Removing constraints

[Shadowman13]

How can I delete or remove a task's constraints? Is this possible? I don't
need to change the task's start date or its duration, so it should be
possible to delete the task's constraint, right?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Shadowman13 --

Do the following to remove a constraint:

1. Double-click the task to display the Task Information dialog
2. Click the Advanced tab
3. Set the Constraint Type to As Soon as Possible
4. Click OK

Hope this helps.

 

[John]

How can I delete or remove a task's constraints? Is this possible? I don't
need to change the task's start date or its duration, so it should be
possible to delete the task's constraint, right?

Shadowman,
There are basically two types of constraints - link based and time
based. Time based constraints can be seen by showing the Constraint Type
field as a column in the view. "No" constraint means the type is,
"as-soon-as-possible". Many new users have a tendency to input Start
and/or Finish dates directly. Doing so creates a "start-no-earlier-than"
or "finish-no-later-than" constraint depending on which was the last
entry. If Start dates for your tasks were manually entered and you then
change the constraint from "start-no-earlier-than" to
"as-soon-as-possible", the task Start will "slam" over to the Project
Start Date (Project/Project Information). That's where the other type of
constraint, link based, plays a part.

The most common link based constraint is a finish-to-start predecessor
that defines the Task Start date based on completion status of a driving
task. This type of constraint is desired and in fact recommended in
order to have a dynamic schedule plan. Removing a predecessor link will
have the same effect as removing a time based constraint as long as the
task has not started. Once a task has non-zero %Complete, neither a time
based or link based constraint has any effect.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Shadowman13]

Thanks John - an excellent explanation.

Shadowman,
There are basically two types of constraints - link based and time
based. Time based constraints can be seen by showing the Constraint Type
field as a column in the view. "No" constraint means the type is,
"as-soon-as-possible". Many new users have a tendency to input Start
and/or Finish dates directly. Doing so creates a "start-no-earlier-than"
or "finish-no-later-than" constraint depending on which was the last
entry. If Start dates for your tasks were manually entered and you then
change the constraint from "start-no-earlier-than" to
"as-soon-as-possible", the task Start will "slam" over to the Project
Start Date (Project/Project Information). That's where the other type of
constraint, link based, plays a part.

The most common link based constraint is a finish-to-start predecessor
that defines the Task Start date based on completion status of a driving
task. This type of constraint is desired and in fact recommended in
order to have a dynamic schedule plan. Removing a predecessor link will
have the same effect as removing a time based constraint as long as the
task has not started. Once a task has non-zero %Complete, neither a time
based or link based constraint has any effect.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Shadowman13]

Thanks Dale - that's what I needed. I was looking for a 'no constraint'
option but now realize that the ASAP setting in scheduling terms is the same
as no constraint.

 

[John]

Thanks John - an excellent explanation.

Shadowman,
Sometimes I tend to get "wordy" but I guess in your case that is exactly
what you needed.

You're welcome.
John

 

[davegb]

In case you want to remove a lot of constraints, there's a very handy
shortcut to expedite this process so your don't have to do them one at
a time.
Control click on each task what you want to remove the constraint in
the Gantt chart task list. Click on the "Task Information" tool in the
Standard toolbar (looks like file folders). This will bring up the
Multiple Task Information box. As instructed above, go to the Advanced
tab, and set Constraint Type to ASAP. Click Ok.
Hope this helps.