Scrum Events Timebox Calculator
Check every Scrum event against the Scrum Guide’s maximum timebox, see what the events cost each Developer in hours and money, and find out how many focus hours are left for building the Increment.
Set up the Sprint and the team
The Sprint is a maximum of one month. Event maximums scale with Sprint length. Reduce working days for public holidays.
Plan the length of each event
Enter how long you actually plan to run each event, in minutes. The Scrum Guide maximum is a ceiling, not a target. Pick a preset to start, then adjust.
Add Product Backlog refinement
Refinement is an ongoing activity, not a Scrum event, and the Scrum Guide sets no timebox for it. It still takes time from the Developers and the Product Owner, so it is counted in capacity here.
Event breakdown
Each event against its Scrum Guide maximum, with who attends and what it costs in time.
| Event | Maximum | Your timebox | Times | Attendees | Per Developer | Person-hours | Status |
|---|
Sprint timeline
A suggested layout: Planning on day 1, Daily Scrum every day, refinement spread through the Sprint, then the Sprint Review followed by the Retrospective on the last day.
How the calculator works
Maximum timebox = one-month maximum × (Sprint weeks ÷ 4). Planning 8 h, Review 4 h and Retrospective 3 h for a one-month Sprint. Daily Scrum is always 15 minutes.
Per Developer = planned minutes ÷ 60 × number of times the event happens.
Person-hours = per-Developer hours × attendees. Cost = person-hours × your rate.
Focus hours = (working days × focus hours per day) − event hours − refinement hours.
Scrum Guide timeboxes at a glance
| Event | 1 week | 2 weeks | 4 weeks | Who attends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint Planning | 2 h | 4 h | 8 h | Scrum Team |
| Daily Scrum | 15 min | 15 min | 15 min | Developers |
| Sprint Review | 1 h | 2 h | 4 h | Scrum Team and key stakeholders |
| Sprint Retrospective | 45 min | 1.5 h | 3 h | Scrum Team |
The Scrum Guide gives the one-month figures and says events are usually shorter for shorter Sprints. The 1-week and 2-week columns apply that scaling proportionally, which is the usual convention.
Common timebox mistakes
- Treating the maximum as the booking length. Events end when their purpose is met, so a shorter event is fine.
- Letting the Daily Scrum run past 15 minutes. Move the deeper conversation to a follow-up among the people involved.
- Running the Retrospective before the Sprint Review. The Retrospective concludes the Sprint, so it comes last.
- Forgetting that every event hour is multiplied by the number of attendees. A 2-hour Review with 12 people costs 24 person-hours.
- Ignoring refinement. It has no timebox, but a team that refines heavily may lose more focus time than it expects.
Frequently asked questions
What is a timebox in Scrum?
A timebox is a fixed maximum length of time for an event. It limits waste and keeps the event focused. The event may end sooner if its purpose has been achieved.
What are the maximum timeboxes in the Scrum Guide?
For a one-month Sprint: Sprint Planning up to 8 hours, Sprint Review up to 4 hours and Sprint Retrospective up to 3 hours. The Daily Scrum is 15 minutes. The Sprint itself is a maximum of one month.
Can we run an event longer than its timebox?
The timebox is a maximum, so going over it is not Scrum as defined by the Scrum Guide. If an event keeps overrunning, inspect why and adapt the format, preparation or Sprint length.
Is refinement a Scrum event?
No. Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity with no fixed amount of time in the Scrum Guide. Each Scrum Team decides how much it needs.
Who has to attend the Daily Scrum?
The Developers. The Scrum Master and Product Owner take part only if they are working on items in the Sprint Backlog. Use the checkbox in Step 1 to change this.
What percentage of the Sprint should events take?
The Scrum Guide gives no percentage. A common sign of trouble is when events and refinement take so much time that the Developers cannot make progress on the Sprint Goal. Use this calculator to see your own figure.
Is my data stored anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is saved or sent.
Related resources
More free tools for Scrum Teams.