Panel Schedule Template and Generator
28,400 VA connected. A: 14,950 VA, B: 13,450 VA. Imbalance 10.0%.
- Total connected load
- 28,400 VA
- Phase A
- 14,950 VA
- Phase B
- 13,450 VA
- Imbalance (highest vs. lowest phase)
- 10.0%
- Spaces used
- 11 of 30
| Circuit | Description | Breaker | A (VA) | B (VA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kitchen receptacles | 20 A / 1P | 1,500 | |
| 2 | Kitchen receptacles | 20 A / 1P | 1,500 | |
| 3 | Microwave | 20 A / 1P | 1,500 | |
| 4 | Dishwasher | 15 A / 1P | 1,200 | |
| 5-7 | Range | 50 A / 2P | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| 6-8 | Dryer | 30 A / 2P | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| 9-11 | Water heater | 30 A / 2P | 2,250 | 2,250 |
| 10 | Lighting | 15 A / 1P | 1,200 |
A panel schedule is the table that lists every circuit in a panelboard: its number, what it feeds, the breaker size and poles, and the load it puts on each phase, with the panel's ratings in a header and phase totals at the bottom. The generator below builds one you can print for the panel door or attach to the drawings.
Choose the panel type (120/240 V single-phase, 208Y/120 V or 480Y/277 V three-phase), the number of spaces and the main breaker. Enter each circuit's description, breaker size, poles and load. The generator lays out odd circuits on the left and even on the right, totals the load on each phase, and you can print it or save it as a PDF from your browser.
What a panel schedule must show
NEC 408.4(A) requires every circuit and circuit modification to be legibly identified by its clear, evident and specific purpose or use, with enough detail to tell it apart from every other circuit. The directory must be on the panel face or inside the door. Descriptions can't depend on things that will change, like a tenant's name or "Bob's room."
A useful schedule includes:
- Panel name, location and the source it's fed from (408.4(B) requires this for panels in other than one- and two-family dwellings).
- Voltage, phase and wire configuration.
- Main breaker or main lug rating, and the bus rating.
- Available fault current / AIC rating where required.
- Each circuit: number, description (for example, "Kitchen countertop receptacles – east wall"), breaker size and poles, and connected load in VA.
- Phase totals and the total connected load, so the next electrician can see how the panel is balanced.
Template fields
| Section | Fields |
|---|---|
| Header | Panel name, location, fed from, voltage, phase and wires, bus rating, main breaker or main lugs only (MLO), short-circuit (AIC) rating, surface or flush mounting, enclosure type, feeder size |
| Circuit rows | Circuit number, description, load type, VA on each phase, breaker trip and poles, wire size, notes (AFCI, GFCI, shunt trip, lock-on) |
| Footer | Connected VA per phase, amps per phase, total connected kVA, demand kVA if calculated, spares and spaces |
How to read a panel schedule
On engineered drawings, the panel schedule is laid out like the panel itself: odd circuits in the left column reading down, even circuits in the right column, with the phase letter or load columns in the middle. Read each row across: circuit 7, "Receptacles – Room 104", 20 A 1-pole, 12 AWG, 1,080 VA on phase A. A 2-pole or 3-pole breaker occupies consecutive odd (or even) numbers, such as 13-15 or 14-16-18, and its load is split across the phases it touches. The footer totals are what the engineer used to size the feeder; the demand load from the load calculation is usually lower than the connected total.
Circuit numbering
Circuits are numbered top to bottom, odd on the left and even on the right. Each horizontal pair shares a phase:
- Single-phase 120/240 V: circuits 1 and 2 on leg A, 3 and 4 on leg B, 5 and 6 on A, and so on. A 2-pole breaker on 1-3 connects to A and B.
- Three-phase 208Y/120 V or 480Y/277 V: 1 and 2 on A, 3 and 4 on B, 5 and 6 on C, 7 and 8 back on A. A 3-pole breaker on 1-3-5 connects to A, B and C.
Some manufacturers number sequentially down one side; follow the numbers stamped on the panel deadfront and keep the schedule consistent with them.
How to balance a panel
In a single-phase 120/240 V panel, vertically adjacent spaces alternate between the two phase legs (A and B). The goal is to keep the connected load on each leg roughly equal so neither leg carries far more current than the other, and so the neutral carries as little unbalanced current as possible.
- List every circuit with its load in VA.
- Place 240 V two-pole loads first; they load both legs equally.
- Distribute the 120 V circuits, alternating large loads between A and B.
- Check the totals: a difference of more than about 10–15% between legs is worth rearranging.
