Lead Time Calculator (Project Management)

Summary

Calculate project lead time from request date to delivery, broken down into queue time, active work time, and wait time — key lean/agile flow metrics.

How it works

1. Enter the request date (when the work was ordered or requested).
2. Enter the delivery date (when the work was completed and delivered).
3. Optionally enter queue time (days waiting before work started) and wait time (days blocked during work).
4. The calculator shows total lead time in calendar days and working days.
5. Flow efficiency is shown as the ratio of active work time to total lead time.

Use cases

• Measure end-to-end delivery time from customer request to shipped feature.
• Identify how much time is lost to queue and waiting versus actual work.
• Calculate flow efficiency to find process improvement opportunities.
• Track lead time trends across sprints or quarters.
• Communicate delivery timelines to stakeholders with component breakdowns.
• Compare lead times across project types or teams.

Frequently Asked Questions