Microsoft® Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies®

Chapter 4. Working with Constraints and Deadlines

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✓	Looking at how constraints control timing
✓	Understanding different constraint types
✓	Assigning constraints
✓	Understanding constraints in combination with dependencies
✓	Setting a deadline

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When you build a project, each task in it gains its timing from a variety of influences with a sometimes-complex set of priorities. You may give a task a specific start date, set dependency relationships that drive the task’s timing, or even set up a project calendar that dictates how much work can go on in a given day or week.

In addition to all these influences and more, you can apply constraints to individual tasks. A constraint is a restriction that you place on a task to control when it can start or finish. In combination with other factors, a constraint can be a powerful force for determining the timing of your tasks and project.

Deadlines, on the other hand, are more informational and are used to alert you when you’re running late, but they don’t control the timing of tasks in any real sense.

Beginning with the Start and Finish Dates

Every task has a start date and a finish date. You can set fixed start or finish dates, or (and this is the preferred method) you can let Project schedule them based on several criteria. In the absence of a fixed start or finish date, Project schedules a task based on the task duration, calendars (including the Project calendar and assigned Resource calendars), dependencies ...