TIME AND ACTION
CALENDAR
TNA Calendar
• Time and Action (TNA) calendar is one of the most important tools for
managing a project.
• In garment manufacturing each order is not less than a project to a
merchant. Because, from order receiving to order completion involve
number of tasks of various duration and requirement of resources.
• Few tasks come one after another and others move at the same time.
Like number of processes, lots of people are involved to accomplish
an order.
• Secondly each order is unique in terms of process and time demand.
So, a detailed plan with well defined responsibility is must for each
order to finish it before time or on time.
• Normally merchants prepare a plan in a spreadsheet listing down key
processes in one column and planned date of action for each
processes is noted in another.
• This planning sheet is called time and action calendar. Once TNA
calendar is made, merchant can easily list down her daily 'to do list'
for the day and start doing work one by one.
• According to TNA schedule processes are executed on daily basis to
track whether an order is on track or getting delayed
Structure of TNA
• Normally merchandisers prepare a plan of the order in a spreadsheet
by listing down the key processes in first column and planned date of
action for each process in the next column. This planning sheet is
popularly known as time and action calendar (TNA).
• Once TNA calendar is made, then it can be easy for merchandiser list
down their daily 'to do list' and taking it one by one. As per TNA
schedule processes can be executed on timely basis to track whether
an order is on track or it will get delayed.
• In order to make TNA below mentioned information must be available
• Process flow of an order with the list of task which need to be performed
• Production capacity of cutting, sewing, washing and finishing
• For sewing - batch wise and product wise capacity (production per day per
batch)
• Lead time of activities, e.g. raw material lead time, sampling lead time, etc.
• Shipment date or planned ex-factory date
• Normally TNA does not depend on fabric used in merchandise like woven
or knits. TNA is largely depends on the particular process flow of an order,
machine requirement and available production capacity. In TNA planned
cutting date (PCD) and ex-factory date these are the two most critical
dates.
How to prepare an effective TNA
• Firstly we need to know lead time of an order. Like as 120 or 90 days.
Order confirmation to garments delivery date.
• Order Quantity
• Fabric In-house date.
• Trims In-house date.
• Sample Approval.
• Date wise Line plan (Sewing, Washing & finishing complete).
• Lead time of an order:
• Every order has a lead time. It is depend on customers to customers.
It can be 120, 90 or 60 days. Most of the import things that every
order needs to calculate time & how to complete this order within
this period. Otherwise, TNA will be valueless.
• Order Quantity:
• We must to know order quantity of an order. Every order need
quantity otherwise we cannot calculate how many lines need to
complete within this period.
• Fabric In-house date:
• We must need to know fabric in-house date. Without fabric in-house
date we cannot plan when it will be input to line. Based on fabric inhouse date we must plan to input date for bulk production.
• Trims In-house Date:
• We must ensure in TNA all trims & accessories in-house at least one
week before bulk production. TNA make sure that all trims will be inhouse timely & strictly follow up with regular basis. Otherwise, it is
difficult to maintain TNA in real happened.
• Sample Approval
• We must need to approval all sample before bulk production so every
sample must be approval within time frame. So, TNA must mention
every sample approval on time. Though we must approved PP sample
before bulk production.
• Date wise line plan:
• We must know date wise line plan of an order in TNA when it will be
complete sewing, washing & packing. After that we must ensure how
many lines allocate & when it will be complete all production to
finishing. So, every task we can follow up time to time otherwise we
cannot maintain & properly execute of an order perfectly.
• Sample TNA for formal shirt manufacturing order:
• The TNA derived by assuming the order of 10000 pieces of formal
shirts, made out of 100% cotton, plain woven solid dyed fabric, with
embroidery logo on it. The order is for SS 2013, delivery date
1stMarch 2013, shipment at New York-USA.
Necessity of TNA in Apparel Industry
• It helps to make a fruitful production plan for an apparel production
unit.
• It is essential for on-time shipment of an export order
• It improves production efficiency to keep time schedule.
• It helps proper execution process of export orders.
• It is useful to know the advance status of order processing at a
different level in the apparel industry.
• It helps a smart merchandiser to carry out the critical task correctly of
an industry.
• It enhances the factory inventory management.
• It gives a clear plan for the Export order.
• It is an essential tool for a smooth shipment order.
• It provides an idea about the position of the running order.
• It helps to optimize the factory inventory.
• It enhances productivity as a result, also improve company profits.
• It is a perfect tool for a merchandiser to chase forecasting plan easily