# Knowledge risk calculator: what losing know-how costs
https://www.explicio.com/en/knowledge-risk/
Last updated: 2026-11-02

> The knowledge risk calculator estimates what it costs a business over five years when experienced staff leave: onboarding the successors and the hours in which missing knowledge causes downtime or searching. It works with your own figures and an open formula, without storing anything.

KNOWLEDGE RISK · CALCULATOR

# What does it cost when experience leaves?

A calculator for the business, not for the person: onboarding successors and downtime from missing knowledge, as an order of magnitude over five years.
Enter your own figures — the defaults are examples.
The knowledge risk calculator estimates what it costs a business over five years when experienced staff leave: onboarding the successors and the hours in which missing knowledge causes downtime or searching. It works with your own figures and an open formula, without storing anything.
[To the calculator](https://www.explicio.com/en/knowledge-risk/#rechner) [What would Explicio cost us?](https://www.explicio.com/en/pricing/#rechner)

YOUR FIGURES

## Five years of knowledge loss in euros.

Employees in total Experienced staff leaving within five years Months until a successor masters the job months Staff cost per position and month € Output missing during onboarding % Hours of downtime or searching per year due to missing knowledge h Cost of one such hour €
ORDER OF MAGNITUDE · FIVE YEARS
- **Onboarding the successors**: €297,000

- **Downtime and searching**: €100,000

Total over five years €397,000 per year €79,400 · Share of the workforce leaving: 10 % Onboarding = departures × months × staff cost × missing output · Downtime = hours per year × cost per hour × 5 years. Calculated in your browser; nothing is stored or transmitted.

The calculator assesses no person and asks about no one — it only works with figures about the business.

ABOUT THE CALCULATOR

## What the figure means — and what it doesn't.

Where do the defaults come from? + −
They are example values for a business with 120 employees. Replace them with your own — only then does the result say something about your business.

Why only an order of magnitude? + −
Onboarding and downtime depend on much that a calculator does not know. It shows whether the topic costs thousands or hundreds of thousands; for a decision that is usually enough.

What does this have to do with Explicio? + −
Explicio brings in the knowledge of those leaving beforehand and makes it findable for their successors. How much of that helps onboarding only shows in use in your own business.

What does the calculator store? + −
Nothing. The calculation runs in your browser; no input leaves the page.

TECHNICAL DIAGNOSIS · DEMO WITHOUT A CALL

## Contribute knowledge first. Then decide.

After a short conversation we set up your trial space. Then contribute a voice message or a file from your business — and see where the first knowledge island lies. The 30 days only start after that.
[Request a quote](https://explicio.cloud/registrieren?weg=angebot) [Request a quote](https://explicio.cloud/registrieren?weg=angebot)

- **Duration**: 30 days from the first knowledge

- **Cost**: €0

- **Licence**: none — you pay for knowledge, not for seats

- **Data location**: EU cloud on hardware operated by Explicio in Germany; Explicio Box in your own building on request