Points and scales
An estimate can be calculated in hours or in points. In Points mode you enter items as numbers on your team's scale, and Dead Point derives the timeline and the cost from the team's velocity and cost. No hourly rate is needed.
Turn on points
Section titled “Turn on points”- Open the estimate and go to the Settings tab
- In the Calculation mode section, set Mode to Points (instead of Hours)
- Choose a scale in Point scale: the field appears in points mode only
- Fill in the Points pricing section: see "Velocity and team cost" below
Scales
Section titled “Scales”Point scale offers four scales. An item takes its value from the dropdown of its scale:
| Scale | Values |
|---|---|
| Linear | 0 to 10, then 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 100 |
| Fibonacci | 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 |
| Exponential | 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 (powers of two) |
| T-shirt | XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL |
T-shirt sizes are numbers underneath: XS is 1, S is 2, M is 3, L is 5, XL is 8, 2XL is 13, 3XL is 21. There is nothing above 3XL.
Velocity and team cost
Section titled “Velocity and team cost”The Points pricing section connects points to money and time:
| Field | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Team cost per month | What the team costs per month |
| Average working days per month | The divisor for the daily cost |
| Team velocity per cycle (points) | How many points the team finishes per cycle. On the T-shirt scale the field is called Team velocity per cycle and you pick a size |
| Working days per cycle | Cycle (sprint) length in working days |
| Risk buffer (%) | A markup on the effort for the unexpected. 15% by default |
Dead Point calculates the rest and shows it read-only in the Derived metrics section:
- Team cost per day: team cost per month divided by average working days
- Team cost per cycle: daily cost multiplied by working days per cycle
- Derived point rate: cost per cycle divided by velocity per cycle
- Throughput per day: velocity per cycle divided by working days per cycle
Starting values come from the workspace settings. A changed field is marked Overridden in this estimate, and the Reset to workspace default button brings the workspace value back.
How timeline and cost are calculated
Section titled “How timeline and cost are calculated”- Effort with buffer is the points plus the risk buffer: at 15%, 13 points become 13 × 1.15 = 14.95
- Cost of the effort is the effort with buffer multiplied by the point rate
- Timeline in working days is the effort with buffer divided by throughput per day, rounded up
- Completion date counts from the start date on the working-days calendar: weekends and holidays do not count
Example
Section titled “Example”The team costs 4000 EUR per month, a month has 20 working days. A cycle is 10 working days, and the team finishes 20 points per cycle.
| Metric | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per day | 4000 / 20 | 200 EUR |
| Cost per cycle | 200 × 10 | 2000 EUR |
| Point rate | 2000 / 20 | 100 EUR |
| Throughput per day | 20 / 10 | 2 points |
The risk buffer is 15%. A 13-point task counts as 13 × 1.15 = 14.95 points. Cost: 14.95 × 100 = 1495 EUR. Timeline: 14.95 / 2 = 7.475, rounded up to 8 working days.
What the client sees
Section titled “What the client sees”The client report shows the effort in points, not in hours, for example "13 SP".