Time & Action Calender Format for Production Merchants

Time and Action (TNA) calender is one of the most important tools for managing a project. In garment manufacturing each order is not less than a project to a merchant. Because, from order receiving to order completion involve number of tasks of various duration and requirement of resources. Few tasks come one after another and others move at the same time. Like number of processes, lot of people are involved to accomplish an order. Secondly each order is unique in terms of process and time demand. So, a detailed plan with well defined responsibility is must for each orders to finish it before time or on time.

What is a Time and Action Calender?

Normally merchants prepare a plan in a spreadsheet listing down key processes in one column and planned date of action for each processes is noted in another. This planning sheet is called time and action calender. Once TNA calender is made, merchant can easily list down her daily 'to do list' for the day and start doing work one by one. According to TNA schedule processes are executed on daily basis to track whether an order is on track or getting delayed. 

Now the question is "How to prepare a TNA calender in a given format for an order and How to maintain the same with less effort?" 

How to prepare a Time and Action calender?

In this article I have explained two formats used for time and action planning - one is for detailed scheduling of orders with defined responsibility and another one is for quick follow up of the multiple orders. It is not that you have to use both the formats at the same time. It depends on individuals - you can use both or one out of two. The main purpose of preparing and maintaining a TNA calender in to improve performance in managing processes as per plan. If each stage of an order is controlled then most of time you can finish an order on time. I have briefly explained how to develop these TNA calender formats and maintain the same. 

In first TNA calender format (Format 1) planning is made for single style with detailed tasks, schedules, job responsibility and remarks. Steps to be followed during making TNA calender are listed below.

Format 1: Time & Action Calender (For Single Style/Order)
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1. Create an table as the above format (Format 1) in a spreadsheet in your computer. Add  header as per your need or just copy the above format.
2. Add details of the order like, style name, style description, order receiving date, ex-factory date etc.
3. In the column "Key Processes" list down processes as per your style requirement. Go through style detailing to identify all key processes to be involved. Few processes are mentioned in tech pack and buyer comments and some processes to be understood from the style (physical sample). 
4. Do backward and forward planning for deciding planned date for the task. Take advice from respective department heads for the capacity availability and time requirement for the processes. Then add dates against the tasks. Where processes required multiple days add planned completion date. 
5. Note the name of the person or department who is responsible for the task. 
6. Keep "Actual date of start and end" column blank during TNA calender preparation.
7. Distribute printed or soft copy of final TNA calender to the all persons you have mentioned in "responsibility column.

How to Maintain a Time and Action Calender?" 

From my real life experience, I found that it is easy to make a TNA calender but maintaining the same  is very difficult task. But you have to maintain it on regular basis. Otherwise, there is no use of a TNA calender.

1. Take signature of responsible person when you distribute TNA calender to them. It is assumed that once they sign they agree on your plan. So that on later nobody shows disagreement on your plan. 
2. Take print out of each calender, make a bunch and keep it on your desk for easy access.
3. When you make days plan "To do lists" refer to the bunch of TNA calenders. At the same time update each calenders by marking done or not done on printed copy. Fill actual start and end date for the completed processes.
4. Where you find something is getting delayed notify the respective department or the person and ask for the reason for delay. And check if the delay is manageable. If any delayed process is not manageable (complete on due date), next processes will move forward. In this case you may need to make a new plan for rest of tasks.
5. Update your new plan in original TNA calender.
6. Update your spreadsheet (TNA calenders) at the end of the day. If daily update is not possible then do it as per your convenience. But it must be done on regular interval.  

Second Format

In second format (Format 2) scheduling of multiple styles is done in a single sheet. It helps you to keep eye on each order quickly. All key processes is listed in the header row with columns for start and end of the process. Against each style you have two rows for planned dates and actual dates for the tasks. This format reduces no. of sheets when a merchant handles dozens of orders. The difference is that you don't keep name of the responsible persons or departments.   

Format 2: Time & Action Calender (Multiple styles per sheet)
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The time and action calender preparation and maintaining it is same as the first format. This TNA calender format is more handy as you have carry less fewer sheet of printout than previous one.

If you like to use both format then take print out of second one only. Do all update and modifications on the this format manually. Later update TNA calender on your computer (Format 1) for easy maintaining.