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Overview

Time blocks allow you to define precise non-working hours within your project timeline. This feature is especially powerful when using Hour Mode, enabling you to model real-world availability constraints and optimize resource allocation.
Time blocks work seamlessly with both Date Mode and Hour Mode. In Hour Mode, you can achieve millisecond precision in your project planning.

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Understanding Time Blocks

Time blocks represent periods when work cannot be performed, such as:
  • Lunch breaks
  • After-hours periods
  • Team meeting times
  • Maintenance windows
  • Personal availability constraints

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Defining Non-Working Hours

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Basic Configuration

  1. Navigate to the Configuration panel
  2. Select the Time Blocks section
  3. Click Add Time Block
  4. Define your non-working period:
    • Start time
    • End time
    • Days of week (optional)
    • Label (e.g., “Lunch Break”, “After Hours”)

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Default Non-Working Hours

A typical workday configuration might look like: 
{
  "timeBlocks": [
    {
      "label": "Before Work",
      "start": "00:00",
      "end": "09:00",
      "days": ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri"]
    },
    {
      "label": "Lunch Break",
      "start": "12:00",
      "end": "13:00",
      "days": ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri"]
    },
    {
      "label": "After Hours",
      "start": "18:00",
      "end": "23:59",
      "days": ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri"]
    },
    {
      "label": "Weekend",
      "start": "00:00",
      "end": "23:59",
      "days": ["Sat", "Sun"]
    }
  ]
}
Start with a standard 9-5 workday template and customize it based on your team’s actual schedule. This ensures realistic timeline calculations from day one.

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Custom Time Blocks for Availability

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Individual Availability Patterns

Different team members may have unique availability:
  • Part-time employees: Define their working hours precisely
  • Contractors: Model limited availability windows
  • Global teams: Account for timezone differences
  • Flexible schedules: Support various work arrangements

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Creating Person-Specific Time Blocks

  1. Select a team member from your project
  2. Click Add Personal Time Block
  3. Define their specific non-working hours
  4. The system will automatically adjust tasks assigned to them
// Example: Part-time developer working mornings only
{
  "assignee": "Sarah Chen",
  "timeBlocks": [
    {
      "label": "Afternoon Unavailable",
      "start": "13:00",
      "end": "23:59",
      "days": ["Mon", "Wed", "Fri"]
    }
  ]
}
Personal time blocks override global time blocks. This allows you to create general rules while accommodating individual exceptions.

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Multiple Time Block Configurations

Manage different scheduling scenarios with multiple configuration profiles:

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Configuration Profiles

Standard Operations
  • Regular business hours
  • Standard lunch breaks
  • Normal team availability
Crunch Time
  • Extended working hours
  • Reduced break times
  • Increased availability
Maintenance Mode
  • Limited system access
  • Restricted work periods
  • Extended non-working blocks

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Switching Between Configurations

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Time Block Profiles
  2. Select from your saved profiles
  3. Click Apply Profile
  4. Timeline automatically recalculates
Create seasonal profiles (summer hours, holiday schedule) in advance and switch between them as needed.

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Use Cases for Time Exclusions

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Software Development Teams

Daily Stand-ups and Meetings 
{
  "label": "Daily Stand-up",
  "start": "09:00",
  "end": "09:30",
  "days": ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri"]
}
Focus Time Protection 
{
  "label": "Deep Work - No Interruptions",
  "start": "14:00",
  "end": "17:00",
  "days": ["Tue", "Thu"]
}

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Healthcare Facilities

Shift Transitions 
{
  "label": "Shift Handover",
  "start": "07:00",
  "end": "07:30",
  "days": ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri", "Sat", "Sun"]
}

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Manufacturing Operations

Equipment Maintenance Windows 
{
  "label": "Preventive Maintenance",
  "start": "22:00",
  "end": "06:00",
  "days": ["Fri"]
}

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Global Teams

Timezone Overlap Windows 
{
  "label": "APAC Team Offline",
  "start": "00:00",
  "end": "08:00",
  "days": ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu", "Fri"]
}

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Impact on Hour Mode

When using Hour Mode, time blocks enable millisecond-precise planning:

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Automatic Task Scheduling

  • Tasks automatically flow around time blocks
  • Duration calculations exclude blocked periods
  • Resource allocation respects availability constraints
  • Dependencies adjust intelligently

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Visual Timeline Display

In Hour Mode, you’ll see:
  • Blocked periods with distinctive shading
  • Clear boundaries between working and non-working hours
  • Task bars that intelligently wrap around blocks
  • Hover tooltips explaining each time block
The precision of Hour Mode combined with time blocks makes it invaluable for intensive projects with tight deadlines and complex coordination requirements.

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Advanced Features

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Recurring Time Blocks

Set up patterns that repeat:
  • Daily: Same time every day
  • Weekly: Specific days each week
  • Bi-weekly: Every other week pattern
  • Monthly: First Monday, last Friday, etc.

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Temporary Time Blocks

For one-time events:
  • Conference attendance
  • Training sessions
  • Team building events
  • Client presentations

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Exception Handling

Create exceptions to your time blocks for special circumstances. For example, enable work during a normally blocked time for a critical deadline.
  1. Right-click on a time block
  2. Select Add Exception
  3. Specify the date and modified hours
  4. Exception will override the standard block for that day only

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Managing Time Blocks

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Best Practices

  1. Model reality: Configure blocks to match actual team behavior
  2. Communicate clearly: Label blocks descriptively
  3. Review regularly: Update blocks as team patterns change
  4. Test impact: Review timeline after adding blocks to verify results
  5. Document exceptions: Keep notes on any special case handling

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Bulk Operations

  • Duplicate blocks: Copy common patterns across days
  • Import/Export: Share time block configurations between projects
  • Template library: Save frequently used configurations
  • Batch edit: Modify multiple blocks simultaneously

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Visual Management

The timeline view provides visual feedback:
  • Color-coded blocks for different categories
  • Opacity variations for different priority levels
  • Pattern fills for recurring vs. one-time blocks
  • Interactive tooltips with block details

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Performance Considerations

Time blocks are calculated in real-time as you edit your timeline. For optimal performance with large projects (100+ tasks), keep time blocks simple and avoid excessive overlap.

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Optimization Tips

  1. Use broader blocks when possible (e.g., “After Hours” instead of multiple small blocks)
  2. Consolidate similar blocks into single entries
  3. Remove unused or expired time blocks
  4. Archive old configurations rather than accumulating many profiles

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Integration with Other Features

Time blocks work seamlessly with:
  • Date Exclusions: Compound effect for maximum accuracy
  • Team Colors: Visual distinction of who’s affected
  • Export Functions: Include time blocks in exported data
  • LocalStorage Auto-save: Configurations persist automatically

Excluding Dates

Configure date-level exclusions like holidays and weekends

Customization

Personalize colors, themes, and visual settings

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