Style Dates
The Dates section in the Style module provides key timestamps related to the lifecycle of a style. It includes both system-generated dates for traceability and manually editable dates to support milestone planning and delivery tracking. Teams use it to anchor the style development timeline—such as design start, sample due dates, and approval milestones—alongside ex-factory, freight, and in-store targets.
Tracking dates helps align design, sourcing, and production workflows. While some fields are fixed and system-generated, others can be updated by users to reflect important events like sample handoffs, approvals, or target delivery windows.
Date Types
The Dates section displays both system-generated dates and user-configurable milestone dates. The available date fields are determined by your configuration in Site Settings > Style > General Settings > Dates.
System-Generated Dates
These dates are automatically managed by the system and cannot be edited, ensuring accurate audit trails and traceability.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Created | Date and time when the style was first created. This timestamp is set automatically upon style creation and cannot be modified. (Read-only) |
| Updated | Date and time of the most recent system update to the style. This field refreshes automatically whenever any changes are saved to the style record. (Read-only) |
User-Configurable Dates
These date fields can be enabled or disabled in Site Settings and allow manual entry to track key milestones throughout the style lifecycle. When enabled, they appear with a calendar picker for easy date selection.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Start | The official start date for production or the project lifecycle. This date supports scheduling, workload planning, and critical path tracking. Use this to mark when active work on the style begins. (Editable) |
| Ex-Factory | The date when the goods are expected to leave the factory or are ready for pickup. This is commonly used for logistics planning, lead-time calculations, and coordinating with freight forwarders. Typically precedes ETD (Estimated Time of Departure). (Editable) |
| ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) | The estimated date the shipment is scheduled to depart from the supplier or origin port. This field supports freight planning, shipping coordination, and helps calculate downstream delivery timelines. When setting ETD, consider transit times to ensure accurate ETA projections. (Editable) |
| ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) | The estimated date goods are expected to arrive at their final destination (e.g., warehouse, distribution center). This date is crucial for inventory planning, retail planning, and coordinating with downstream teams. Should be calculated based on ETD plus transit duration. (Editable) |
| In Store | The date the product should be available for customers to purchase in retail locations or online. This date helps align marketing activities, store planning, and launch timelines. Cannot be set to a date in the past. (Editable) |
Using Date Fields
- Set a date: Click on any editable date field to open the calendar picker and select a date.
- Clear a date: Click the ✕ icon next to a selected date to remove it.
- Date relationships: When planning dates, ensure logical sequencing (e.g., Start > Ex-Factory > ETD > ETA > In Store).
Important Notes When Adding Dates
Configuration Required: Date fields must be enabled in Site Settings > Style > General Settings > Dates before they appear in the Style Dates section. Only enabled dates will be visible and available for entry.
Date Sequencing: Maintain logical date relationships to ensure accurate planning:
- Start should precede production-related dates
- Ex-Factory typically comes before ETD
- ETD should precede ETA (allowing for transit time)
- ETA should precede In Store (allowing for warehouse processing)
Critical Path Alignment: Style dates should align with activities defined in the Critical Path tab. Ensure milestone dates match critical path due dates to maintain consistency across planning tools.
Mandatory Fields: If date fields are configured as mandatory in Site Settings > Style > General Settings > Mandatory Fields, they must be completed before the style can be saved.
Reporting Impact: Date fields are used extensively in reporting and dashboard widgets. Keeping dates accurate and up-to-date ensures reliable visibility into style progress, delivery forecasts, and bottleneck identification.
Order Integration: When styles are linked to orders, style dates can inform order timelines. However, order dates are managed independently and may differ based on order-specific requirements.
Historical Accuracy: System-generated dates (Created, Updated) provide an immutable audit trail.
Best Practices
- Set dates early: Establish key milestone dates at the start of style development to help teams track progress and identify potential delays before they impact delivery.
- Review dates regularly: Schedule periodic reviews of date fields to ensure they remain realistic as project scope evolves. Update dates promptly to maintain accurate visibility in reports and dashboards.
- Use dates for filtering: Leverage date fields in style views and reports to filter by upcoming deadlines, identify overdue items, or group styles by launch phases for better project management.
- Coordinate with Critical Path: Align style dates with critical path activities to ensure consistency between high-level milestones and detailed task tracking.
- Keep dates current: Regularly update editable dates as project timelines change. Outdated dates can mislead teams and impact production planning, freight coordination, and retail readiness.
