Project Insight can use actual start and actual end dates to reschedule a task and its dependent tasks. This behavior is not enabled by default and can be configured for individual tasks, individual projects, or the entire workspace.
Best for: Project managers, schedulers, and administrators who want actual task dates to drive the remaining project schedule in selected workflows.
What does it mean for actual dates to adjust the schedule?
When this option is enabled, changing a task’s actual start or actual end date can change its scheduled dates and reschedule subsequent dependent tasks.
Project Insight does this by recalculating the project plan from the actual date entered on the task.
This is different from the default behavior, where actual dates are recorded for comparison but do not change the original schedule.
Is this behavior enabled by default?
No. By default, actual start and end dates do not change the project schedule.
This protects the planned schedule from being changed by an incorrect or unusually late actual date. Teams can still compare planned and actual dates using variance information without allowing the actual dates to move the plan.
What happens when the actual start date changes?
When the actual-start scheduling option is enabled and the task is more than 0% complete, changing the actual start date reschedules the task and its subsequent dependent tasks.
For example, if a task was scheduled to start on May 19 but its actual start date is changed to June 2, Project Insight moves the task and recalculates the dates of later dependent tasks.
The result is similar to applying a must-start-on scheduling condition to that task.
What happens when the actual end date changes?
When the actual-end scheduling option is enabled and the task is complete, changing the actual end date recalculates the task duration and reschedules subsequent dependent tasks.
For example, if a five-day task was scheduled to end on June 6 but actually ended on June 16, Project Insight can recalculate the task to 11 days and move later tasks accordingly.
Can some tasks use actual-date scheduling while others do not?
Yes. The settings can be controlled task by task.
One task can use actual dates to recalculate the schedule while another task continues to show actual dates without changing its planned schedule.
This is the most common approach when only certain tasks or workflows should allow actual dates to drive scheduling.
How do I enable actual-date scheduling for one task?
- Open the task in the full task edit screen.
- Open the Advanced section.
- Find the settings under Other Options.
- Enable Calculate the schedule based on the actual start date when percent complete is greater than zero, if needed.
- Enable Calculate the schedule based on the actual end date when the task is complete, if needed.
- Choose whether the actual start date can be set while the task is still 0% complete.
- Save the task.
What task-level options are available?
The transcript shows the following task-level controls:
- Allow the task owner to set actual dates
- Calculate the schedule from the actual start date when percent complete is greater than 0%
- Calculate the schedule from the actual end date when the task is complete
- Allow the actual start date to be set when percent complete is 0%
If task owners are not allowed to change the dates, the dates must be managed by a project manager or scheduler.
Can I configure these settings for an entire project?
Yes. The same options can be configured in the project’s task defaults.
Project Insight does this by applying the selected defaults to tasks within that project while still allowing task-level overrides when needed.
Can I configure these settings for the entire workspace?
Yes. The settings are also available in the global task defaults.
Workspace-level settings can establish the default behavior across projects. Individual projects can then override those defaults, and individual tasks can be configured separately.
Use caution when applying a change to all projects because it changes the scheduling rules throughout the system.
How do project, workspace, and task settings work together?
Project Insight supports three levels of configuration:
- Workspace level: Establishes the global task defaults.
- Project level: Overrides the workspace defaults for one project.
- Task level: Overrides the defaults for one specific task.
In short, administrators can define broad defaults while project managers can use different behavior for selected projects or tasks.
Can Project Insight populate actual dates automatically?
Yes. Project Insight can automatically populate actual start and actual end dates based on user activity.
The transcript shows options to set the actual date from:
- The date when percent complete is updated
- The date and time when percent complete is updated
- The scheduled date
Some automatically generated values cannot be edited, depending on the option selected.
When is the actual start date populated automatically?
Project Insight can populate the actual start date when a user updates the task’s percent complete.
For example, when someone changes a task from 0% complete to a value greater than 0%, the system can use that interaction date or date and time as the actual start.
When is the actual end date populated automatically?
Project Insight can populate the actual end date when a user updates the task to complete.
For example, when someone marks a task complete, the system can use that date or date and time as the actual end date.
What should I check before allowing actual dates to change the schedule?
- Confirm that actual dates should change the plan rather than only record performance.
- Decide whether the behavior should apply to one task, one project, or the workspace.
- Confirm who is allowed to enter or change actual dates.
- Review dependencies because subsequent tasks may be rescheduled.
- Check whether actual dates should be entered manually or populated automatically.
- Use caution before applying the settings to all projects.
What are common mistakes when using actual-date scheduling?
- Enabling the behavior globally when it is only needed for selected tasks
- Entering an incorrect actual date that moves the remaining schedule
- Assuming actual dates change the schedule by default
- Giving task owners permission to change dates without reviewing the workflow
- Forgetting that dependent tasks may be rescheduled
- Confusing automatic date population with schedule recalculation
Related questions
Do actual start and end dates change the project plan by default?
No. The scheduling options must be enabled before actual dates will recalculate the plan.
Can I enable actual-date scheduling for only one task?
Yes. Open the full task edit screen and configure the options under Advanced and Other Options.
Can a task owner enter actual start and end dates?
Yes, when the option allowing the task owner to set those dates is enabled. Otherwise, the dates must be managed by a project manager or scheduler.
Can I use different settings for different projects?
Yes. Project-level task defaults can override the workspace-level defaults.
Can Project Insight set actual dates when percent complete changes?
Yes. Actual start and end dates can be populated automatically from the date, date and time, or scheduled date associated with the user update.
Where can I get help configuring actual-date scheduling?
Visit Project Insight Support or attend Project Insight office hours for help selecting the correct task, project, or workspace settings.
[Related article placeholder: Add a link to the Project Insight article about task dependencies and schedule recalculation.]
[Related website content placeholder: Add a link to a Project Insight scheduling feature page, webinar, or office hours resource.]
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