Anchor the cycle
Use a date you can verify from the official roster. If that date is not the first day of the chosen block, rotate the blocks until the displayed cycle day matches reality.
UK shift pattern library
Police and public-sector quick patterns
Start from a transparent, editable rota family. Set cycle day 1, check every time and compare it with a partner, colleague or another team.
No account and no uploaded rota data
Calculations and rota-image scanning run in your browser. Encrypted short share links expire after 90 days.
Build a custom comparisonChoose a cycle from its sequence, not its nickname
Employers often use the same nickname for different hours or block orders. A reliable setup starts with the complete repeating sequence and a date known to be cycle day one. The examples below are editable starting points, not claims about a particular force, trust or employer.
| Pattern family | Typical cycle | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| 6 on, 4 off | 2 earlies · 2 lates · 2 nights · 4 off | Late and night finish times |
| 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off | Four duties across 8 days | Rest begins after the final night |
| 4 on, 4 off | Four duties · four rest days | Days only or alternating nights |
| Panama 2-2-3 | Alternating short and long weeks | Team phase and day/night section |
| DuPont | 28-day day/night rotation | Exact block order and seven-day break |
Model exceptions explicitly
Leave, training, overtime and changed duties can break a repeating template. Review scanned cells and add the actual exception instead of assuming the underlying cycle is unchanged.
Validate before sharing
Compare several known past dates with the official rota. Check overnight boundaries, then open the exact-windows view before sending a result to someone else.
A good model should reproduce the source rota first. Only then should it be projected forward for planning.
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 →