Free shift pattern calendars and schedules

2-3-2 Work Schedule

Pick a start date to see the 2-3-2 pattern on a calendar for two or four crews, with hours per week and a calendar file.

The 2-3-2 work schedule is a 14-day rotating pattern of 12-hour shifts: 2 days on, 3 off, 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off. This page shows the schedule for each crew, the hours worked per week, and a calendar of a crew’s shifts. The tool runs in your browser, is free, and needs no account or sign-up. A crew works 7 of every 14 days, which averages 42 hours per week. The tool does the day and hour arithmetic only. It does not set any working-time or pay rules. It also shows the cycle table and lets you download the calendar file for any crew. Choose two crews for one day shift a day, or four crews for days and nights.
2-3-2 work schedule example

How to use the 2-3-2 Work Schedule

  1. Enter a start date in yyyy-mm-dd format, such as 2026-10-05. A date that does not exist, such as 2026-02-30, shows an error message. The page opens with 2026-10-05, a Monday, as an example, not today’s date.
  2. Set the number of crews. Two crews share one 12-hour day shift. Four crews cover days (A and B) and nights (C and D).
  3. Choose a single crew to view, or All crews.
  4. Set the number of months to show.
  5. Under Write the cycle as, keep the default 2-3-2 or choose 2-2-3. Both show the same cycle, starting on a different day.
  6. If you want calendar events, type shift times in 24-hour format. The defaults are 07:00 to 19:00 for days and 19:00 to 07:00 for nights. A warning appears if the times do not last 12 hours.
  7. Read the cycle grid and the hours per week, then click Download .ics to save a calendar file of the chosen crew’s work days.

Copy link copies the page address, which stores all your inputs, so the same schedule reopens later or can be sent to someone else. To print, use the browser’s print dialog and choose Save as PDF to keep a file.

The select for how the cycle is written also offers the 2-2-3 form, so you can compare the two writings of the same cycle on the same calendar.

The 2-3-2 pattern repeats every 14 days. In each cycle a crew works 7 days and is off 7 days, which totals 84 hours per cycle, or 42 hours per week on average. The longest run of work days is 3, and the longest run off is also 3. Across any 7 consecutive days, a crew works between 2 shifts (24 hours) and 5 shifts (60 hours).

The 2-3-2 sequence is the same 14-day cycle as the 2-2-3 schedule and the Pitman schedule. It is the 2-2-3 cycle (2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off) read from its 10th day, so it starts 9 days later in the cycle. Crew A in the 2-3-2 writing is D D O O O D D O O D D D O O, where D is a day shift and O is off. Crew B is the same sequence shifted by 7 days. With two crews, exactly one crew is on the day shift every day.

What does the cycle table show?

Under the calendar, the cycle table lists every day of one full cycle, with the date of its first occurrence from your start date and the code each crew works that day. D is a day shift, N a night shift (four-crew variant) and a dash is a day off. If you choose one crew in the crew selector, that column is outlined.

How do I use the calendar file?

Download .ics builds a calendar file in your browser with one timed event for each work day of the chosen crew, from the start date to the end of the last month shown. Open the file in your calendar program to import the events. The times are plain clock times with no time zone, so a calendar app shows them in your own zone. Nothing is uploaded.

Worked examples

InputResult
2 crews, one day shift (A and B), 2-3-2 (2 on first, then 3 off), start 2026-10-05, 2 month(s), All crews42 h per week on average, 7 of 14 days worked per cycle
2 crews, one day shift (A and B), 2-3-2 (2 on first, then 3 off), start 2026-10-05, 1 month(s), Crew A42 h per week on average, 7 of 14 days worked per cycle
4 crews, days and nights (A, B, C, D), 2-3-2 (2 on first, then 3 off), start 2026-10-05, 3 month(s), Crew C42 h per week on average, 7 of 14 days worked per cycle

Calculated by the tool above; open it with the same values to see each step.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2-3-2 schedule the same as the 2-2-3 or Pitman schedule?

Yes, it uses the same 14-day cycle. The 2-3-2 sequence is the 2-2-3 cycle started 9 days later. The four-crew layout on this page is the Pitman layout.

How many hours does a 2-3-2 crew work?

A crew works 84 hours per 14-day cycle, which averages 42 hours per week. A single calendar week can total 48 hours (4 shifts) or 36 hours (3 shifts). Starting on a Monday, crew A alternates between those two totals.

Why does crew B work on different days from crew A?

Crew B is crew A shifted by 7 days, so the two crews take turns. With two crews, one crew is always on the day shift. Nights are not covered in that two-crew version.

Does the tool check my working-time or pay rules?

No. The tool only does arithmetic on the pattern and does not state any working-time, rest or pay rule. Check the pattern against your own agreement and local rules.

What happens if I enter an invalid start date?

The tool shows an error message and does not calculate the schedule. Use a real calendar date in yyyy-mm-dd format.

Is this tool free, and is anything I type uploaded?

Yes, it is free and needs no account or sign-up. Everything is calculated in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded.

Can I print it or share it?

Yes. Print / save as PDF prints the page as you see it; choose Save as PDF in the print dialog to keep a file. Copy link copies a page address that stores your inputs, so the same schedule can be reopened later or sent to someone else.