{
  "slug": "body-shop-cycle-time",
  "title": "Body Shop Cycle Time Calculator",
  "heading": "Body Shop Cycle Time Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/body-shop-cycle-time",
  "summary": "Turn key-to-key days into the revenue-per-day-in-shop number that drives throughput.",
  "description": "Cycle time — key-to-key days from drop-off to delivery — is the single biggest lever on collision shop throughput and DRP (direct repair program) scorecard standing, because a car sitting an extra two days isn't just slow, it's occupying a stall that could be turning another repair order. This calculator converts estimated repair hours and your shop's touch-time ratio (actual hours worked versus total days in shop) into projected cycle time, then computes revenue per in-shop day so you can compare jobs and see which ones are actually profitable on a throughput basis versus which ones tie up a stall for weeks on parts delays or supplement approval waits.",
  "formula": "Cycle Time (days) = Estimated Repair Hours ÷ (Touch-Time Ratio × Hours Worked per Day). Revenue per In-Shop Day = RO Total ÷ Cycle Time Days.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=body-shop-cycle-time",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "repairHours",
      "label": "Estimated repair hours",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 32,
      "unit": "hrs",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "touchTimeRatio",
      "label": "Touch-time ratio (actual work vs elapsed)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 35,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "hoursPerDay",
      "label": "Shop-available hours per day",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8,
      "unit": "hrs",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 24
    },
    {
      "id": "roTotal",
      "label": "Total repair order value",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5200,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "cycleDays",
      "label": "Projected key-to-key cycle time",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "revPerDay",
      "label": "Revenue per in-shop day",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "idleDays",
      "label": "Non-productive days in cycle",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Estimated repair hours: 32 hrs",
      "Touch-time ratio (actual work vs elapsed): 35 %",
      "Shop-available hours per day: 8 hrs",
      "Total repair order value: 5200 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Projected key-to-key cycle time: 11.4",
      "Revenue per in-shop day: $455",
      "Non-productive days in cycle: 7.4"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter estimated repair hours (hrs).",
      "Enter touch-time ratio (actual work vs elapsed) (%).",
      "Enter shop-available hours per day (hrs).",
      "Enter total repair order value ($).",
      "Read your projected key-to-key cycle time on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "repairHours": 19.2,
        "touchTimeRatio": 21,
        "hoursPerDay": 4.8,
        "roTotal": 3100
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "repairHours": 32,
        "touchTimeRatio": 35,
        "hoursPerDay": 8,
        "roTotal": 5200
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "repairHours": 51.2,
        "touchTimeRatio": 56,
        "hoursPerDay": 12.8,
        "roTotal": 8300
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What's a good touch-time ratio?",
      "a": "Top-performing shops run 30-45% touch time. That sounds low, but it accounts for teardown-to-supplement-approval waits, paint booth queue, and parts staging that are normal parts of the process, not just idle mismanagement — 100% touch time is neither realistic nor the goal."
    },
    {
      "q": "How does DRP scorecard cycle time relate to this number?",
      "a": "Insurance DRP scorecards typically measure the same key-to-key concept but average it across all repairs in a period. This calculator lets you model a single job before it's scheduled, so you can flag jobs likely to blow your scorecard average before they happen, like ones with rare parts on backorder."
    },
    {
      "q": "What's the fastest way to cut cycle time?",
      "a": "Attack the touch-time ratio, not repair hours. Pre-ordering parts before teardown, same-day supplement submission with photo documentation, and blueprinting the repair upfront routinely cut 20-30% off cycle time without touching actual labor hours."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why does revenue per in-shop day matter more than RO size?",
      "a": "A $9,000 RO that sits in the shop for 20 days ties up a stall producing $450/day, while a $4,000 RO done efficiently in 6 days produces $667/day. Prioritizing stall throughput over ticket size often improves monthly shop revenue more than chasing bigger repair orders."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/bay-utilization",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/warranty-comeback-cost"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Body Shop Cycle Time Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/body-shop-cycle-time)"
}