Shift Schedule Template
A free shift schedule template with a weekly 8-hour rota plus DuPont, 2-2-3 and 4-on-4-off 12-hour rotations, coverage math and overtime checks.
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What you get
- A weekly rota grid with shift codes, daily coverage counts and weekly hours per person
- A filled-in example for a 3-shift, 8-hour operation
- Ready-made 24/7 rotations for 12-hour shifts: DuPont, 2-2-3 (Panama/Pitman) and 4-on-4-off
- A crew-size formula: how many people you need to cover every hour you're open
- Overtime math for each pattern under the FLSA and California's daily rule
- A pre-publish checklist covering availability, leave, rest and fair-workweek notice
Template preview
The structure, not the finished file. The PDF and CSV carry the complete version.
Shift key
| Code | Shift | Start | End | Unpaid break | Paid hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | Early | 06:00 | 14:30 | 30 min | 8 |
| D | Day | 09:00 | 17:30 | 30 min | 8 |
| L | Late | 14:00 | 22:30 | 30 min | 8 |
| N | Night | 22:00 | 06:30 | 30 min | 8 |
Worked example: weekly rota for a 3-shift, 8-hour warehouse (week of Oct 12, 2026)
Minimum coverage: 2 people on Early, 2 on Late, 1 on Night. Weekly hours are paid hours from the shift key.
| Employee | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Weekly hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Rivera | E | E | E | E | E | – | – | 40 |
| J. Lee | E | E | – | – | E | E | E | 40 |
| S. Patel | – | – | E | E | PTO | E | E | 32 + 8 PTO |
| M. Okafor | L | L | L | L | L | – | – | 40 |
Blank weekly rota
| Employee | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Weekly hrs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage per shift | Compare with minimum staffing |
How many people do you need? (coverage formula)
Hours to cover per post per week = hours open per day x days open per week. People needed per post = hours to cover / average paid hours per person per week. Add a relief margin for PTO, sick leave and training, often 10–15% depending on your absence rate. Example: one post staffed 24/7 = 24 x 7 = 168 hours per week. With 12-hour rotations averaging 42 hours per person, 168 / 42 = 4 people (one per crew). Three posts staffed 24/7 need 12 people before relief, or about 14 with a 15% margin. Example: a 16-hour, 6-day operation = 16 x 6 = 96 hours per post. At 40 hours per person, that's 2.4 people per post, so 3 people per post with some part-time hours.
24/7 rotation: DuPont (4 crews, 12-hour shifts, 28-day cycle)
Each crew works 4 nights, has 3 off, works 3 days, has 1 off, works 3 nights, has 3 off, works 4 days, then has 7 days off. Crews start one week apart, so one crew is always on days and one on nights. Average: 42 hours per week.
| Crew | Week 1 (Mon–Sun) | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | N N N N – – – | D D D – N N N | – – – D D D D | – – – – – – – |
| B | – – – – – – – | N N N N – – – | D D D – N N N | – – – D D D D |
| C | – – – D D D D | – – – – – – – | N N N N – – – | D D D – N N N |
| D | D D D – N N N | – – – D D D D | – – – – – – – | N N N N – – – |
The preview stops here; the template continues in the download.
How to use this template
- Pick the pattern that fits your hours. Use the weekly rota for daytime or 16-hour operations. For 24/7 coverage, choose a 12-hour rotation below or a 4-crew 8-hour rotation.
- Size the crews before naming anyone. Work out the hours you must cover and divide by the average hours per person, then add a relief margin for PTO and sick days.
- Enter leave and availability first. Block approved time off and stated availability in the grid before you assign shifts, so you don't schedule someone who can't work.
- Assign shift codes and check the totals. Fill each person-day cell with a shift code. Check the daily coverage row against your minimum staffing and each person's weekly hours against overtime limits.
- Publish with enough notice. Share the schedule at least two weeks ahead where you can. In cities and states with fair-workweek laws, late changes can trigger premium pay.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a shift schedule?
List the shifts and their times, work out how many people each shift needs, and enter leave and availability first. Then assign shift codes to each person-day, check coverage per shift and each person's weekly hours, and publish at least two weeks ahead.
What is the best shift pattern for 24/7 coverage?
Most 24/7 operations with 12-hour shifts use four crews on a DuPont, 2-2-3 (Panama/Pitman) or 4-on-4-off rotation; all three average 42 hours per person per week. Choose DuPont if you want crews to rotate between days and nights with a 7-day break, 2-2-3 for every other weekend off, and 4-on-4-off for the simplest pattern.
How many employees do I need to cover 24/7?
One post covered 24/7 is 168 hours per week. At 42 hours per person that's four people per post, plus a relief margin (often 10–15%) for PTO and sick days. Multiply by the number of posts you staff at the same time.
Do 12-hour shifts mean overtime?
Under federal law, only for hours over 40 in a workweek, so it depends on how the rotation falls across weeks: a 2-2-3 rotation produces 20 overtime hours every two weeks. California also requires daily overtime after 8 hours unless employees have adopted an alternative workweek schedule. A few other states, such as Alaska and Nevada, have daily overtime rules with exceptions.
How far in advance should a work schedule be posted?
Two weeks is a good default. Fourteen days is the legal minimum for covered employers under Oregon's predictive scheduling law and fair-workweek ordinances in Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Philadelphia; New York City requires 14 days for fast food and 72 hours for retail. These laws mainly cover retail, food service and hospitality.
Can I make a shift schedule in Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. Download the CSV and open it in Excel or Google Sheets. Use a COUNTIF formula on each day column to count shift codes for coverage, and a lookup against the shift key to total weekly hours. Once you schedule more than about 25 people or several locations, scheduling software saves time on swaps and overtime alerts.