Lead Time Calculator
Track the time span between order start and completion to improve supply chain and workflow visibility.
Lead Time Summary
Total days
10
240 hours
Business days
7
Excluding weekends
Average hours/day
24
Useful for comparing supplier performance
How to Use This Calculator
Log start and finish timestamps
Capture when the order was placed, production started, or request entered your workflow.
Toggle business days as needed
Use business days for manufacturing or procurement lead time. Use calendar days for shipping or customer lead time.
Monitor trends
Compare lead times by supplier, product line, or sprint to flag delays and negotiate improvements.
Formula
Lead Time (hours) = End Time − Start Time
Lead Time (days) = Lead Time Hours ÷ 24
Business Days = Count of weekdays between start and end
Example: Order Monday 8:00, delivery next Thursday 16:00 → 3.33 days (80 hours). Business days = 4 when skipping the weekend.
Lead Time Insights
Shorter lead times improve cash flow, minimize inventory, and boost customer satisfaction. Tracking them helps diagnose where work slows down.
- Break lead time into phases (order processing, production, transit) to target bottlenecks.
- Benchmark suppliers and negotiate SLAs based on historical data.
- Share expectations with customers by communicating average lead times and variability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if production spans multiple stages?
Record start/end for each stage and sum the durations. Visualizing a timeline helps identify where delays occur most often.
How do holidays affect business day counts?
This calculator excludes only weekends. Adjust manually for public holidays or plant shutdowns by shifting the end date.
Can I use this for software lead time?
Yes. Treat lead time as the period between a ticket entering development and being released to production.
How often should I measure lead time?
Track per order or sprint, then review monthly or quarterly to spot trends and improvement opportunities.