So, (when considering the automation I speak about) do not think about spreadsheet documents containing one or two click_able buttons that allow a user print a page or copy some cells from one sheet to another. Instead, I want you to picture an application(or Entreprise Information System) that customises the appearance of your spreadsheet workspace(to take advantage of maximum screen capital available on your PC), and offers you custom "floating" data entry forms.
To experience the type of automation I refer to, you can email FREE demos of sample automated Excel VB driven spreadsheet applications like Ƒ) a Training Tracking Database(TM), ƒ) a Fiveƕ) Year Income & Expense Monitor(TM) or Ɠ) an Export Packing List & Invoice Generator(TM) to yourself using the file mailer on my website.
In addition, an Excel VB developer( who in many cases will tend to be a user turned developer, and is therefore likely to easily see things from your perspective) _ unlike a programmer _ is more likely to be positively disposed to working with you to ensure the application meets your practical needs. S/he will readily understand that the final application is meant to help solve a real problem(s), and will therefore build it to match those expectations.
This last point in my opinion is ONE major benefit you must seek to extract, if you choose to engage the services of a developer. S/he should be able to help you develop (in_house) expertise needed to maintain the application AFTER s/he is gone. If you fail to ensure this, all your cost_savings from using the application might end up being spent paying the developer to maintain the application over time in the future!