Free PM calculator · Agile
Sprint Capacity & Velocity Forecast Calculator
Work out your team's capacity for the next sprint and forecast how many sprints the remaining backlog will take, using your recent velocity.
1 · Team capacity for the next sprint
| Team member | Days available | Hours per day | Focus % | Hours |
|---|
2 · Velocity and backlog
How sprint capacity and velocity forecasting work
Capacity is the time the team can actually spend on sprint work. It is days available × hours per day × a focus factor, which covers meetings, support and interruptions. Most teams use 60–80% focus. Use capacity in sprint planning to avoid over-committing.
Sprints needed = remaining backlog ÷ average velocity (rounded up)
Velocity is the number of story points the team completes per sprint. Forecasting with a range (best, average and worst velocity) is more honest than a single date, and it matches how agile teams communicate release plans.
Worked example
A team with velocities of 28, 32 and 30 averages 30 points. A 240-point backlog needs 8 sprints on average, and 8 to 9 sprints across the best and worst cases. With two-week sprints, that is about 16 to 18 weeks.
Tips
- Use at least three recent sprints. Velocity from a new or changing team is unreliable.
- Velocity is for planning, not for comparing teams. Points are relative to each team.
- Add to the backlog estimate when scope grows. A burnup chart makes this visible.
Related: velocity, story points, sprint planning, burndown chart.