Business operations concept · updated August 9, 2026
Capacity Buffer
A capacity buffer is deliberately unallocated capacity held in reserve to absorb unplanned or urgent work without derailing committed plans.
Example
A team plans to only 85% of its available hours each week, leaving room to absorb an urgent client request without slipping every other deadline.
Why it matters
Planning to full capacity looks efficient on paper but leaves no room for the unplanned work that predictably occurs, which is what a buffer protects against.
Limits and cautions
Too large a buffer wastes capacity that could go to planned work; the right size depends on how much unplanned demand a team actually sees.
Relevance to Stelaah
Stelaah's capacity planning views can show planned utilization against total capacity, making an intentional buffer visible rather than accidental.
This connection describes product intent, not a guarantee that every plan or workflow supports every related capability.