Earliest time to transplant?

What would be the best/earliest time you could transplant with minimal shock? I understand it is a major factor how careful one is... Long story short I was using a type of jiffy pot inside the actual 5 gallon bucket(already have out of the bucket now)...read the labels ( should have done before planting seeds ) and it said: to transplant plant and pot make sure walls are saturated... I have some experimentals just in those cups and as a test I soaked the entire cups wall to find out a hour later it was bone dry again.. so I yanked the cups out and just using them until I can transplant I just want to do it early as possible without damage from shock or even to late for root bound...thanks

Don't worry so much. General rule is once the leaves spread beyond te container. If it is established, you can transplant. And if you wait too long, no biggee. Personally, I think all of the concern about shock and whatnot is overstated. I have never had a problem post transplant and do not have a gentle green thumb.