Real-world workflow
Use CaseCalculate an SLA Deadline in Business Days
Work out support or contract SLA due dates using business days, weekends, and optional holidays — not raw calendar days.
The problem
A ticket lands Friday afternoon with a “respond within 3 business days” target. Counting three calendar days lands on Monday and is wrong. Counting Monday–Wednesday without checking a Monday holiday is also wrong. SLA math fails when weekends, holidays, and start-day rules are mixed up.
Who this is for
Support leads, customer success, ops, and anyone translating an SLA sentence into a due date on a calendar.
Steps
- Confirm the policy uses business days (not calendar days). If unsure, read Calendar Days vs Business Days.
- Note whether counting starts the same day or the next business day.
- Open the Business Days Calculator.
- Enter the start date and the number of business days.
- Add any applicable holidays from your company or jurisdiction list.
- Record the resulting due date next to the ticket ID and the SLA clause you used.
Example
Received Friday 7 August. Policy: three business days, starting the next business day, Monday–Friday, no holidays.
- Day 1: Monday 10 August
- Day 2: Tuesday 11 August
- Day 3: Wednesday 12 August
If Monday is a holiday, the due date shifts later by one business day.
Related tools
- Add Days to Date — only when the SLA truly uses calendar days
- Date Difference — measure how many days have already elapsed
- Date & Time Ops hub
Frequently Asked Questions
Are SLA days always business days?
No. Some SLAs use calendar days. Read the contract or policy before excluding weekends.
Does the calculator know my company holidays?
Only if you add them. Global tools cannot infer every regional or employer holiday list.
Does day one start today or tomorrow?
Follow the SLA wording. Many clocks start the next business day after the ticket is received.