Convert story points to hours using your team’s hours per point, convert hours back to story points, or work out your ratio from completed work.
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Story Points To Hours Formula
The following conditional linear model estimates person-hours of effort using an explicitly supplied team-specific ratio. It does not predict elapsed time or establish team capacity.
Variables:
- H is modeled effort in person-hours; this is not elapsed calendar time
- SP is the team’s relative story-point estimate for the work
- C is a positive empirical person-hours-per-point assumption for the same team and comparable work, not a universal unit conversion
Under this assumption, H = SP × C, and the reverse point equivalent is SP = H/C. To calculate a historical C, divide actual person-hours spent on completed items by the points for those same completed items, using consistent scope and definition of done. Nominal sprint capacity, headcount-hours and sprint duration are not measurements of actual effort on that work.
| Story Points (pt) | Person-hours (h) |
|---|---|
| ½ | 3 |
| 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 18 |
| 5 | 30 |
| 8 | 48 |
| 10 | 60 |
| 12 | 72 |
| 13 | 78 |
| 15 | 90 |
| 20 | 120 |
| 21 | 126 |
| 25 | 150 |
| 30 | 180 |
| 34 | 204 |
| 40 | 240 |
| 55 | 330 |
| 60 | 360 |
| 80 | 480 |
| 100 | 600 |
| *Illustrative 6 person-hours/point; use your own matched team assumption. | |
What does story points to hours mean?
Story points express a team’s relative estimate of work, including considerations such as effort, complexity and uncertainty. Story points are not a required Scrum unit and are not defined as a fixed number of hours. This calculator applies an optional empirical linear assumption to estimate aggregate person-hours or its arithmetic inverse. The ratio does not establish elapsed delivery time, available capacity or a commitment, and must not be used to compare people or teams.
How to Calculate Story Points To Hours?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Story Points To Hours.
- Choose person-hours from points, point equivalent from person-hours, or historical ratio from matched completed work.
- For a forward or reverse solve, supply a positive person-hours-per-point assumption C for the same team and comparable work; do not assume a universal factor.
- For calibration, enter positive completed points and actual person-hours on those same completed items, with matched scope and definition of done.
- Select Calculate: H = SP × C, SP = H/C, or C = actual matched person-hours ÷ completed points. Zero points or person-hours is allowed in the first two modes.
- Review the saved snapshot and its assumptions. Aggregate person-hours are not elapsed hours, capacity or a delivery date.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
number of story points assigned to the task or project (SP) = 5
Hypothetical team assumption C = 2 person-hours/point. For SP = 5, the model gives H = 5 × 2 = 10 person-hours. This conditional result is not a promise of elapsed completion time.
