GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026
Back Scheduling
Back scheduling starts from a fixed delivery deadline and works backwards through every required process step—goods receipt, production or pick-and-pack, quality checks, transport booking, customs clearance—calculating the latest permissible start time for each activity.
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Check transit time: city-to-city index
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Definition & Explanation
Back scheduling starts from a fixed delivery deadline and works backwards through every required process step—goods receipt, production or pick-and-pack, quality checks, transport booking, customs clearance—calculating the latest permissible start time for each activity. The result is a deadline-driven timeline rather than a capacity-driven one. This makes it the preferred method wherever delivery commitments are non-negotiable: Just-in-Time supply chains, project cargo with installation deadlines, or time-critical shipments. It differs from forward scheduling, which determines when work can begin given available capacity; back scheduling instead forces all lead times to align with the delivery promise. Accurate transit time and processing data are essential – any underestimate compounds across the entire chain.
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Transit index
Check transit time: city-to-city index
P50/P80 transit times for sea, air and road — sourced and confidence-rated, not a carrier quote.
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