How to Build a Production Schedule for Your Craft Business
How to build a craft production schedule: order list, task times, batching, daily capacity and deadlines, with a weekly plan.
In this guide
When orders pile up, a schedule keeps you on time and stops late nights. This guide shows how to time tasks, batch work and plan deadlines, plus how to know when your prices are too low for your capacity.
- Time each task, then batch similar tasks together.
- Know your daily capacity in hours.
- Schedule from the deadline backward.
- If you are always booked, your prices may be too low.
Why a schedule protects profit
Late orders bring refunds and bad reviews.
Batching saves setup time, which raises your real hourly pay.
The steps
1. List orders and deadlines
One place for all orders.
2. Time each task
Cut, weed, press, pack.
3. Batch similar tasks
Do all cutting, then all pressing.
4. Set daily hours
Be honest about your time.
5. Work back from deadlines
Leave a buffer for mistakes.
Worked example: time per item for three products
$20 an hour, 10% overhead, 30% profit and 10% fees. Time is per item when batched.
| HTV shirt | Engraved tumbler | Sticker pack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6.00 | $9.00 | $2.00 |
| Labor at $20.00/hr | 0.33 hr = $6.60 | 0.25 hr = $5.00 | 0.15 hr = $3.00 |
| Overhead (10%) | $1.26 | $1.40 | $0.50 |
| Cost to make | $13.86 | $15.40 | $5.50 |
| Plus 30% profit | $18.02 | $20.02 | $7.15 |
| Cover 10% selling fees (divide by 0.90) | $20.02 | $22.24 | $7.94 |
| Suggested price | $21 | $23 | $8 |
Timing each task shows how many items fit in a day.
Sample weekly plan
| Day | Task | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Cut and weed all HTV orders | 4 |
| Tuesday | Press shirts, engrave tumblers | 4 |
| Wednesday | Print and cut stickers | 3 |
| Thursday | Pack and ship | 3 |
| Friday | Buffer, custom orders and admin | 3 |
Batching like this cuts setup time between tasks.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- No buffer time. Leave room for mistakes.
- Switching tasks all day. Batch similar work.
- Taking every order. Know your capacity.
- No timing data. Time tasks for a week.
Schedule checklist
- Order list.
- Task times.
- Batching.
- Daily hours.
- Deadlines.
- Buffer.
Plan production deadlines
Type your orders, task times and hours into the peach cells. The planner shows what is due and when.
Get the Production Schedule PlannerCalculators that help
- Cycle time: Time each task. Use the Production Time & Cycle Time Calculator – Minutes per Item, Order Hours & Labor.
- Capacity: See how many you can make. Use the Production Capacity Calculator – How Many Products Can I Make per Day, Week & Month.
- Batch size: Find the best batch size. Use the Batch Size & Setup Optimizer – Best Batch Size, Cost per Item & Setup Savings.
- Hire a helper: See when to hire. Use the Hire a Helper Calculator – Should I Hire Help? Helper Cost, Profit & Break-Even Wage.
Common questions
How do I make a production schedule?
List orders, time tasks, batch work and schedule back from deadlines.
What is batching?
Doing the same task for many orders at once.
How much buffer should I leave?
Often 10% to 20% of your time.
What if I am always booked?
Consider raising prices.
When should I hire help?
When you turn down orders often.
How do I time tasks?
Use a timer for a week.
Get every calculator in one download
The Lifetime Spreadsheet Vault includes this calculator and 320+ more for candles, tumblers, vinyl, resin, baking, crochet, laser and more. Pay once, and every future spreadsheet is included.
See the Lifetime VaultRelated guides
Lifetime Spreadsheet Vault
Stop guessing your prices. For every craft you sell.
- 323+ editable pricing spreadsheets in 29 craft categories
- Type your numbers in the peach cells. The math is done.
- Works in Google Sheets, Excel and Numbers
- Pay once. Every future spreadsheet is included.
