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Schedulingaka: three-week look-aheadaka: short-interval scheduleaka: field schedule

Look-Ahead Schedule

In Plain English

A detailed short-term schedule showing exactly what work is planned for the next two to six weeks.

Definition

A look-ahead schedule (also called a three-week look-ahead or short-interval schedule) is a detailed near-term field schedule showing planned work activities for the next two to six weeks, broken down to a daily or task-specific level. It serves as the primary field planning tool for superintendents and is derived from the master CPM schedule. Look-ahead schedules identify material deliveries, subcontractor crews, equipment, and inspections needed.

Why It Matters in Bidding

The look-ahead schedule is where the master CPM bid schedule meets the field, translating contractual milestones into the day-to-day coordination of crews, deliveries, and inspections that keeps a job on the cost and time basis it was bid on. For estimators and PMs, it surfaces constraints like long-lead materials and sub availability early enough to act before slippage erodes margin.

Example

In the weekly coordination meeting, the superintendent walks the subs through a three-week look-ahead showing concrete pour dates, rebar deliveries, and the inspection windows each trade must hit to stay on the master schedule.

Related Terms

Three-Week Look-AheadGantt ChartBaseline SchedulePull Planning

Frequently Asked Questions

The master schedule is the full project CPM showing all activities, durations, and milestones from start to finish. The look-ahead is a detailed near-term slice, usually two to six weeks, broken to daily tasks for field execution. The look-ahead is derived from the master and feeds updates back to it.
The superintendent typically owns and updates it as the primary field planning tool, often collaboratively with subcontractor foremen during weekly coordination meetings. The project manager and scheduler ensure it aligns with the master CPM. Subs use it to commit crews and confirm material and equipment readiness.
Two to six weeks is the window where field conditions are known enough to plan reliably yet far enough out to mobilize crews, order materials, and book inspections. Three weeks is a frequent default because it balances actionable detail against the uncertainty of conditions further out.

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