Plain-language questions
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KPI · Projects and time
Bench time: formula and example.
Bench time is the share of available hours in which employees are not working on any project, billable or internal. You divide available hours without project work by total available hours. Bench time is capacity you pay for but do not use, and therefore a direct cost.
Bench time formula
(Available hours − hours on projects) ÷ available hours × 100%
Worked example
In September 2026 Acme Groothandel's installation team had 1,680 available hours. Of these, 1,260 were billable and 252 were spent on internal projects, leaving 1,680 − 1,260 − 252 = 168 hours with no project work. Bench time is 168 ÷ 1,680 × 100% = 10.0%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
Higher bench time means capacity goes unused, because of a shortage of work, a mismatch between planning and demand or waiting for a client. Some bench time between projects is unavoidable; persistent bench time calls for more sales, different planning or redeploying people. Read it alongside billable utilisation and the schedule for the coming weeks.
Pitfalls with bench time
- Counting internal tasks without a project code as bench time when they are useful work; give them an internal project code.
- Not removing leave and sickness from available hours, so bench time looks too high.
- Showing bench time per person widely when it is usually a planning issue rather than an individual one.
SQL & DAX
Calculating bench time in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
WITH per_day AS (
SELECT employee_id, entry_date,
SUM(hours) FILTER (WHERE project_id IS NOT NULL) AS project_hours,
MAX(available_hours) AS available
FROM time_entries
GROUP BY employee_id, entry_date
)
SELECT date_trunc('month', entry_date)::date AS month,
SUM(available) AS available_hours,
SUM(available) - COALESCE(SUM(project_hours), 0) AS bench_hours,
ROUND(100.0 * (SUM(available) - COALESCE(SUM(project_hours), 0))
/ NULLIF(SUM(available), 0), 1) AS bench_pct
FROM per_day
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Available Hours = SUMX ( SUMMARIZE ( TimeEntries, TimeEntries[EmployeeId], TimeEntries[EntryDate] ), CALCULATE ( MAX ( TimeEntries[AvailableHours] ) ) )
Bench % = DIVIDE ( [Available Hours] - CALCULATE ( SUM ( TimeEntries[Hours] ), NOT ISBLANK ( TimeEntries[ProjectId] ) ), [Available Hours] )In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is bench time?
Bench time is employees' available time in which no project work is done, because there is no assignment or task for them. It is also called idle or unassigned time. It is expressed as a percentage of available hours.
How do you calculate bench time?
Subtract the hours logged on billable and internal projects from available hours after leave and sickness. Divide the remainder by available hours and multiply by 100%. Complete timesheets are a precondition.
How can you reduce bench time?
Look ahead: plan staffing for the coming weeks against expected work so you spot gaps early. Fill gaps with internal improvement projects or training, or align sales with available capacity. Then measure whether bench time falls.
Further reading
- KPI libraryProject and time KPIs: formulas and examplesProject KPIs show whether hours are billable, budgets hold and projects finish on time. The data comes from your time tracking and project tools, linked to invoices from your accounting system.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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