Why AIAgentCycle · How I work
From a process question to automation that keeps running
As an n8n consultant I start with the process and its exceptions; the tool comes later. Every phase has a concrete result and a decision point, so you know what is being built, tested and maintained. You talk to me, the builder, the whole way through.
Free · 30 minutes online · you always get a short advice report
The project
The automation process: seven phases, three decision points
A working demo is not yet a reliable business process. That is why go-live and maintenance are separate phases.
- Assessmentyou decide: continue?One process, online: volumes, exceptions, systems and risks mapped out.
- DesignRoute, exceptions, data fields, acceptance criteria and what deliberately stays manual.
- Build and testIn a shielded environment, with fictitious or minimised data.
- Acceptanceyou decide: approve?Your contact person walks through normal and tricky cases.
- HardeningRestricting access, separating secrets, checking logging and alerts.
- Controlled go-liveyou decide: scale up?A limited volume first, with a way to pause.
- MaintenanceTracking errors, volumes and changes in connected systems.
A flow only goes live once the agreed tests for operation, error route, ownership and recovery have been completed.
What you get
What you receive per phase
| Phase | What you receive |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Process picture, bottlenecks, assumptions, first priority and a short advice report |
| Design | Route, exceptions, data fields, acceptance criteria and scope |
| Build | A testable flow with error paths and outcomes you can check |
| Acceptance | A list of findings and your explicit approval |
| Go-live | Activation plan, owner and fallback route |
| Maintenance | Agreed checks, change route and transferable documentation |
What I need from you
That is all
One point of contact
Someone who is allowed to decide how a process should run.
Access
To the systems involved, with only the rights that are needed.
Two to four hours
From that contact person for a quick win, spread over a few weeks. For larger projects the effort is set out in the quote.
Proof
Working with the builder
External client case · maintained since September 2026
WooCommerce and Exact Online, with customer group pricing
For web agency Mercabilis: 14 workflows on a dedicated server with Cloudflare in front. Orders go to Exact, products and prices go back to the shop, and every exception triggers an alert in plain language.
When it comes to our systems, Stefan is my sparring partner. How it should fit together and what is really needed. He first looks at how we work and finds the solution to match.
I keep control of my business myself and still have someone beside me who keeps the overview. A pleasant collaboration.
Dani SteenOwner, Mooier Thuis · translated from DutchSometimes my advice is: do not do it
If the assessment shows that automating delivers less than it costs, I say so. If your process needs tidying up first, I say that too. I earn from flows that keep running and from long collaborations. So the assessment is useful even when the answer is no:
- you get the calculation, even if you do not continue;
- the calculation is yours, even if you take it to someone else.
Frequently asked questions
About how I work
What happens in the free assessment?
In 30 minutes online I go through your process with you, count where most of the time goes and calculate what automating would deliver. You always get a short advice report, even if the outcome is that you should not do it.
Am I tied to anything after the assessment?
No. The assessment is free and without obligation, and the calculation is yours, even if you take it to someone else.
Who builds it?
I do, Stefan de Graaf, founder of AIAgentCycle. You talk to the person who builds it, from the assessment through to maintenance. Where a specialist adds more value, such as on security, I bring one in.
Who owns the flows you build?
You do. They run in your environment and they are exportable files. If you move to another party, you take them with you, along with the documentation.
What happens if an integration or system goes down?
That is agreed in advance: retry safely, park or stop, and who gets an alert. That reduces the chance of a temporary outage turning into a silent duplicate action.
Next
Read on
Pricing
A fixed price per scoped assignment; maintenance separately.
Process automation guide
From baseline measurement to acceptance, to get started yourself.
About AIAgentCycle
Who I am and how I work.