How to configure prep time & cut-off time?
How to configure prep time & cut-off time
Control the earliest date and time a customer can choose, so you always have enough time to prepare and dispatch the order.
Overview
Three settings work together to decide the earliest available slot:
- Prep time — how long you need to prepare an order (e.g., a bakery needs 2 hours to bake and pack).
- Delay time — a buffer between prep finishing and delivery starting (e.g., a florist needs 1 hour to assign a driver).
- Cut-off time — the latest time of day a customer can still order for same/next-day fulfillment (e.g., 5 PM).
How they work together
When a customer orders, DingDoong calculates the earliest slot as prep time + delay time, and shifts everything to the next day if the order is placed after the cut-off.
Example: Prep 2h, Delay 1h, Cut-off 4 PM. Order at 3 PM → prep to 5 PM → delay to 6 PM → earliest slot 6 PM same day. Order at 5 PM (after cut-off) → slots shift to the next day.
Before you start
- A delivery/pickup/shipping method is enabled with a scheduling rule.
- Decide your schedule type (single date, date + fixed time, or date + time range) — it affects which units you can use.
How to set it up
Here's how, step by step:
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Step 1: Open the method's scheduling rule
Go to the method (Local delivery, Pickup, or Shipping) and open its scheduling rule.
Step 2: Set prep time and delay time
Enter your prep time and delay time. Single-date schedules use the day unit only. Date + fixed time / time range schedules require prep and delay to use the same unit (day-day, hour-hour, or minute-minute).
Step 3: Set the cut-off time
Set the daily cut-off. Orders after it move to the next day's slots.
Common scenarios
Same-day fulfillment
- Single date: prep = 0 day → same day; after cut-off, delay = 1 day → next day only.
- Date + time: prep = 2 hours; after cut-off, delay = 6 hours → next-day slots only.
Next-day / pre-order
- Single date: prep = 1 day → tomorrow; after cut-off, delay = 1 day → from 2 days out.
- Date + time: prep = 1 day; after cut-off, delay = 1 day → from 2 days out (order day counts as day 1).
Account for driver dispatch
Use delay time (e.g., 1 hour) on top of prep so slots leave room to load and route.
Configuration options
Option | Description | Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Prep time | Time to prepare an order | day / hour / minute | Single-date = day only |
Delay time | Buffer after prep before fulfillment | same unit as prep | day-day / hour-hour / minute-minute |
Cut-off time | Latest order time for the day | time of day | After it, slots shift to next day |
Prep time calculation | How prep is counted | current order time / business hours | "Business hours" counts only your open hours |
Tips & Best practices
Troubleshooting
Customers can pick slots too soon?
Increase prep and/or delay time, or bring the cut-off earlier.
No same-day slots ever appear?
Your prep + delay may exceed the remaining day. Reduce them or check the cut-off.
FAQ
Can prep be in hours but delay in days?
No — for time-based schedules, prep and delay must use the same unit.
How do I revert?
Set prep and delay back to 0 and clear the cut-off; the earliest slot becomes immediate.
Related articles
- How to limit orders — Cap orders per day/slot (Schedule & Availability)
- Time slots setup — Build the slots customers pick (Schedule & Availability)
- How to restrict future orders — Limit how far ahead they can book (Schedule & Availability)
Updated on: 08/06/2026
Thank you!