# Support Backlog Calculator

Canonical: https://orka.chat/support-backlog-calculator
Updated: 2026-11-09
Publisher: Orka

See how long your open queue will take to clear at your current pace, including the new requests your team receives while working through it.

## Inputs

- Open tickets now
- Average new tickets per working day
- Average resolutions per working day

## How the calculation works

Subtract average new tickets per working day from average resolutions per working day. Divide today’s open backlog by this spare capacity and round up to the next working day. When arrivals equal or exceed resolutions, the model reports a level or growing queue.

## Worked example

A team starts with 420 open tickets. With 80 new tickets and 110 resolutions per working day, it can clear 30 old tickets a day. The estimated clearance time is 420 ÷ 30, or 14 working days.

## Frequently asked questions

### How should weekend tickets be counted?

If your team works five days and tickets arrive all week, divide total weekly arrivals by five. For example, 350 weekly arrivals become 70 per working day.

### Can I use fractional daily averages?

Yes. Ten days with 113 total resolutions gives an average of 11.3 a day. Keep fractions in both rates so rounding does not distort a small queue.

### What if some open tickets are waiting for customers?

Choose an operational definition before counting. For an actionable backlog, count only open work agents can handle and use daily rates for tickets entering and leaving that same queue.

## Related tools

- [Live Chat Staffing Calculator](https://orka.chat/live-chat-staffing-calculator)
- [Black Friday Support Forecast](https://orka.chat/black-friday-support-forecast)