Constraint - Start no earlier than

[jpas1954]

I am setting up a schedule in Project 2003. Within it are a couple of tasks
that must start no earlier than Feb. 2, 2006. I have gone into the 'Advanced'
tab and set them that way. Perhaps there's something fundamentally flawed
about my understanding of this, but I can't see where that's reflected
anywhere in the schedule. Next to the tasks are an icon indicating the
constraint. But the start date of the tasks is the next day after the
predecessor, as if I'd never set it. And if I look at the 'To-Do' view, I
see these tasks needing to get done on the early date not the constrained
date.

I would have expected that Project would push the 'Start' date out to equal
with the Constraint date. If it doesn't do that - and it shows up in the
earlier date in reports - what good is using it? Is there some setting I have
to adjust?

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi jpas1954 ,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Checg Tools/Options.../Calculation tab that it's set to Automatic.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

wrote:

 

[jpas1954]

I wasn't aware that that had to be set at Automatic. But yeah, it is set that
way and it's making no difference. I tried Calculate Now for fun but it
didn't make any difference either. :-(

 

[Mike Glen]

hi jpas1954,

It should do what you expected. The only other setting is in
Tools/Options.../Schedule tab where should check to ensure "tasks will
always honour their constraint dates". I'm not confident that that will fix
your problem. If not, try it on a trial project to see if you get the same
results. If the trial works as it should, try to find the differnces
between your two projects.


Mike Glen
Project MVP




wrote:

 

[jpas1954]

Excellent piece of advice. I opened up a new project, put one task in and
gave it the constraint. Worked like a charm. So what I did in my project is
this: Deleted one of the tasks and put it back in WITHOUT a predecessor. Then
I put the task in, gave it the constraint - which it took - and then added
the predecessor back in. So, somehow the predecessor being their first "won"
and forced it back to the earlier date. Anyway, thanks much.

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, jpas1954

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

That's very strange behaviour. Are you scheduling tasks to start ASAP?
From start date forward? Predecessor linked to the task in question FS?
"Tasks obey constraint dates" turned on? If all that's true, the task that
was giving you problems should start on either the first working moment
after its predecessor finishes or the constraint date, whichever is later.
Something else must be going on you've overlooked mentioning.

 

[jpas1954]

That's very strange behaviour. Are you scheduling tasks to start ASAP?

Yes. If I enter a new task, it says “As Soon As Possible.â€

From start date forward?
Yes

Predecessor linked to the task in question FS?

Yes. I have several and they are all FS

"Tasks obey constraint dates" turned on?
Yes

If all that's true, the task that

was giving you problems should start on either the first working moment
after its predecessor finishes or the constraint date, whichever is later.

Something else must be going on you've overlooked mentioning.

I dunno. Maybe it’s just me I’ve always found Project to be a little quirky
like this. I can usually solve a problem but it seems to invariably involve
taking a task out and putting it back in.