Calculator
Approval wait calculator
Approval waits cost the paid time of every crew member standing idle while a sign-off travels. Multiply the approvals that stop a crew each week by the hours they wait and the people waiting to see the yearly crew hours, and dollars, spent waiting for a yes.
How this is calculated
- 15 approvals × 1.5 hours × 3 people = 68 crew hours a week.
- Over 52 weeks, at $55 an hour per person.
- Not counted: jobs that slip to another day, and approvals bypassed because waiting cost too much.
Reading the result
Approval waits hide because each one is short. Nobody notices an hour. Across a year and a whole crew, the hours add up to the number above. The approval drag page explains why routine approvals stall and what keeps the control without the wait.
Questions people ask
Which approvals should I count?
Only the ones that stop a crew: parts purchases above a lead's limit, change orders the customer must sign, schedule changes that need a manager.
Should we just raise approval limits?
Sometimes, for routine amounts. But raising every limit removes the control along with the wait. The better fix is making routine approvals fast.
What does the calculator leave out?
Jobs that slip to another day, return trips caused by the wait, and approvals bypassed because waiting cost too much.
How do I measure the wait?
For a week, write down when each approval was requested and when it was given. The gap is the wait.
What makes approvals fast without losing control?
Routing the request to the approver where they are, with what they need to decide, a reminder on a clock and a record everyone waiting can see.