Software and IT services
Service ticket capacity and backlog
Compare helpdesk or public-service ticket arrivals with supplied completion capacity or actual closures.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
modeled completions = min(opening backlog + arrivals,capacity); ending backlog = opening + arrivals - completions
Average handling time must match the ticket mix and include the labor scope you intend to measure. Productive hours already exclude unavailable time. This is aggregate workload arithmetic, not a queue simulation, response-time forecast or service-level guarantee. Use your own records for the same scope and period. Example figures are illustrative, not industry benchmarks. Results exclude income taxes and any cost you have not entered. Check the result before pricing work or committing resources.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Open tickets at start of period (tickets): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- New tickets arriving in period (tickets): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Resolution entry method: Choose the entry method matching the information you have. Only its active inputs are required.
- Total productive resolution person-hours (person-hours): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero. Used with: Productive person-hours and observed handling time.
- Observed person-minutes per completed ticket (person-minutes/ticket): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero. Used with: Productive person-hours and observed handling time.
- Known tickets completed (tickets): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero. Used with: Known tickets completed in period.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Ending open ticket backlog is 60 tickets for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Open tickets at start of period: 100 tickets
- New tickets arriving in period: 200 tickets
- Resolution entry method: Productive person-hours and observed handling time
- Total productive resolution person-hours: 120.00 person-hours
- Observed person-minutes per completed ticket: 30.00 person-minutes/ticket
- Ending open ticket backlog
- 60 tickets
- Completed tickets under entered method
- 240 tickets
- Entered or calculated resolution capacity
- 240 tickets
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Compare helpdesk or public-service ticket arrivals with supplied completion capacity or actual closures. Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.