Free manpower loading + S-curve generator · No signup
Type planned and actual hours by week and watch the labor histogram and the cumulative S-curve draw themselves — with crew size, peak crew, percent complete, and variance.
| Period | Planned hrs | Crew ≈ | Actual hrs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | ||||
| 8 | ||||
| 13 | ||||
| 18 | ||||
| 22 | ||||
| 25 | ||||
| 26 | ||||
| 25 | ||||
| 22 | ||||
| 17.5 | ||||
| 13 | ||||
| 9 | ||||
| 5.5 | ||||
| 3 |
Paste this where you want the live calculator to appear. It works on any site that allows iframes, and includes a link back to Field PM.
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The manpower loading chart is a histogram of planned labor hours per period. Plotted over the schedule it forms the classic bell — a ramp-up at mobilization, a peak through the bulk of the work, and a ramp-down at close-out. Crew size is just hours ÷ 40, so the peak bar tells you the most bodies you will have on site at once.
The S-curve is the cumulative of those same hours: add each period to the ones before it, divide by the total, and the running percentage traces an "S". Overlay the actual curve and the gap between the two lines is your schedule variance — below the planned line means behind, above means ahead.
These two charts are how owners, GCs, and lenders read a project at a glance. Building them by hand in Excel is a chart-wizard fight; download the manpower loading + S-curve template to keep it in a spreadsheet, or let Field PM draw the curve automatically from field-reported hours.
A manpower loading chart (labor histogram) plots planned worker-hours — or crew size — for each period of the schedule. The bars form a bell shape: ramp-up, peak, and ramp-down. It tells you when to hire, when you peak, and when to demobilize.
The S-curve is the cumulative of the loading hours. Add each period to the ones before it and divide by the total, and the running percentage traces an "S" — slow, then steep through the peak, then flattening at close-out. This tool builds both from the same hours.
It divides planned hours by 40 (a standard work week) to estimate the average crew that period — so 1,000 hours ≈ 25 workers. If you run longer weeks, the real headcount is a bit lower.
If the actual S-curve sits below the planned curve, you have earned fewer hours than scheduled by that date — you are behind. Above the line means ahead. The gap between the two curves is the schedule variance.
Yes — the free manpower loading + S-curve Excel template builds the same histogram and curve with live formulas. Use the links below this calculator.
Field PM builds the math into the platform — job costing, billing, and forecasting from real field data. 30-day free trial, no credit card.
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