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Cycle Time Report

Analyze how long projects take to move through key phases of your business, from first appointment to project completion.

Accessing the Report​

Reports > General > Cycle Time

Report Types​

The Cycle Time Report offers three different views, each measuring a different phase of the project lifecycle:

TabWhat It MeasuresStart DateEnd Date
1st Appointment to WonSales cycle durationFirst sales appointmentProject won/closed date
Won to StartPre-production lead timeProject won/closed dateProduction start date
Start to FinishProduction durationProduction start dateSubstantial completion date

1st Appointment to Won​

Measures the sales cycle - how long from the first customer appointment until the project is sold.

  • Start: Date of first sales appointment (earliest activity with "1st Appt" subcategory)
  • End: Actual close date (when project was won)
  • Use case: Evaluate sales process efficiency, identify long sales cycles
tip

The first appointment date is automatically tracked when you log an activity with the 1st Appt subcategory. See First Appointment Tracking for details on how this works.

Won to Start​

Measures pre-production time - how long between selling a project and beginning construction.

  • Start: Actual close date (when project was won)
  • End: Production job start date
  • Use case: Track permitting delays, design completion, scheduling backlog

Start to Finish​

Measures production duration - how long construction takes from start to substantial completion.

  • Start: Production job start date
  • End: Substantial completion date
  • Use case: Track construction efficiency, compare to contract timelines
note

The Substantial Completion Date is automatically set when a project moves to the "Complete" production stage. See Substantial Completion for details.

Metrics Displayed​

For each opportunity type, the report shows monthly data with these metrics:

ColumnDescription
# ProjectsCount of projects completed that month (clickable for details)
Avg Job SizeAverage sold amount of projects in that month
Avg DaysAverage cycle time in days
Median DaysMiddle value when sorted (less affected by outliers)
YTD Rolling AvgCumulative average through each month

Understanding Average vs. Median​

Average (Mean): Sum of all values divided by count

  • Useful for overall trends
  • Can be skewed by outliers (one very long project)

Median: The middle value when sorted

  • More representative of "typical" experience
  • Better for customer quotes and expectations

Example:

5 projects with cycle times: 10, 15, 20, 25, 80 days
Average: 30 days (skewed by the 80-day outlier)
Median: 20 days (true middle value)

Use median when quoting timelines to customers.

YTD Rolling Average​

The YTD Rolling Average column shows the cumulative average through each month:

  • January shows January's average
  • February shows the average of January + February
  • Continues accumulating through December

This helps identify trends - is your cycle time improving or getting worse over the year?

Drill-Down Details​

Click on the # Projects number to see individual projects for that month and opportunity type:

FieldDescription
Project IDUnique project identifier
Project NameProject display name
ClientContact name
AmountSold amount
Cycle DaysDays for this specific project
Start DateBeginning of measured period
End DateEnd of measured period
Close DateWhen project was won

Projects are sorted by cycle days (longest first) to help identify outliers.

Filters​

FilterOptions
Report TypeSelect tab: 1st Appointment to Won, Won to Start, or Start to Finish
YearFilter to specific year (2010 to current/next year)

Data Requirements​

Projects are included in the report when they meet these criteria:

  • Project is in "Won" stage (stage identify = W)
  • Project type is production (not archived/deleted)
  • Required date fields are populated:
    • 1st Appointment to Won: First appointment date AND actual close date
    • Won to Start: Actual close date AND production start date
    • Start to Finish: Production start date AND substantial completion date
  • Has an assigned salesperson
  • Has an assigned opportunity type

Projects missing required dates will not appear in that report type.

Export Options​

Click Export CSV to download the report data including:

  • All opportunity types
  • Monthly breakdown
  • All metrics (projects, job size, avg days, median days, YTD rolling avg)

Filename format: cycle-time-{report-type}-{year}.csv

Identifying Bottlenecks​

Warning Signs​

IndicatorWhat It Means
High average, low medianA few outlier projects are dragging up the average
Increasing YTD trendProcess is slowing down over time
Wide variance by monthInconsistent process or seasonal factors
One opportunity type much higherSpecific project types need attention

Common Causes by Report Type​

1st Appointment to Won (Long Sales Cycles):

  • Complex project scopes requiring multiple proposals
  • Decision-maker delays
  • Financing approval wait times
  • Competitive bidding situations

Won to Start (Long Pre-Production):

  • Permit delays
  • Design revisions after sale
  • Material lead times
  • Scheduling backlog

Start to Finish (Long Production):

  • Weather delays
  • Change orders during construction
  • Subcontractor availability
  • Material supply issues
  • Permit inspection delays

Best Practices​

Setting Expectations​

  • Use median values when quoting timelines to customers
  • Add buffer for permit-dependent work
  • Compare similar project types (don't mix kitchen remodels with additions)

Improving Cycle Times​

  1. Identify which phase has the longest cycle time
  2. Drill down to find specific projects causing delays
  3. Look for patterns (same salesperson, project type, time of year)
  4. Address root causes rather than symptoms

Benchmarking​

  • Compare year-over-year for same months
  • Track by opportunity type separately
  • Set goals based on median, not average
  • Monitor YTD rolling average for trends