A constraint is a limitation placed on a project schedule that affects the start or end date of a task. These constraints impose fixed dates for a task or a milestone. By default, the constraint type for all the tasks is set to None. You can select any of the below listed constraint types:
-
Must Start On - This constraint can be used once in a project schedule and only on the first milestone of the project schedule. This moves the start date of the project moves to the selected Start Constraint Date.
If you setup this constraint on any other task other than the first milestone, an
error occurs in the schedule and the tasks appear in yellow.
-
Start No Earlier Than - This constraint makes ensures the task does not start earlier than the Start Date in the Edit Start Constraint dialog box. If updates to the schedule would cause the task’s start date to be changed to earlier than the constraint date, an error message box will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and the task row color will change to yellow.
-
Start No Later Than - This constraint ensures the task does not start later than the Start Date in the Edit Start Constraint dialog box. If updates to the schedule would cause the task’s start date to be changed to later than the constraint date, an error message box will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and the task row color will change to yellow.
-
Finish No Earlier Than - This constraint ensures the task does not finish earlier than the Finish Date in the Edit Finish Constraint dialog box. If updates to the schedule would cause the task’s finish date to be changed to earlier than the constraint date, an error message box will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and the task row color will change to yellow.
-
Finish No Later Than - This constraint ensures the task does not finish later than the Finish Date in the Edit Finish Constraint dialog box. If updates to the schedule would cause the task’s finish date to be changed to later than the constraint date, an error message box will appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and the task row color will change to yellow.
-
Must End On - This constraint moves the end date of the project moves to the selected Finish Constraint Date.
This constraint should not be placed last activity in any given path through the
schedule.
-
The Must Start/Must Finish constraints will fix the date to what is selected for the constraint date.
-
Other constraint types will honor the constraint date but will also follow the logic of the schedule.
-