In three-phase panels, circuits rotate through A, B and C. The generator does the rotation and shows the phase totals as you type.
Worked example: single-phase 120/240 V
The 240 V loads (range 12,000 VA, dryer 5,000 VA, water heater 4,500 VA, air conditioner 5,000 VA) split evenly: 13,250 VA on each leg. The 120 V circuits were landed as they came:
| Leg A | Leg B | |
|---|---|---|
| 240 V loads (half each) | 13,250 VA | 13,250 VA |
| 120 V circuits | 2 kitchen, microwave, laundry, bath: 5 × 1,500 = 7,500 VA | Dishwasher 1,200, disposal 800, lighting 1,200 and 1,000: 4,200 VA |
| Total | 20,750 VA | 17,450 VA |
Treating the range and dryer as pure 240 V loads (their small 120 V clock, light and motor loads are ignored here), only the 120 V circuits put current on the neutral: 7,500 ÷ 120 = 62.5 A on A against 4,200 ÷ 120 = 35.0 A on B, so the neutral carries the 27.5 A difference at full connected load. Moving the bath circuit (1,500 VA) to a leg-B space gives 6,000 VA and 5,700 VA of 120 V load, leg totals of 19,250 VA and 18,950 VA, and an unbalanced neutral current of only (6,000 − 5,700) ÷ 120 = 2.5 A.
Worked example: three-phase 208Y/120 V
| Circuit | Load | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3-5 | RTU-1, 3-pole, 15,000 VA | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| 7-9 | Water heater, 2-pole 208 V, 4,500 VA | 2,250 | 2,250 | |
| 11 | Lighting | 1,800 | ||
| 2 | Receptacles, 8 × 180 VA | 1,440 | ||
| 4 | Receptacles, 7 × 180 VA | 1,260 | ||
| 6 | Sign | 1,200 | ||
| 8 | Lighting | 1,600 | ||
| 10 | Lighting | 1,000 | ||
| 12-14 | Unit heater, 2-pole 208 V, 2,000 VA | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Total | 11,290 | 9,510 | 9,000 |
The average is 29,800 ÷ 3 = 9,933 VA per phase, and phase A is 13.7% above it (11,290 ÷ 120 = 94.1 A against 79.3 A on B and 75.0 A on C). Moving the circuit-2 receptacles to circuit 18, a C-phase space, gives 9,850 / 9,510 / 10,440 VA (82.1, 79.3 and 87.0 A), and the worst phase is now 5.1% from the average.
What inspectors look for
- A complete, legible directory with every circuit identified by specific purpose, including spares (408.4(A)).
- The source of supply marked on panels in other than one- and two-family dwellings (408.4(B)).
- Schedule matches the panel: breaker sizes, poles and circuit numbers on the directory agree with what is installed.
- Handle ties or common-trip breakers on multiwire branch circuits, and AFCI or GFCI protection where the schedule says it is.
- Available fault current marking where required, and a panel and breaker short-circuit rating that meets it.
Tips for inspection-ready labels
- Use locations and uses, not people: "Primary bedroom receptacles," not "Mom's room."
- Name dedicated appliances: "Dishwasher," "Range," "EV charger – garage."
- Mark spares and spaces as SPARE (breaker installed) or SPACE (no breaker).
- Note AFCI and GFCI protection on the directory; it helps with troubleshooting.
- Print on durable stock or use a label that holds up to heat inside the panel door.
Frequently asked questions
Is a panel schedule required by code?
Yes. NEC 408.4(A) requires a circuit directory that identifies every circuit's specific purpose. Engineered projects also include a panel schedule on the drawings.
What's the difference between a circuit directory and a panel schedule?
A circuit directory is the label on the panel door listing what each breaker feeds. An engineering panel schedule adds breaker ratings, loads, phase balancing and totals, and is usually part of the construction drawings.
How balanced does a panel need to be?
The NEC does not set a percentage. A common design target is keeping each phase within about 10–15% of the others, but the real limits are the feeder and neutral ampacity and the main rating.
Can I download the template in Excel?
Not yet. Use your browser's print command to save the schedule as a PDF for the panel door.
Does the generator work for 3-phase panels?
Yes. Choose 208Y/120 V or 480Y/277 V and it rotates circuits through phases A, B and C.
Related
Bidding the whole service or panel change? SparkQuote reads the panel schedules on your PDF drawings and turns the panel, breakers, feeders and labor into a priced proposal. See the electrical estimator.
Last updated: October 6, 2026. Based on NEC 2023 Article 408. Check results against the code edition and local amendments your jurisdiction enforces and with the AHJ; electrical work should be done by qualified people.