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Four-team 28-day rotation

DuPont Shift Pattern Calculator

Load the common 28-day DuPont shift pattern, verify its day and night blocks and compare rotas to find shared time off.

4 nights3 off3 days1 off3 nights3 off4 days7 off
Load this rota and compare The starter remains fully editable. Verify every block against the official rota.
How it works

Days, nights and a seven-day break in a 28-day cycle

The common DuPont schedule is a 28-day rotation combining 12-hour day and night blocks with several rest periods, including a seven-day break near the end of the cycle.

The long break makes this pattern attractive for planning, but its position depends entirely on the correct cycle start. Different workplaces can reorder or modify the blocks, so compare the preset line by line with the rota you were issued.

Set it up accurately

Calculate dates from the correct cycle start

  1. Identify the first of the four night shifts used as cycle day 1 in this starter.
  2. Check each work and rest block against the full 28-day workplace rota.
  3. Correct the day and night times before comparing—overnight endings affect the true length of every break.
  4. Compare with up to three other patterns and export qualifying shared breaks to your calendar.
Common questions

DuPont rotation FAQ

How long is the DuPont cycle?

The common version shown here repeats every 28 days.

Does the DuPont rota always include seven days off?

The commonly described pattern includes a seven-day break, but employer implementations can differ. Use the official rota as the authority.

Can TimeCalculate handle its night shifts?

Yes. A finish earlier than the start is treated as an overnight shift ending the following day.

28-day rotation

Model the full sequence—including the seven-day break

A common DuPont family combines night and day sections with short breaks and one longer break. The exact order varies, so copy the published blocks rather than relying on the label alone.

Illustrative blockLengthBoundary to verify
Nights4 dutiesMorning finish after duty 4
Rest3 daysStarts after the final night
Days3 dutiesActual day finish
Short rest / nights / rest / daysEmployer-specificCopy exact order
Long break7 labelled daysNext duty start ends the break

Long break is not automatically 168 hours

Its exact duration depends on the finish of the preceding duty and the start of the next duty. Use timestamps, not labels alone.

Overnight recovery

A rest date following a night duty begins while the worker may still be working. The availability engine should start the break at the actual finish.

Variants and exceptions

Different sites rotate teams differently, and leave or overtime changes individual dates. Validate the preset against the source rota before projection.

Check one complete 28-day cycle before comparing it with another worker. A misplaced block can shift every later shared break.

NHS and 24/7 services

NHS facilities · security · operations4 days · 4 off · 4 nights · 4 offFour days and four nights separated by 4-day breaksUse this pattern →Continuous operations4 days · 2 off · 4 nights · 2 offFour day shifts and four night shifts with 2-day breaksUse this pattern →24/7 operationsPanama 2-2-3 rotationAlternating 2-2-3 day and night sections over 28 daysUse this pattern →Continuous operationsDuPont 28-day rotationDay and night sections with a 7-day breakUse this pattern →

Other public sector

Wardens · enforcement · local government6 on · 3 offThree days, three lates and 3 rest daysUse this pattern →

General patterns

Public-sector office and day teams5 days on · 2 offFive standard day shifts followed by a weekendUse this pattern →Custom starting pointSimple 1 on · 1 offA minimal cycle ready for you to replace or extendUse this pattern →
Detailed rota guides

Check the cycle before you compare

Use these guides to understand overnight boundaries, cycle start dates and common setup mistakes.

Police 6 on, 4 off2 early shifts, 2 late shifts, 2 night shifts and 4 rest daysOpen guide →4 on, 4 off4 working days followed by 4 rest daysOpen guide →2 days, 2 nights, 4 off2 day shifts, 2 night shifts and 4 rest daysOpen guide →Panama 2-2-3Alternating 12-hour day and night sections across 28 daysOpen guide →DuPont rotationDays, nights and a seven-day break in a 28-day cycleCurrent guide