Delivery dates
Free agile delivery tool
Lead Time Calculator
Lead time is the total elapsed time from a request entering your system to its completion. Calculate it here, then see how much was queue time versus active cycle time.
Live result
Your delivery flow
Total lead time
9days
Sep 1, 2026 to Sep 10, 2026, measured in calendar days.
Queue time
2 days
Cycle time
7 days
Flow efficiency
77.8%
Lead time breakdownQueue + cycle
Queue timeActive cycle time
Most of this delivery window was active cycle time. Track several items over time before treating one result as a trend.
Lead time formula
Lead time = completion date - request date
The same period can also be expressed as queue time plus cycle time. That split makes delays visible instead of hiding them inside one total.
Use a stable definition of done
Choose the same finish point for every item, such as released to production or available to customers. Mixing code-complete and released dates makes trend comparisons unreliable.
Lead time questions
How do you calculate lead time?
Lead time is the elapsed time from when work is requested until it is completed. Subtract the request date from the completion date, using either calendar days or working days consistently.
What is the difference between lead time and cycle time?
Lead time starts when a request enters the system. Cycle time starts when active work begins. Lead time therefore includes both waiting time and active work time.
What is queue time?
Queue time is the time between the request date and the date active work begins. A large queue time often points to too much work in progress, handoff delays, or limited capacity.
What is flow efficiency?
Flow efficiency is cycle time divided by total lead time, multiplied by 100. It estimates how much of the delivery window was spent in active work rather than waiting.
Should agile teams use calendar days or business days?
Either can work if the team uses one convention consistently. Calendar days reflect customer wait time, while business days make internal working-time comparisons easier.
Turn delivery insight into better roadmap decisions
FeatureVote helps product teams collect customer feedback, prioritize requests, and close the loop when work ships.
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