Plain-language questions
Ask for late shipment rate per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Logistics
Late shipment rate: formula and example.
Late shipment rate is the share of orders that leave the warehouse after the dispatch deadline you promised or agreed. It measures your own part in a late delivery, separate from the carrier. Marketplaces often use this figure to assess sellers.
Late shipment rate formula
Orders shipped after the dispatch deadline ÷ total orders shipped × 100%
Worked example
Acme Groothandel promises to ship no later than the day after the order. In May 2026 it shipped 3,400 orders, 102 of them after that deadline. The late shipment rate is 102 ÷ 3,400 × 100% = 3.0%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A lower rate means you keep your dispatch promise and late deliveries less often start with you. The causes are usually missing stock, order peaks or orders waiting for checks or payment. Compare by weekday, channel and product group, and against the standards a marketplace or customer applies.
Pitfalls with late shipment rate
- Counting calendar days when your promise is in working days, so Friday orders are wrongly flagged as late.
- Counting label creation as shipped instead of the carrier's first scan.
- Including orders where the customer chose a later delivery date.
SQL & DAX
Calculating late shipment rate in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
WITH first_shipment AS (
SELECT order_id, MIN(shipped_at) AS shipped_at
FROM shipments
GROUP BY order_id
)
SELECT date_trunc('month', o.order_date) AS month,
COUNT(*) AS orders_shipped,
COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE fs.shipped_at::date > o.order_date::date + 1) AS shipped_late,
ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE fs.shipped_at::date > o.order_date::date + 1)
/ NULLIF(COUNT(*), 0), 1) AS late_shipment_pct
FROM orders o
JOIN first_shipment fs ON fs.order_id = o.order_id
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Orders Shipped = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Orders), NOT ISBLANK(Orders[FirstShippedDate]))
Late Shipment Rate = DIVIDE(COUNTROWS(FILTER(Orders, NOT ISBLANK(Orders[FirstShippedDate]) && Orders[FirstShippedDate] > Orders[OrderDate] + 1)), [Orders Shipped])In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate late shipment rate?
Count the orders that left the warehouse after the dispatch deadline and divide by the total number of orders shipped. The deadline follows from your own promise, for example the working day after the order. Use the carrier's first scan as the ship time.
What is the difference between late shipment and late delivery?
Late shipment measures whether the warehouse met the dispatch deadline. Late delivery measures whether the customer had the parcel by the promised date, so it includes transport. An order can ship on time and still arrive late because of the carrier.
Why do marketplaces track late shipment rate?
To a marketplace customer it does not matter who the seller is; a late parcel damages trust in the platform. That is why many marketplaces set requirements for seller dispatch performance. Check the current standards and measurement method of the marketplace you sell on.
Further reading
- KPI libraryLogistics KPIs: formulas and examplesLogistics KPIs measure whether orders reach the customer on time, complete and at a reasonable cost. The data comes from your WMS, shipping platform and carrier statuses.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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