What is Lead time?
Lead time: Time between placing an order and receiving it.
Where Lead time fits
Lead time is part of Logistics in Supply Chain. Logistics moves goods from supplier to customer: procurement, warehousing, freight and last-mile delivery. Safety stock guards against surprises; just-in-time cuts inventory.
Practical tip
Balance service level against holding cost.
Related terms
- Supply chain
- The network that moves a product from raw materials to customers.
- Just-in-time
- Receiving goods only when they are needed, to keep stock low.
- Procurement
- The process of finding and buying what a business needs.
- Safety stock
- Extra inventory kept to avoid running out when demand or supply surprises you.
- Inventory
- Goods a company holds to sell or use.
- Warehouse
- A building used to store goods.
- Distribution center
- A facility that receives goods and ships them to customers.
- Freight
- Goods moved in bulk by road, rail, sea or air.
Formulas you will use with it
Test yourself
Which term means: “Time between placing an order and receiving it.”?
Warehouse · Lead time · Freight
Answer: Lead time
Learn Lead time by playing
Quizzes, a CEO simulator, a real estate tycoon game and startup tools. Free to start, in 7 languages.
Play BizJourney free →