AI & Digitisation for Trades
AI for Trades & Crafts —
Automation for Austrian Businesses
89% of trades businesses in Austria report staff shortages. AI cannot replace skilled workers — but it can take 3–5 hours of administrative work per day off their plates: quotes, scheduling, invoices, site documentation. More time for the actual work.
Common pain points
What steals time in every trades business.
Shipped work
What that looks like in practice
Three screenshots from live systems we built — not mock-ups.
AI Use Cases for Trades
Four automations that pay off within weeks.
Automatic quote creation
30 minutes → 3 minutes
AI analyses your enquiry, fills a professional quote template with material and labour costs, and sends it for approval. You review, click send — done. No forgotten items, no formatting errors.
AI scheduling & reminders
Fewer no-shows, more efficiency
Automatic appointment confirmations via SMS and email, reminders 24 hours in advance, cancellation management — all without manual input. Your calendar is always up to date, your customers arrive on time.
Automatic invoice dispatch + dunning
Improve liquidity
After job completion the system automatically creates the invoice, sends it by email, and dispatches friendly payment reminders if payment is delayed. You see the status of all open invoices in real time.
Voice recording on site → digital documentation
Site reports by voice
Employees dictate measurements, defects or activities directly into their smartphone — AI transcribes, structures and files the report digitally. Saves 20–30 minutes of admin per construction site.
Funding opportunities
Grants for digitisation: what is open as of November 2026.
The best-known federal programmes are currently closed, but regional programmes are open. In a funding check we look at which open programme fits your business and support the application. Apply before the project starts; the programme document is what counts.
SFG Styria
Lebens!Nah: up to €2,500Lebens!Nah (for Styrian micro-businesses with a shop that sell mainly to consumers): 30% of eligible costs, max. €2,500, for projects from €3,000. Also open: Cyber!Sicher for IT security (max. 30%, grant max. €15,000) and Ideen!Reich XS for new digital products and services (30 to 70%, grant max. €14,000).
Vienna & Lower Austria
up to €50,000Vienna Business Agency: 50% of eligible costs for software, licences, external consulting and training, projects from €10,000, max. €50,000, deadline 31 December 2026. Lower Austria: digi4wirtschaft, up to €25,000 per project, applications since 1 October 2026.
aws Digitalisierung & KMU.DIGITAL
closedAll aws digitalisation calls are currently closed; new calls are announced on aws.at. The KMU.DIGITAL budget is exhausted and the programme will not continue from 2027.
Packages
Three ways to start — pick the right depth.
Digitisation Check
Half-day analysis of your current processes. Written report with the top 3 automation opportunities and estimated time savings.
- Process inventory (½ day)
- Top 3 automation opportunities
- Time & cost savings estimate
- Tool recommendations
- Funding eligibility check
Process Automation
Implementation of 1–2 core automations. From quote creation to invoice dispatch — fully set up and running within 3 weeks.
- Setup of 1–2 automations
- Integration with existing software
- Team training (½ day)
- Handover documentation
- Funding application support
- 4 weeks post-launch support
Ongoing Support
Monthly advisory and technical support as you expand your digitisation. Add new automations, optimise existing ones, stay current with new AI tools.
- Dedicated advisor
- Monthly 1h check-in call
- Technical questions within 24h
- Continuous optimisation
- Cancel anytime after 3 months
How it fits together
Your systems stop copying data to each other
ERP, CRM, booking and payment stay where they are — what changes is that they finally talk to one another.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Do I need to be tech-savvy to use AI in my trades business?
No. Most AI solutions for trades businesses are built to be usable without IT knowledge. We set everything up, train your team in a half-day workshop, and remain available for questions. Typically employees are comfortable with the new processes after 2–3 hours.
What funding is available for digitisation in the trades sector?
As of November 2026, mainly regional programmes: in Styria, for example, SFG Lebens!Nah (for Styrian micro-businesses with a shop that sell mainly to consumers: 30% of eligible costs, max. €2,500, for projects from €3,000), SFG Cyber!Sicher for IT security (max. 30%, grant max. €15,000) and SFG Ideen!Reich XS for new digital products and services (30 to 70%, grant max. €14,000). In Vienna, the Vienna Business Agency funds digitalisation at 50% (max. €50,000); Lower Austria has digi4wirtschaft (up to €25,000). The aws digitalisation calls are currently closed, and the KMU.DIGITAL budget is exhausted. We check which open programme fits in a free funding check; the programme document is what counts.
How long does it take to implement automatic quote creation?
Depending on the complexity of your quote structure, setup takes 1–3 weeks. In week one we analyse your existing quotes and define templates. In weeks 2–3 we configure the system and test with real enquiries. After that, you create professional quotes in under 5 minutes instead of 30–60 minutes.
Are the AI solutions GDPR-compliant for Austrian businesses?
Yes. We use exclusively GDPR-compliant tools with EU server locations or appropriate data processing agreements (DPA). Customer data does not leave the EU data protection area. We document all tools used and their legal bases — on request also for your WKO documentation.
Also interesting
KI Consulting Graz — personal, on-site advisory
Looking for a broader AI strategy for your business? Our AI consulting service covers the full picture — from potential analysis to roadmap.
View AI Consulting Graz
── Free process check
Can your process be automated?
Describe your manual workflow in 5 minutes. We check for free whether and how it can be automated — including a 30-minute call and a written assessment.