Use this constraint to ensure that a task does not finish before a certain date. Schedules the task to finish on or after a specified date. Use this constraint to ensure that a task does not start before a specified date. Schedules the task to start on or after a specified date. Do not enter a start or finish date with this constraint. This is the default constraint for tasks when you schedule from the project start date. Schedules the task to begin as early as possible. Do not enter a task start or finish date with this constraint. This is the default constraint for tasks when you schedule from the project finish date. Schedules the task as late as possible with the task ending before the project ends and without delaying subsequent tasks. The following table lists the constraints provided in Project. These constraints are useful when you need to make your schedule take into account external factors, such as the availability of equipment or resources, deadlines, contract milestones, and start and finish dates. Inflexible constraints require an associated date that controls the start or finish date of the task. These constraints allow a task to finish at any time, as long as it meets the start or finish deadline. Semi-flexible constraints require an associated date that controls the earliest or latest start or finish date for a task. Setting these constraints allows you to start tasks as early as possible or as late as possible, with the task ending before the project finish, given other constraints and task dependencies in the schedule. Make constraint changes in the Constraint Dates tableįlexible constraints do not have specific dates associated with them. Make constraint changes in the Task Information dialog box Make constraint changes by using the Project Guide Set the start and finish dates for a task These instructions are specific to Microsoft Project 2007. If you’re looking for details on dependencies, see Link tasks in a project. It’s easy to confuse task constraints (restrictions on when a task can start or finish) with task dependencies (links that show a relationship between tasks). The task finishes on or before a specific date. The task starts on or before a specific date. The task finishes on or after a specific date. The task starts on or after a specific date. This is the default constraint when you schedule from the project start date. This is the default constraint when you schedule from the project finish date. The task starts as late as it can without delaying other tasks. Inflexible constraints, which have specific start or finish dates. Semi-flexible constraints, which include earliest start dates or latest finish dates. Those constraints come in three flavors:įlexible constraints, which don’t tie a task to a specific date. With Project, you can add eight different constraints to tasks.

If your project is scheduled from the start date, choose As Soon As Possible. If your project is scheduled from the finish date, choose As Late As Possible. In the Constraint type list, pick one of these options: You can’t technically remove a constraint, but you can reset it to the default value, tying it to other tasks rather than to a specific date.

Set task durations yourself and create links between tasks, and then Project will calculate the task start and finish dates. Project management tip Let Project do what it does best - schedule your project. If you pick a constraint other than As Late As Possible or As Soon As Possible, add a date to the Constraint date box. Pick an option from the Constraint type list. On the Gantt Chart task list, double-click the task. If you have an unavoidable constraint, such as an event date, pick the constraint type as well as the date:

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