Set the window
Enter People and Breaks/Person, then set the earliest start and latest finish in local time or UTC.
Help & FAQ · Current guide
Build the plan. Run the shift. Know what to do when it changes.
The current BreakCalc guide, from your first schedule through live re-planning, reminders, templates, and advanced constraints.
01
Quick start
Add the rules
Choose Break Capacity, Minimum Buffer, durations, placement, spacing, and any Advanced Constraints.
Generate and review
Tap Generate Schedule, then check Summary, Timeline, and List. Pin or edit items if the plan needs work.
Go Live
Start the live board to follow NOW, NEXT, and THEN, configure reminders, and record what actually happens.
02
Live shifts & re-planning
Go Live turns a generated schedule into an operational board. Following the board is available on the Free plan; changing and repairing the live plan is a Pro feature.
Live
Read the board
NOW shows who is on break and the time left. NEXT and THEN show the next distinct start groups. The board also shows current and upcoming No-break Periods and when the shift is complete.
Tap
Record a real event Pro
Tap a break when reality differs from the plan. Use Started now when it begins at the current time, Back early when someone returns before the planned finish, or Didn’t start when a planned break was missed.
Adjust
Hold or move future breaks Pro
Open Adjust to hold new breaks for 15, 30, or 45 minutes, or Until I resume. People already on break finish as planned unless you mark them Back early. You can also pin, unpin, or pin a break to another time.
Repair
Re-plan from now Pro
Choose the Earliest re-planned break—Now, 5, 15, or 30 minutes—then apply the change. BreakCalc keeps recorded history, closes the past, and rebuilds the remaining shift around the new facts.
Review
Check the result
The Plan updated card reports moved, re-placed, unchanged, and—if necessary—dropped breaks. Changed breaks are highlighted. When the repair succeeds, you can undo it before recording another live fact.
Share
Keep the team informed
Configure Reminders for selected people and break/no-break events. Pro users can open Big Screen for a wall display and export the Shift record CSV with planned and actual times, statuses, holds, and corrections.
When there is not enough room
BreakCalc saves the live fact even if the remaining shift cannot be repaired fairly. It explains why the schedule stayed unchanged instead of silently forcing an impossible result.
03
Frequently asked questions
What is BreakCalc?
BreakCalc builds fair, reliable break and rest schedules for teams on complex shifts. You set the team size, the shift window, and the rules, then it generates a schedule you can review on a visual timeline, fine-tune, save as a template, and export.
Do I need an account or an internet connection?
No account is required. Schedule generation and your locally stored schedule data work offline. An internet connection is needed to load BreakCalc Pro upgrade options, make or restore a Google Play purchase, and may be needed when opening a shared template link. You can import a template offline by scanning its QR code or pasting its code.
How do I create my first schedule?
Enter the number of people and breaks per person, set the shift start and end times, then tap Generate. Review the result in the Summary, Timeline, and List tabs.
What is the difference between a Fixed Break and a No-break Period?
A Fixed Break locks one person’s break to an exact time you choose, and the engine schedules everyone else around it. A No-break Period blocks a time window so no breaks are placed there—for everyone, or only for selected people. Both are set in Advanced Constraints.
What are multipliers, and what is Ratio vs Fixed mode?
These are two separate controls. In Team Details, each person has a Multiplier that scales their total break time relative to others (1.5 means 50% more than someone at 1.0). Separately, in Break Rules → Break Durations you pick how break lengths are defined: Ratio gives each break a relative weight, while Fixed sets each break’s exact length in minutes (for example 30, 45).
How do I save, share, and import templates?
Save your setup as a template from the Templates menu. Tap a saved template to load it, or use its 3-dot menu to rename, update, share, or delete it. Share sends a link or QR code; to import, open a link, scan a QR code, or paste the code (paste works offline).
How do I set alarms, add to calendar, or export?
In the generated results, tap a break card to set an alarm for the start or end of the break (the end alarm rings a customizable number of minutes early, to wake you before the break ends) or add it to your calendar. You can also export the schedule as text, an image, PDF, or CSV.
Why won’t my schedule fit, or why is there unused time?
Usually the constraints are too tight or too loose. For tighter packing, try more breaks per person, a higher Break Capacity, or a smaller Minimum Buffer. If breaks won’t fit at all, widen the shift window, loosen No-break Periods, raise capacity, or enable Auto-Split (a last resort that splits a break when it can’t fit in one piece).
Can I adjust the schedule after generating it?
Yes. On the Timeline, tap Edit schedule to enter edit mode, then tap any break for its options: pin the break, move the break, add a No-break Period for that period, or set the break capacity for that period. Regenerate to apply your changes—changed items stay highlighted until you do.
04
Advanced tips & tricks
BreakCalc’s engine is flexible. By combining a few basic tools you can solve complex, real-world constraints.
Staggered shifts
Goal: The main shift is 08:00–20:00, but one person arrives at 10:00.
Solution: Set the window to the full shift and, in Advanced Constraints, add a No-break Period from 08:00 to 10:00 for that person only. If they work fewer hours and should get less rest, lower their multiplier in Team Details.
Role-based coverage
Goal: Two people with the same critical role can’t rest at the same time.
Solution: In Advanced Constraints, give each of the two a Fixed Break in a non-overlapping window. Leave the rest of the team with no Fixed Breaks or No-break Periods, so the engine is free to schedule everyone else automatically around the two you locked.
All-hands meeting
Goal: The whole team must be present for a mid-shift briefing.
Solution: In Advanced Constraints, add a No-break Period for that time and apply it to everyone. The engine packs all breaks before and after the meeting.
Rush hour (Capacity Period)
Goal: Normally 3 people can rest at once, but only 1 during the busiest hour.
Solution: In Advanced Constraints, add a Capacity Period for that hour with Break Capacity set to 1. Capacity Periods change how many people can be on break at once during that window; to block breaks entirely, use a No-break Period instead.
Handover and turnover gaps
Goal: Each break should be followed by a short gap—to brief the next person or reset the break slot—before the slot is used again.
Solution: In Break Rules → Buffer & Capacity, set a Minimum Buffer. The engine keeps that gap after every break before the same slot is reused. The buffer applies to the whole board—use it for handover time; the planner spaces each person’s own breaks by itself.
Custom break sizes
Goal: You have 3 breaks per person and want the middle one to be a fixed 30-minute lunch.
Solution: In Break Rules → Break Durations, switch the mode to Fixed and enter 30 in the middle break’s box. The engine locks that break to 30 minutes while still sizing the other breaks automatically.
Front- or back-loading breaks
Goal: The team prefers to take breaks early in the shift, or to save them for the final hours.
Solution: In Break Strategy, set Placement to Early or Late (the default is Middle). This relies on having unused time in the window—if breaks fill it completely, there is nothing to shift.
Teams across time zones
Goal: Coordinate a shift that spans time zones, or record times in UTC.
Solution: In Schedule Settings, set the Break Window time zone to UTC and enter times in UTC. Alarms and calendar events are automatically converted to your device’s local time.
Still stuck?
Talk to the person behind BreakCalc.
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