Free Shift Schedule Generator

How it works

1. 1

   Pick a pattern

   Choose 4 on 4 off, 2-2-3, DuPont, a 10-hour or 12-hour week or your own run of days on and days off, and set the shift length and start time.

2. 2

   Set the first day on

   Tell the tool the date of your next first shift and how many weeks to show. The calendar fills in, with the hours for each week and the average over the cycle.

3. 3

   Download or print

   Copy the list, download the .ics file to add every shift to your phone's calendar, or print the calendar for the fridge door.

Common shift patterns explained

The hours are averages of the pattern itself over its cycle, not any employer's policy.

• 4 on 4 off

  Averages 42 h a week at 12-hour shifts

  Four 12-hour shifts, then four days off, on an eight-day cycle. Because eight does not divide into seven, your days off move through the week: one cycle gives you a weekend, the next gives you midweek days. Some weeks hold three shifts (36 hours), others four (48).

• 2-2-3 (Pitman)

  Averages 42 h a week at 12-hour shifts

  Two on, two off, three on, two off, two on, three off. The 14-day cycle means your days line up with the calendar every fortnight and you get a three-day weekend every other week. Seven 12-hour shifts a fortnight.

• DuPont

  Averages 42 h a week at 12-hour shifts

  A 28-day cycle with the day-night rotation built in: four nights, three off, three days, one off, three nights, three off, four days, then seven days off in a row. Fourteen shifts in four weeks, with the long break as the reward for the quick turnarounds.

• 4 on 3 off (10-hour)

  Averages 40 h a week at 10-hour shifts

  Four 10-hour shifts and a three-day weekend, every week. The seven-day cycle keeps your days off on the same weekdays, so it is the easiest pattern to plan around.

• 3 on 4 off (12-hour)

  Averages 36 h a week at 12-hour shifts

  Three 12-hour shifts and four days off, every week. Fewer hours than the other 12-hour patterns; many places pair it with an extra shift now and then to reach full time.

Planning a team's roster and meetings rather than your own shifts? See our guide to running a unit as a nurse manager.

What you get

• A month-by-month calendar

  Your shifts coloured in, labelled Day or Night (or whatever you call them), with the start and end time on each one and today outlined.

• Hours per week

  The total for each calendar week, the average over the cycle, and your next seven shifts in a list.

• A calendar file for your phone

  One .ics file with every shift as an event. Open it on your phone and the shifts land in your calendar, night shifts ending the next morning.

• A printable page

  Print hides the inputs and buttons and leaves the calendar, for the fridge, the locker or the crew room.