Calculators
IT Ticket Backlog Burn-down Calculator
Calculate how long it takes to clear a support ticket backlog and the closure rate or staff needed to hit a deadline.
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- Nothing uploaded
The tool
Enter your numbers below. Results update as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.
Everything you enter stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone else, which you can confirm in your browser network tab.
What people use it for
- Planning a backlog-clearing sprint
- Justifying temporary support staff
- Reporting service desk health
- Setting a realistic target date
About this tool
What the IT Ticket Backlog Burn-down Calculator does
A backlog shrinks only when tickets are closed faster than new ones arrive. This calculator measures the net burn-down rate, the weeks needed to clear the backlog, and the closure rate and agent count required to clear it by a target date.
Formula
- Net burn = tickets closed − new tickets per week
- Weeks to clear = open tickets ÷ net burn
- Closures needed = new tickets + open tickets ÷ target weeks
Worked example
Using the starting values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Open tickets | 420 |
| New tickets per week | 150 |
| Tickets closed per week | 180 |
| Target weeks to clear | 6 |
| Tickets closed per agent per week | 25 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weeks to clear at current pace | 14.0 |
| Backlog trend | Shrinking |
| Net tickets cleared per week | 30 |
| Closures per week needed for target | 220 |
| Agents needed for target | 8.8 |
| Agents at current output | 7.2 |
How to read the result
If the backlog is growing, extra effort only on old tickets will not fix it. Reduce incoming volume with self-service and fixes for recurring issues.
Ticket complexity varies; if old tickets are harder than new ones, use a lower closure rate for the backlog.
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Questions
Questions about this tool
The things clients actually want to know — costs, timelines, ownership and what happens after launch.
Subtract the number of new tickets per week from the number closed per week.
If new tickets equal or exceed closures, the backlog will not fall. You must either close more or receive fewer tickets.
It depends heavily on ticket type and tooling, so measure your own team's average.
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