---
title: "Space calculator"
url: https://doorjames.com/tools/office-space-calculator/
language: en
updated: 2026-09-22
type: calculator
section: resources
description: "Calculate from headcount, peak day attendance, area per workstation and rent how many desks are needed and what a lower ratio saves per year."
translations: de=https://doorjames.com/de/rechner/flaechenbedarf/
formats: https://doorjames.com/tools/office-space-calculator/index.md https://doorjames.com/tools/office-space-calculator/index.json https://doorjames.com/tools/office-space-calculator/index.jsonld
bookDemo: https://meet.doorjames.app/public-schedule/99469a6d66d20f7fdd5ee19182a8f8bd (30 min, Microsoft Teams)
---

# How many desks does your location need?

> This calculator estimates from four inputs how many desks a location actually needs and what rent a desk sharing ratio below 1.0 saves. The decisive figure is attendance on the peak day, not the average – planning by the average creates shortages exactly on the days when teams want to come together.

Four numbers are enough for a first estimate: employees, peak day attendance, square metres per desk and rent.

## How the calculation works

The number of desks needed is employees multiplied by peak day attendance, rounded up. The desk sharing ratio is that number divided by total headcount. Space equals desks times square metres per desk, and the annual saving is the difference to full provision multiplied by area, rent and twelve months.

## Why the average misleads

The average describes a typical week, not the bottleneck. An organization with 55 per cent average and 75 per cent peak attendance needs desks for 75 per cent. Planning by the average leaves 20 per cent of people without a desk every Tuesday – and the concept loses the workforce's support within weeks.

## What the calculator cannot do

It does not replace a space analysis. It ignores meeting and social areas, refurbishment cost, lease terms and the question of whether reduced space can actually be given back. It answers one question: what order of magnitude are we talking about? For everything else you need measured data – for example from a pilot with [workplace analytics](../../features/workplace-analytics/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How do we find peak day attendance?

From access data, Wi-Fi logins or a pilot phase with a booking system. Surveys systematically overestimate attendance.

### What area per workstation is realistic?

Depending on office concept and country typically between 8 and 15 m² including a share of ancillary and circulation space. Your own space data is more reliable than any benchmark.

### Does the calculator include meeting rooms?

No. It looks at desk space only. Meeting, social and ancillary areas usually stay constant or even grow when desks are reduced.

### What about licence cost?

At EUR 2 per authorized user per month, a site with 500 employees costs EUR 12,000 per year. Compare that figure with the calculated saving.

## Related pages

- [Desk sharing concept](https://doorjames.com/guides/desk-sharing-concept/)
- [Workplace analytics](https://doorjames.com/features/workplace-analytics/)
- [For leadership](https://doorjames.com/solutions/leadership-and-real-estate/)

---
Door James by CGI · https://doorjames.com · doorjames.support@cgi.com