Entering your pattern
Set the first day of the cycle to a day whose shift you know, such as the first day shift after your last break, and type the codes for each day of the cycle, separated by commas. The examples under the box fill in common patterns; adjust them to match your own. Every day of the calendar then shows its code in large type in the bottom corner of the day, so a month can be read at a glance from across a kitchen.
Holidays, your own dates and moon phases appear in the same boxes as on any calendar, so appointments and days when the clinic or the plant is closed are visible next to your shifts. Week numbers are on by default, because many rotas are planned and swapped by week.
Common patterns
| Pattern | Codes | Cycle | Average hours a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 on, 4 off | D,D,D,D,-,-,-,- | 8 days | 42 (12-hour shifts) |
| 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off | D,D,N,N,-,-,-,- | 8 days | 42 (12-hour shifts) |
| 2-2-3 rotation | D,D,-,-,D,D,D,-,-,D,D,-,-,- | 14 days | 42 (12-hour shifts) |
| 24 on, 48 off | 24,-,- | 3 days | 56 |
| 5 on, 2 off | D,D,D,D,D,-,- | 7 days | 40 (8-hour shifts) |
On an 8-day or 14-day cycle your days off move through the week, which is why a printed calendar is useful: it shows which weekends you have free months in advance. On a 7-day cycle the same days are off every week.
Printing a rota for the year
Choose 12 months, landscape and Letter or A4, and download the PDF. For a rota for the whole team, make one calendar per crew by moving the first day of the cycle, as described in the questions below, and print each crew’s copy in a different color. To see the year at once, note your leave on the year planner as spans.
Questions
How does the pattern repeat?
The first code belongs to the first day of the cycle, the second code to the next day, and so on. After the last code the pattern starts again. It also runs backwards, so months before the first day are filled in correctly too.
How do I enter a day off?
Use a dash. “D, D, N, N, -, -, -, -” is two day shifts, two night shifts and four days off. Days off are left blank on the calendar so that you can write on them.
Can I make calendars for different crews?
Yes. Crews on the same pattern differ only in where they are in the cycle. Make the first crew’s calendar, then change the first day of the cycle for the next crew (for example two days later on an 8-day pattern with four crews) and download again.
Can I use my own codes?
Yes. Any short text works, such as E, L, N, OFF-CALL or a station number. Keep codes to one to three characters so they print large.
How are the weekly hours above worked out?
Shifts in the cycle times hours per shift, divided by the days in the cycle, times seven. For 4 on, 4 off with 12-hour shifts that is 4 × 12 ÷ 8 × 7 = 42 hours a week on average.