To calculate a project timeline in working days, agree on the start day, skip days the team does not work and allow time for reviews and approvals. Use the same method when you share a target date with the client.
Agree on day one and the team’s calendar
Decide whether the start date counts as day one. If work starts on Wednesday and that day counts, five working days are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday, assuming Saturday and Sunday are off and there are no public holidays.
Separate working time from waiting time
Suppose a draft takes three working days, the client has two days to review it and revisions take one day. If each phase starts on the next working day, allow six working days. Explain when a delayed review will move the target date.
Check local holidays before committing
Use the delivery team’s calendar and check state holidays, replacement holidays and company closures. When two teams need to be present for approval, pick a day both are working. Record these assumptions with the project schedule.
Turn the estimate into a checkable schedule
Suppose a project starts on Wednesday. The team drafts from Wednesday to Friday, the client reviews on Monday and Tuesday, and revisions take place the following Wednesday. If Monday is a holiday for the reviewers, move their review to Tuesday and Wednesday, then revise on Thursday. Record dates for each phase so everyone can see what a change affects.
Calculate a target date and check the assumptions
Use the Malaysia Working Days Calculator to check a date range or add a number of working days. Match the state and working week to the team’s schedule. Confirm company holidays and critical dates separately before making a commitment because the tool may not cover every exception.
Frequently asked questions
The end date depends on when you start, whether day one counts, the weekend schedule and any holidays.
Use a provisional target and confirm the applicable holidays and the organisation’s calendar before committing to the schedule.
Move it if work can only start once materials, access or approval arrive. Record that condition in the schedule so both parties count from the same date.
