Pitman 2-2-3 shift calendar: verify the 14-day pattern
A Pitman roster is not a single weekly pattern. Start with an approved 14-day roster, identify the two alternating weeks, and check the next cycle before relying on a repeating calendar. The example below uses fixed day shifts; it does not prescribe an employer’s roster.
Worked example to check against your calendar
| Week | Start dates in November 2026 | Planned hours at 12 per shift |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 | 60 |
| 2 | 11, 12 | 24 |
| Next cycle begins | 16 | 84 across each complete two-week cycle |
Start with a real cycle, not its nickname
Nantucket’s police working-hours FAQ describes four teams following two shifts, two rest days, three shifts, then two rest days, two shifts and three rest days. Other employers can use different anchors or day/night rotations. Copy your actual first work date and handover times before entering anything.
For a cycle starting Monday 2 November 2026, the first week has shifts on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The second has Wednesday and Thursday. These are three work blocks of two, three and two starts, separated by rest blocks.
Model the repeating starts
An iCalendar model can use two weekly rules with INTERVAL=2 and an explicit WKST=MO. The first starts 2 November and uses BYDAY=MO,TU,FR,SA,SU; the second starts 11 November and uses BYDAY=WE,TH. These are rule fragments, not a complete import file.
The calendar’s visual Sunday/Monday preference does not by itself establish the WKST value of an exported rule. If your editor offers the needed custom repeat controls, preview the resulting dates. If it does not, use individually checked dates or a roster tool rather than assume a hidden control exists. Google documents a 730-occurrence limit per repeating event.
Audit before extending or sharing
With illustrative 07:00–19:00 shifts, seven starts give 84 planned hours per 14 days. Confirm the same seven start positions in the following cycle. For 19:00–07:00 nights, put the end on the following date; an off start-date does not mean the whole calendar date is free.
Use a separate, clearly named work calendar when your provider supports one. Keep employer changes and one-off cover visible rather than silently altering the base cycle. This is a planning example, not a payroll or rest entitlement calculation.
What it looks like
Cloud Calendars overview, using our product images. Provider settings and protocol examples described in this guide are separate from the screens shown here.
What to do
- Confirm the cycle anchor and whether days and nights rotate.
- Enter a bounded trial covering two complete cycles.
- Compare every generated start and next-day night endpoint with the roster.
- Only extend or share once exceptions and dates match.
Questions
- Does changing the calendar grid to Monday fix the recurrence?
- Not necessarily. Visual layout and recurrence week grouping are different settings; verify the generated dates.
- Can a single every-three-days rule replace this pattern?
- No. The gaps between work blocks vary; a fixed three-day interval generates different starts.