The Overtime Planning Conversion Rate Estimator measures how much of requested or planned overtime is ultimately approved and scheduled. It is useful for workforce planners, operations managers, and team leads who need a simple execution metric for overtime plans rather than a cost estimate. A high rate means most requested overtime hours were converted into approved hours, while a low rate signals that the plan may be constrained by budget, policy, staffing availability, or employee willingness.
Use the result to compare departments, planning periods, or approval processes on a consistent basis. The estimator also reports unconverted hours so you can see the size of the remaining gap. It does not judge whether more overtime is desirable; it only shows how effectively the requested amount became approved overtime under the assumptions entered.
1. Enter requested overtime
Use the total overtime hours submitted or planned for the same team and measurement period.
2. Enter approved overtime
Use only the hours that were actually approved or scheduled from that request pool.
3. Keep periods aligned
Do not mix a monthly request total with weekly approved hours.
4. Review the percentage
The main result shows approved hours as a percentage of requested hours; the breakdown shows the remaining unconverted hours.
Requested overtime hours are the total hours proposed for the period. Approved overtime hours are the portion authorized or scheduled. Both values must use the same time period and unit.
The model treats approved hours as a subset of requested hours. If your process allows approvals above the original request, separate those incremental approvals before using this rate.
The percentage shows the share of planned overtime demand that became approved overtime.
A lower rate can reflect deliberate limits as well as execution problems, so interpret it with policy, budget, and staffing context.
Given:
Requested overtime = 480 hours
Approved overtime = 360 hours
Calculation:
360 ÷ 480 × 100 = 75.0%
Unconverted hours = 480 − 360 = 120 hours
Result: The overtime planning conversion rate is 75.0%, leaving 120 requested hours unapproved.
It means every overtime hour included in the request pool was approved or scheduled. It does not indicate whether the overtime plan was cost-effective or sustainable.
Use approved or scheduled hours if you want to measure the planning approval process. Worked hours measure execution after approval and can be different because of cancellations, callouts, or schedule changes.
Not in this estimator. The model defines approved hours as a subset of requested hours, so any additional hours should be treated as a separate request or excluded from the comparison.
Use a period that matches your workforce planning cycle, such as a week, pay period, or month. Consistent periods make trend comparisons more meaningful.
A conversion rate measures how much requested overtime becomes approved. A cost estimator converts overtime hours and pay assumptions into money, so the two tools answer different planning questions.