CONSTRAINTS in the Project Plan

carlos.ramirez

Good morning everyone,

I think it is really important to be able to add some constraints to the Project Plan.

At the moment, it is not possible. I have a column "Constraint Type" with the different constraints:

• As Soon As Possible.
• As Late As Possible.
• Finish No Earlier Than.
• Finish No Later Than.
• Must Start On.
• Must Finish On.
• Start No Earlier Than.
• Start No Later Than.

The problem is that I can not join this constraint with the "Start Date" and "Finish Date".

In other platforms, this is a basic feature and of course it is very useful.

Eg:

I have a *Task 2* with a predecessor *Task 1*.

Explanation:

• Task 2 can not start until Task 1 is finished.
• Task 2 can not start earlier than 15/01/2024 (Not resources available until this date)

I dont have the option to join the "Start Date" not only with the predecessor, but also with the constraint.

I repeat, is something very necessary to manage projects in a good way.

Adding a lag is not a good solution because:

• I place predecessor *Task 1* + 5 days, so I have 15/01/2024
• But then, *Task 1* is delayed 2 days, and I will have 17/01/2024, but still possible to start 15/01/2024

Kind regards!

Monique Odom-Stearn

Hello @carlos.ramirez,

It looks like project constraints have been suggested to the Smartsheet team already and they may be working on it. Please vote on this product feedback and comment your experiences and insight! The product feedback discussions are one of the best ways we can have a voice in future product updates!

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/92217/constraint-types-in-gantt-view

edapel

We have done something similar in our plan and RAID logs by using both conditional formatting and using if statements. There is some trial-and-error work you will have to do, but once you get it set for your use it is easily manipulated for the next and so on.

(remember that Smartsheet has helped with formulas - https://app.smartsheet.com/r/template-gallery/templates/22e41e1b-9df7-45e3-940b-8c550989d942/Formula-Handbook?tg-locale=en_US)

Hope this helps.

carlos.ramirez

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/407090#Comment_407090

Good morning @Monique_Odom_Comcast

Thanks for your answer. But it is an old Thread (June 2022). How can we check that Smartsheet is working on that? Is it posible to have an Estimation Time?

It is very needed for managing the tasks.

If you put a date with not a predecessor, you can incur into mistakes and besides, the critical path and the total float does not work properly.

Regards!

Mac Costas

people have been asking for this basic functionality for 15 years, this is why smart sheets sucks