During the process of converting a manual test into automated scripts, a decision needs to be made concerning which tasks and tests are to be conserved in their manual states, which test cases are suitable for automation, and when would you gain more by keeping a test in its manual state.
There are some assessments that you need to reflect on concerning a test's nature and worth with respect to the project's lifetime before choosing to develop an automated test.
Hence, when a test case is intended for automation, you want to firstly ask yourself, "What is the value behind automating it?"
First of all, you would want to consider the test development effort with respect to the test's lifetime. The prevalence of one of the preceding factors tilts the equation of ROI (return on investment) to one side or another. Ultimately, the less the effort and the longer the usage of the test is, the greater the ROI. For example, to create an automated test involving a user interface surely...