High inventories may obscure the actual time required to produce and fill an order. Lower inventories allow actual lead times to be more carefully observed, and more accurate delivery dates can be provided. Shortening lead times is also crucial; doing so is equivalent to lowering work-in-process inventories. A company carrying 10 days of work-in-process inventories has an average production lead times of 10 days. If the company can reduce lead times from 10 to five days, than the company should now be carrying only five days of work-in-process inventories.