How to read a Chinese factory production schedule
Read the schedule as a chain of tasks with conditions for starting and finishing. Check which materials are usable, what each process waits for, whether overlapping work has separate resources, and who releases inspection and packing gates. Treat dispatch as a separate milestone. Discuss the factory evidence with Cambridge China Bridge.
Ask for a schedule you can trace
Ask for each activity's planned start and finish, responsible person, preceding task and evidence of completion. Keep the agreed plan alongside actual progress and the latest forecast. A coloured bar labelled production hides too much: split it into the operations that matter for your product.
Define what the promised dispatch date means: ready for collection, collected by the carrier or leaving the port. Read this guide alongside the whole shipping lead-time plan, which covers the journey beyond the factory.
Separate purchased materials from usable materials
For each material, component and packaging item, distinguish ordered, supplier-confirmed, received, checked and allocated to your order. Ask whether the available quantity covers the planned batch and whether anything is shared with another customer's order. A purchase order or warehouse photograph alone does not establish readiness.
Ask which operation can begin with the materials available and which must wait. Record outstanding artwork, specifications and buyer approvals against the affected task. If a replacement is proposed, use the material substitution guide before treating the shortage as resolved.
Check dependencies and believable parallel work
Trace backwards from packing through assembly, finishing and component preparation, using the actual product process. Ask what must finish before each task starts. Include cooling, drying, curing or outside processing where relevant; ask the factory to explain the necessary waiting period rather than deleting it to meet a date.
Overlapping bars need an explanation. Carton preparation might run alongside component manufacture if approved details and separate resources are available. Tasks competing for the same machine, tooling or team need a capacity check. Ask which chain of dependent tasks currently controls readiness and whether a delayed task has room to move without delaying dispatch.
Make inspection gates visible
Mark checks that require a decision before work continues, such as approval of initial production pieces before the bulk run. Record what will be checked, which batch it covers, who decides and what evidence permits the next operation. An inspection appointment is a planned activity; it is not an approval.
Agree the shipment's inspection readiness with the inspector, including access to goods and the packing state needed for the checks. Show time for reporting, corrective work and any recheck before release. Use the quality inspection guide for inspection scope rather than treating a schedule entry as a quality result.
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Separate packing completion from dispatch
Ask whether packing complete means all intended units are in their final packaging, labels and carton marks are checked, quantities are reconciled, and packed weights and dimensions are available. Keep inspection release and packing completion as distinct statuses. Their order depends on the agreed inspection scope; reopening cartons can create further packing work.
Review the handover milestones separately and ask for evidence tied to your order. If a forecast changes, trace its effect through dependent tasks instead of simply moving the final date. The factory delay recovery guide covers decisions once a milestone has slipped.
| Milestone | What to verify | What remains separate |
|---|---|---|
| Production complete | The intended batch has finished its manufacturing operations | Inspection release and final packing |
| Inspection released | The agreed decision-maker has accepted the inspection outcome and closed required actions | Outstanding packing or repacking |
| Packing complete | Final cartons, quantities, marks and shipment measurements are confirmed | Carrier collection |
| Carrier collection | A collection record identifies the goods handed over | Port departure and delivery |
Frequently asked questions
Does materials ordered mean production can start?
Ask whether the materials are received, checked and allocated to your batch. Identify which operations can start now and which still depend on missing components or approvals.
Can factory production tasks run at the same time?
Yes, where their inputs are ready and resources allow it. Ask what enables the overlap and whether the tasks share a machine, tooling or team.
Does an inspection date mean goods are ready to ship?
No. The goods must be ready for the agreed checks, the outcome reviewed and required actions closed. Packing and collection may still be outstanding.
What does a factory dispatch date actually mean?
Ask the factory to define it in writing. Ready for collection, carrier collection and port departure are different milestones. Request evidence for the milestone being promised.