How do I work backwards from each final deadline to a latest drafting start?
All stages are sequential calendar days with no weekend exclusions. The review and contingency blocks both precede delivery.
Open Deadline BackplannerTry the worked example
These are the example inputs from Deadline Backplanner. Replace them in the tool to run your own case.
| Deliverable | Deadline | Draft days | Review days | Buffer days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board pack | 2026-11-20 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Workshop | 2026-11-14 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Example result
Earliest start 2026-11-09
Who uses this?
Delivery coordinator. The free online tool runs the calculation in your browser. To edit the files and use the tools offline in one business, see the €49 offline edition.
Where the idea came from
Work backwards from each final deadline to a latest drafting start. The creator starts with recurring everyday friction and tests a narrowly scoped application. Benchcraft designed this tool’s inputs, decision rule and example for this office task.
Original video