of Inefficiency
According to Kaseya and other industry studies, the average MSP Tech is productive less than 50% of the time. Just improving that by 30%, which translates into about 12 more productive hours per week adds $1,800 of value per Tech. That’s $93,600 per year, per Tech. Multiply that by a team of six and you’re staring at $500,000 in unrealized value.
And that’s just scratching the surface. A 2025 report by Syncro showed that 96% of small-to-mid MSPs use a PSA or RMM, but overall satisfaction remains low. Many MSPs have the tools but not the time, guidance, or process to use them effectively.
So let’s dig into the real reasons MSPs haven’t unlocked the automation they’re already paying for in Autotask and what to do about it.
WHY #1: Autotask Was Built by Developers, Not MSPs
Autotask (and by extension, Kaseya) is an impressive piece of software. But it wasn’t built by people who have lived through the chaos of MSP life. While early visionaries like Bob and Austin understood MSP needs, they’re long gone. What remains is a powerful tool built by developers who don’t carry the scars of missed SLAs, chaotic project delivery, or non-billable rabbit holes.
You can’t fully leverage Autotask if you haven’t lived it. No amount of help desk tickets or training videos can replicate years in the MSP trenches.
WHY #2: MSPs Don’t Know What They Don’t Know
Most MSPs know about Workflow Rules, but that’s only scratching the surface. Autotask actually offers five levels of automation out of the box, no integrations needed:
Workflow Rules (yes, you know these — but they’re often a mess)
Cascading Contracts (also called Waterfall Contracts)
Automated Dashboards (when configured properly)
SLA-Based Worklists with AI prioritization
Live Report Scheduler (your new best friend)
Most MSPs are running at Level 1. Maybe dabbling in Level 2. The rest? Untapped potential. And with only 30% of MSPs fully utilizing PSA platforms despite 62% believing they are essential to profitability, there’s a huge gap to close.
WHY #3: No One Has Time to Figure It Out
Back when I was working inside an MSP, we had the luxury of dedicating a full-time Autotask admin who spent 20 hours a week just exploring automation. It still took over a year to get meaningful results.
For example, it took six months to clean up our Workflow Rules. Now, we run a quarterly Workflow Rule Impact Study that keeps things humming. (Shoutout to Rachel P for the blog article on this, “Workflow Rules: The Hemi Engine of Autotask.”)
Another example: writing our first Live Report took six months and countless support calls. Even now, a single Express Report can take 10 hours to write, double that for a complex one. And good luck finding documentation on how sorting sets up SQL table field links. Spoiler: most Kaseya support reps don’t know either.
The time burden is real, which is why MSPs lose up to $120,000 per year in missed revenue just due to billing reconciliation issues that could be solved by automating Autotask. To fully the optimize the operation took years, that is 7,280 hours, who has that kind of time?
Today, Advanced Global can guide an MSP on how to fully leverage the PSAutomation software, capture $100K to $500K in wasted billable hours, and improve CSAT (in other words for operational optimization) in less than a year
WHY #4: Owners Can’t Envision a Zen-Like Operation
Most MSPs operate like a lobster in slowly boiling water. The chaos creeps up gradually until it’s normalized. By the time they reach out for help, they’re in full panic mode, hemorrhaging on projects, blaming the wrong root causes, and overwhelmed.
The idea of a calm, controlled, predictable MSP environment seems like a fantasy. But we’ve helped dozens achieve exactly that. You just need the right system and support. In fact, Datto says Autotask PSA, when used with proper automation and configuration, “eliminates revenue leakage, automates the mundane, and maximizes the margin on every service you deliver.”
WHY #5: MSPs Treat Symptoms, Not Root Causes
We’ve cataloged every pain point we’ve heard from MSPs in the past 18 months. Nearly all are symptoms:
Techs don’t know what to work on
Clients jump the queue
Projects go off the rails
Owners can’t grow because they’re stuck in the weeds
Even when MSPs recognize the issues like lack of documentation, automation, or actionable reporting, they’re missing the root cause: no structured system for transformation.
As the 2025 Auvik Trends Report shows, 87% of MSPs now support hybrid or remote clients complexity has increased, and automation is no longer optional.
The answer isn’t just knowing what to automate. It’s having a process to implement change:
On-demand content
Proven, reusable Standard Build templates
A guide to answer questions
Regularly Scheduled Coaching Sessions
Drop-in expert calls
24-hour support from a team that’s walked this road
The Solution: A Guide on the Side
This is where AG MSP Coaching steps in. We don’t just give you a checklist and wish you luck. We walk with you through every step:
Understanding your operational bottlenecks
Collaborating on a customized path forward
Delivering automation and operational upgrades with real-time coaching
Validating with best-in-class reporting to prove the results
All backed by a money-back guarantee and an ROI that usually lands between 8x and 15x.
Ready for Your Automation Breakthrough?
Schedule a free strategy call with Steve. No pressure, no pitch, just clarity on how to move from chaos to calm.
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Steve & Co.