We need a production schedule.

生产排期 (production schedule) is the document that transforms “we’re working on it” into a set of checkable deadlines. A proper 排期 breaks production into phases: 备料 (material preparation), 上线 (production start), 首件 (first piece inspection), 大货生产中 (bulk production in progress), 下线 (production completion), 质检 (quality inspection), 包装 (packaging), 出货 (shipment). Each phase has an estimated date, and each date is a checkpoint. The schedule isn’t just information — it’s infrastructure for follow-up.

Chinese factories don’t always volunteer a production schedule. They’ll confirm the lead time (交期) and then go quiet until the goods are ready. A buyer who specifically asks for 生产排期 distinguishes themselves from passive buyers who wait in the dark. The request signals two things: you understand how production works (you know there are stages), and you plan to track progress (you’ll be checking in at each milestone). This is positive pressure — the factory knows you’re organized, which makes them more organized in handling your order.

Using the schedule effectively means following up at the right moments. Don’t message daily asking “is it done?” Message at the milestone dates: “The schedule said material prep would be done by the 15th — is everything on track?” This is factual, not nagging, and it catches delays early. If a milestone slips, ask the right question: 会影响最终交期吗 (will this affect the final lead time)? Sometimes a 3-day delay in material prep gets absorbed later in the schedule. Sometimes it pushes everything back. The schedule tells you which delays matter and which don’t. Without it, every delay feels like a crisis.