Labor Curve

Last updated: July 27, 2026

Labor Forecasting allows you generate a labor curve for any project and compare it against your planned roles. To generate a labor curve, input the total estimated labor hours for a project and select a distribution — Bridgit calculates how many hours or roles are needed per interval to finish on time and within budget. This data is visible on the Forecast tab of each project profile and rolls up into an account-wide Estimation Gap dashboard.

Key capabilities:

  • Generate a labor curve for any project based on estimated hours and distribution.

  • View forecasted demand by week or month, in hours or roles.

  • Identify the estimation gap — the delta between your labor forecast and planned roles.

  • See account-wide estimation gaps in the Estimation Gap report.

Eligibility

Project Forecasting is available for teams tracking their craft workforce. If you are tracking salaried profiles only, contact Support to request access.

To generate a project forecast, you will need:

  • Edit Projects permission to add or modify a forecast on a project profile

  • View Projects permission to view forecast data

How to Use

Generating a Project Forecast

  1. Navigate to Projects in the main navigation

  2. Click on a project name to open the project profile

  3. Select the Forecast tab

  4. Enter the total estimated labor hours for the project

  5. Select a labor distribution that reflects how work is spread across the project timeline

  6. Choose your preferred interval: Weekly or Monthly

  7. Choose your preferred unit: Hours or Roles

  8. Review the generated labor curve

The forecast will display how many hours or roles are needed per interval to finish the project on time and within budget.

Reading the Estimation Gap

The estimation gap is the difference between your labor curve (estimated demand) and your planned roles (planned demand).

  • Understaffed: Planned roles fall below the labor curve — the project may be at risk of falling behind schedule (numbers will appear in green on the labor curve)

  • Overstaffed: Planned roles exceed the labor curve — the project may be at risk of going over budget (numbers will appear in red on the labor curve)

To review the estimation gap across all projects, navigate to Reports > Estimation Gap in your account.

Common Questions

Q: How is the labor curve generated?

You provide the total estimated labor hours and select a distribution. Bridgit uses these inputs to calculate how many hours or roles should be planned per interval across the project duration.

Q: Can I view the forecast in both hours and roles?

Yes. Once a forecast is generated, you can toggle between hours and roles, and between weekly and monthly intervals, without re-entering your data.

Q: Who can see the Forecast tab?

Any user with View Projects permission can see forecast data. Editing or generating a forecast requires Edit Projects permission.

Q: Can I make edits to the labor hours and distribution after I've set them?

Yes. Both labor hours and the distribution type can be easily edited at any time. Select the pencil icon in the top right to edit.