Nova Post Automates Staff Shift Scheduling at 13K+ Post Offices

To replace intuition with data, we first had to reverse-engineer. We took Nova Post's Excel sheets, unraveled shift calculation patterns, and understood how the teams made decisions. Then, we turned all that into structured algorithms. Data came from everywhere: files, internal databases, and manual inputs. But once we cracked the system’s hidden logic, we started building one of our own.

Once the logic was clear, we built the engine, following Nova Post’s requirements. During the first year, we developed the core system that could handle their core planning needs, calculating shift schedules for thousands of employees across the country.

Users simply selected a city, a post office, and target hours. The system did the rest: productivity estimates, shift loads, headcount, and working hours. Behind the curtains, it used historical data and adjusted calculations for each branch’s unique rhythm.

With the system in place, we started scaling it with more coefficients. Admins could now set up specific formulas for each post office individually – a crucial upgrade for non-standard cases.

For example, some post offices in small villages had limited working hours due to low traffic. Others, especially in big cities or near highways, operated longer shifts and required more staff. We ensured that every schedule could be manually fine-tuned to match the local workload and opening hours.

Once the system was ready, Nova Post took the lead in testing. With years of Excel experience behind them, their team knew exactly what results to expect and helped us validate every formula.

We rolled out the tool to all 13,208 post offices at once, which came with its share of challenges. For example, processing large volumes of data could take over 6 hours. To make it faster, our backend developers optimized the system by splitting data and refining the architecture.

Today the system runs smoothly in real time. Most calculations take just a few minutes, and even the largest data loads that cover all 13K+ of post offices complete in under 4 hours.

After releasing the shift planning system for post offices, we continued to follow Nova Post’s vision and extended the system with a dedicated module for delivery services, built directly into the core platform. Designed specifically for couriers, this tool calculates traffic, delivery volumes, workload by city districts, and related delivery costs.

Now the system supports workforce planning across the entire company, serving 38K employees with accurate schedules.