Finance Utility

Man-Day Calculator

Break a project into tasks, add difficulty and project buffers, then estimate final MD, delivery days, recommended staffing and cost.

01Task-based estimateSplit work by planning, design, development, QA and other roles for clearer estimates.
02Separate buffersAdd communication, revision and QA buffers independently instead of hiding risk in one number.
03Cost includedApply role-based day rates to prepare a first estimate for review or quotation.
Step 01

Work Rules and Buffers

Set working hours per day, team size and target duration, then choose a buffer preset that fits the project.

Ready
Live Result

Estimate Summary

Waiting
Raw task hours0
Difficulty-adjusted hours0
Final buffered hours0
Final MD0
Days with current team0
Suggested team for target-
Estimated total cost0
Step 02

Role Day Rates

Default values use USD day rates that fit small freelance or agency planning. Adjust them to your market.

Rates ready
$/MD
$/MD
$/MD
$/MD
$/MD
Step 03

Task Items

Add tasks, then click a task card later to edit it.

0
Task list

Smaller task units usually create more useful schedule and cost estimates.

No tasks yet. Add a task or load the sample to begin.
Add tasks to calculate total MD and estimated cost automatically.
Detail

Task Breakdown

Review adjusted hours, MD and cost for each task.

No rows yet
Task Role Input hours Difficulty Adjusted hours MD Cost
Task breakdown appears after adding tasks.
Share

Shareable Summary

A clean text summary for quotes, planning notes or team review.

Waiting

Man-Day Calculator Guide

What is this tool?

A planning tool for estimating project workload, staffing and cost before quotation or internal scheduling.

How to use it

  • Enter working hours per MD and current team size.
  • Choose a buffer preset that matches the project risk.
  • Add each task with role, estimated hours and difficulty.
  • Review final MD, schedule, cost and share the summary.
What does MD mean?

MD means Man-Day: the amount of work one person performs in one working day. You can adjust how many hours count as one MD.

How much buffer should I add?

Use a smaller buffer when requirements are stable. Use a larger one when revisions, stakeholders or integration risk are high.

Important note

This is an estimate. Actual quotes can change based on contract scope, seniority, delivery risk, taxes and cost policies.