Mastering the Time and Action Calendar in Fashion Merchandising: A Must-Have Tool for Timely Deliveries

In the fashion industry, designing a great product is only half the battle. The other half is getting it produced, quality checked, and delivered on time. This is where the Time and Action (T&A) Calendar becomes a merchandiser’s most powerful weapon.

This blog post will break down what a Time and Action Calendar is, why it’s critical in fashion merchandising, and how to build one—using real-world examples from Indian and global fashion brands.

1. What Is a Time and Action (T&A) Calendar?

A Time and Action Calendar is a detailed schedule that outlines every activity involved in the product lifecycle—from concept to shipment—along with target dates, responsible departments, and dependencies.

It helps:

• Ensure on-time delivery

• Avoid production delays

• Track progress across sampling, sourcing, production

• Communicate clearly between design, merchandising, QA, and logistics

2. Key Elements of a Fashion T&A Calendar

Stage	Activity	Owner	Timeline (Weeks)
Design Development	Moodboard, Sketches, Tech Packs	Design Team	Week 1–2
Fabric & Trim Sourcing	Identify and confirm materials	Merchandiser	Week 2–3
Proto Sample	1st sample based on sketch	Sampling Unit	Week 4
Fit Sample	Fit review and size grading	QA & Designer	Week 5
Salesman Sample (SMS)	Final shoot samples	Sampling Unit	Week 6–7
Buyer Approval	Style and fit approvals	Buyer	Week 7–8
PO Issuance	Raise and confirm order	Buyer & Vendor	Week 8
Bulk Fabric Order	Place order for production fabric	Merchandiser	Week 9
Cutting & Stitching	Begin garment production	Production	Week 10–12
Inline QC	Quality control during production	QA	Week 11
Final QC + Packing	Final check, ironing, tag attaching	QA & Production	Week 13
Shipment & Dispatch	Goods sent to buyer/distribution	Logistics	Week 14

3. Case Study: Time & Action Calendar for a Diwali Capsule Collection

Brand: Flapper6 Lifestyle

Product: Festive Coord Sets

Launch Date: October 10, 2025

Channel: Nykaa Fashion

Stage	Planned Date	Owner	Notes
Design Finalization	July 15, 2025	Designer	10 styles to be produced
Fabric Sourcing	July 20, 2025	Merchandiser	Sourcing chanderi, cotton-satin
Proto Sample Ready	July 25, 2025	Sampling Unit	Sent to designer for comments
Fit Sample Review	July 28, 2025	Design & QA	Minor armhole correction noted
SMS Samples for Shoot	Aug 1, 2025	Studio Team	Styling + campaign scheduled
PO Confirmation	Aug 3, 2025	Vendor + Brand	Confirmed for 1000 units
Bulk Fabric Order	Aug 4, 2025	Merchandiser	1000 meters per SKU
Production Start	Aug 10, 2025	Vendor	Multi-line assembly
Inline QC	Aug 20, 2025	QA	Stitching consistency checked
Final QC + Packing	Sep 1, 2025	QA & Production	Steam + tagging + polybag
Dispatch to Nykaa DC	Sep 5, 2025	Logistics	Transit buffer 7 days
Go Live on Nykaa	Oct 10, 2025	Marketing	Coordinated with ad campaign

Lesson: Working backwards from the go-live date ensures enough buffer for QC and delivery—key to festive launch success.4. How to Create a T&A Calendar for Your Brand

Here’s a step-by-step method:

Step 1: Define Your Launch or Delivery Date

(E.g., Aug 15 collection or Lakme Fashion Week showing)

Step 2: Break Down Key Activities

From design to dispatch. Include sample rounds, sourcing, production, QC.

Step 3: Assign Owners to Each Task

Design, merchandiser, QA, logistics—each task needs accountability.

Step 4: Estimate Time Per Task

Factor in lead times, review cycles, buffer weeks.

Step 5: Use a Tracker (Google Sheet, Excel, Trello, ClickUp)

Color code delays, track approvals, set alerts.

Tools to Create T&A Calendars:

• Excel / Google Sheets (Template-based)

• Trello or Monday.com (Kanban-style)

• Click Up or Notion (Cross-functional dashboards)

• Fashion-specific ERP like WFX or Zedonk

Conclusion: T&A = Timely and Accountable

A Time and Action Calendar isn’t just a planner—it’s a performance tool. It aligns design dreams with production realities. Whether you’re preparing for fashion week or seasonal drops, a well-executed T&A can save lakhs in missed sales and avoid last-minute panic.

Pro Tip: Always keep a 1-week buffer before shipment to handle any QC or packaging issues without impacting launch timelines.

Time_and_Action_Calendar_Template.xlsx

Download XLSX • 9KB