MES & Shop FloorFree worksheetPDF, Excel, Word exportTextile & Apparel

Apparel Time and Action (TNA) Calendar Worksheet

A time and action calendar lists every milestone between order confirmation and shipment, with an owner and a date. This worksheet adds planned and actual durations so that the net delay is visible, and exports to Excel for the order file.

Download:

Milestone	Owner	Planned finish	Actual finish	Planned days	Actual days	Variance (days)	Status
						2
						0
						-28
						-4
						-14
						-39

Total planned days

Total actual days so far

Net variance (days)

-83

Variance as percent of planned days

-83.8%

Includes unstarted milestones with zero actual days, so read it as a rough guide only.

Enter actual days only for finished milestones, otherwise variance will look favourable. Work backwards from the ship date when you set planned finish dates. Update the sheet weekly and review late milestones in a standing meeting.

Want TNA actuals pulled from your ERP?

We can review how order milestones could update from purchase and production order events.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the worksheet

Start from the ship date and work backwards through packing, final inspection, sewing, cutting, fabric arrival and sample approvals. Enter each milestone with its owner, planned finish and planned days. When a task finishes, record the actual date and the actual days, and set the status. The variance column calculates the difference, and totals show the net slip. Export weekly for the merchandising meeting.

Plan backwards from ship date
Give every milestone one owner
Record actuals only when finished
Flag late status early
Review in a weekly meeting

Why TNA plans slip

Most delay starts early: late sample approvals, slow lab dips and late fabric delivery push every later date. Long lead items, such as imported fabric or special trims, set the critical path. A realistic TNA includes buffer before final inspection and ship date, and it flags the milestone whose slip will move the shipment. If one task slips, replan the dates behind it at once rather than leaving the original dates in place.

Mistakes and ERP notes

Common mistakes are copying the same template dates to every order, leaving finished tasks open, and keeping separate TNAs per department. In an ERP, many milestones correspond to purchase order receipts, production order starts and completions, and shipment dates. Use those system dates as the actuals, so that the TNA is not retyped by hand and cannot drift from reality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a TNA in garment manufacturing?

TNA means time and action. It is a plan that lists each step of an order, from sampling and sourcing to cutting, sewing and shipping, with dates and owners. It helps the team see delays before they reach the ship date.

How far ahead should I plan?

Plan from order confirmation to ship date, building backwards from the latest acceptable shipment. Include lead times for imported fabric, testing and approvals, since these usually set the critical path for the whole order.

How often should it be updated?

At least weekly, and immediately when a critical milestone slips. A TNA that is updated only at month end hides delays until recovery options such as overtime or air freight are the only ones left.

Can I add more milestones?

Yes. Add rows for testing, wash approvals, embroidery or printing, and buyer inspections. Keep each row small enough to have a single owner and a clear done criterion.

If your TNA is maintained by hand while the ERP already holds the dates, we can look at pulling actuals automatically.

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