Lethal Company shifts and deadlines: from choosing a destination to confirming delivery
Read remaining days and quota, then connect moon selection, landing, evacuation, and counter sales at the Company. Also clarifies buying rates and the difference between stock and profit already sold.
Edition: PC Steam app 1966720, standard release branch, no mods; basic shifts on a new save. Default PC keyboard/mouse bindings are examples; if you changed them, follow the on-screen prompts. Solo play and co-op for up to 4 players are addressed separately.
Verification scope: Checked October 4, 2026. Uses basic mechanics from V80, The Blooming Update, onward; official announcements confirm its standard release. The official text alone does not establish the latest internal patch number, so this does not assert V81 or another version. Beta, major mods, and translation-mod features are excluded.
Sources checked: 2026-10-04
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Read quota, remaining days, and funds separately
PROFIT QUOTA on the ship is the target met through sales; DEADLINE is the remaining time; terminal credits are your shopping balance. The total scrap value aboard is unsold stock.
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| Display/state | Meaning | Next decision |
|---|---|---|
| PROFIT QUOTA | Profit delivered toward the target | Do not count unsold items toward completion |
| DEADLINE / days left | Days remaining before delivery | Do not read 0 days as permission for another exploration trip |
| Company buying at | Buying rate if you sell now | Before delivery, check whether items will sell at face value |
| Credits | Balance available for tools and routes | Do not mix it with stock value or quota progress |
No matching entries in this table. Shorten the query or clear it to restore all entries.
Quota increases and future earnings are not fixed. This table explains how to read the on-screen target.
Connect destination changes with the sale process
To travel to another moon, first finish the current surface shift and return to orbit. Routing and landing are separate actions.
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| Stage | Required state | Terminal/ship action | Completion check | Exception |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choose destination | In orbit; days remaining and budget checked | moons → candidate name → read confirmation | Moon, weather, and route fee match your intention | Prioritize the Company at 0 days |
| Confirm route | Confirmation message displayed | confirm, or deny to cancel | Destination changes | Paid routes require sufficient credits |
| Land | Destination confirmed | Leave the terminal and operate the lever | Landing finishes and you can go outside | Typing a moon name alone does not land you |
| Collect | You can secure a return route | Pick up items with E and drop them inside the ship with G | Confirm the items are aboard | Items outside the entrance or at the delivery site are not ship stock |
| Return | Departing players and cargo are aboard | Use the lever after confirming boarding | Shift results and days remaining update | Does not automatically wait for people who have not boarded |
| Travel to the Company | In orbit | company → confirm → lever | Arrive on the Company's surface | Do not confuse a Company visit with a shift on an exploration moon |
| Deliver | Carrying scrap to sell | Place it on the sales counter as prompted, then ring the bell | Items collected and sale results shown | Step back after placing items; do not spam the bell while awaiting a response |
| Assessment/next cycle | Sold profit meets or exceeds the target | Confirm everyone is aboard, then leave the Company using the lever | New quota and remaining days update | At the deadline, do not depart based only on your credit balance while still below quota |
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The Company's counter is different from the ship floor where you drop items. Always check the placement prompt for delivery.
Check the buying rate against days remaining
Sources give standard reference rates of 30% at 3 days left, 53% at 2, 77% at 1, and 100% at 0. Compare days remaining at the moment of sale with the terminal's Company buying display, rather than counting landings.
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| Days-remaining display | Reference buying-rate display | Our calculation example | Decision caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days left | 30% | A simple sale of an item with face value 100 would yield approximately 30 | For early sales, compare needed purchase funds with the loss from the discounted rate |
| 2 days left | 53% | Face value 100 × displayed rate gives approximately 53 | Confirm the actual proceeds, including internal rounding, in the sale results |
| 1 day left | 77% | Face value 100 × displayed rate gives approximately 77 | A quota shortfall smaller than the total face value does not by itself mean you have enough |
| 0 days left | 100% | Face value 100 yields approximately 100 | Deadline delivery day; another exploration trip is not recommended |
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These calculations use a hypothetical face value of 100 with no bonus to explain the displayed rate. They are not a payout simulator covering rounding, overtime bonuses, or mod multipliers. Prioritize the actual rate and sale results.
Use the shortfall to choose what to sell first
For example, suppose the quota is 130, profit already sold is 80, and the buying rate is 100% with 0 days left. The shortfall is 50. Assume the ship holds items with face values of 60 and 40.
- Calculate the shortfall as 130 − 80 = 50. Do not include the credit balance in this subtraction.
- After confirming the 100% display, selling the item worth 60 would bring the total to 140 in a simple calculation. Verify completion using the actual delivery result.
- The remaining 40 can serve as stock for the next cycle, but a wipe on the next shift could still lose it. Selling it too for shopping funds is another option.
- When sold profit reaches the target, board together and leave the Company using the lever. Check the new quota and days remaining before preparing again.
These fictional numbers illustrate a decision process; they do not assert an initial quota or guaranteed drops. Neither “always sell everything” nor “always sell the minimum” is a fixed rule.
If progress stops, return to the last confirmed stage
If the haul is aboard, check delivery rather than exploration. If a sale was insufficient, revisit the buying rate and profit already sold.
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| Progress problem | Days/quota/sale check | Next action | Version difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lots of stock but still below quota | Not yet sold to the Company | Travel to the Company and deliver | Do not use instructions for automatic-sale mods |
| Sale yields less than expected | Company buying is below 100% | Recalculate the shortfall using the actual sale result | Do not use a fixed calculation for rate rounding or overtime bonuses |
| Still planning to explore with 0 days left | Deadline-stage display | Go to the Company and deliver first | Special approaches using negative days remaining are excluded |
| Cannot place items on the counter | Is the item scrap, and is there a placement prompt? | Approach the correct side of the counter and follow the prompt | Do not add purchased equipment's sale value as scrap |
| Nothing happens after ringing the bell | Item placement and awaiting collection | Step away, wait, and check collection and settlement displays | Does not recommend solving it by ringing a fixed number of times |
| Scrap aboard is gone after a wipe | Everyone died/was left behind on the previous shift | Recalculate the target without the lost stock | Do not assume all purchased equipment disappeared as well |
| Destination does not change | Still on the surface/awaiting confirmation | Return first, or check confirm input | Do not mix in extra beta/mod commands |
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Frequently asked questions
Does 0 days left mean it is too late to sell?
In the normal deadline cycle, this is the Company delivery stage. The Company's reference buying rate is 100%, so travel there and sell enough to cover the shortfall before another exploration trip.
Can excess sales prepay the next quota?
Do not count excess sales directly as prepayment toward the next quota. Distinguish items sold for funds from items retained as future stock, and check the next cycle's target afresh.
Must I never sell before the deadline day?
Selling at 100% is advantageous, but you may need equipment funds earlier. Compare selling the required amount at a lower early rate with storing it and accepting the risk of losing it in a wipe.
Does pulling the lever automatically bring back teammates inside the facility?
No. The ship can depart without waiting for people who have not boarded, so check players and cargo before operating it.