Constraint Types Overview

Project Central uses constraint type rules, along with work durations and dependencies, to determine the scheduled start and scheduled end dates of work items in your plan. When Project Central is being viewed, you will see these constraints in their abbreviated form (see below). While changing a project’s constraint, you will see the full constraint name.

1. Constraint Type Definitions

Below is a list of the constraint types that are available for your use in PowerSteering.

ALAP: As Late As Possible schedules the task as late as possible with the task ending before the project ends and without delaying subsequent tasks. You will not need to enter a start or end date with this constraint.

ASAP: As Soon As Possible schedules the task to begin as early as possible. You will not need to enter a start or end date with this constraint.

ESG: Enforced Sequential Gates is an attribute of a gated project work type and schedules a firm end date for each phase. Additionally, one phase will proceed directly to the next phase. Note: This constraint type can only be applied to phases on a gated project.

FD: Fixed Dates schedules the task according to the start and end dates that you define.

FNET: Finish No Earlier Than schedules the task to finish on or after a specified date. You will enter the end date manually and the constraint will ensure that the task does not finish before that date.

FNLT: Finish No Later Than schedules the task to finish on or before a specified date. You will enter the end date manually and the constraint will ensure that the task does not finish after that date.

MFO: Must Finish On schedules the task to finish on a date that you define manually.

MSO: Must Start On schedules the task to start on a date that you define manually.

SNET: Start No Earlier Than schedules the task to start on or after a specified date. You will enter the start date manually and the constraint will ensure that the task does not start before that date.

SNLT: Start No Later Than schedules the task to start on or before a specified date. You will enter the start date manually and the constraint will ensure that the task does not start after that date.

Note: If a work item’s start and end dates are constrained by a preceding or succeeding work item, you may not see all of these constraint options. Also, if an actual end date has been entered in a project, the scheduler will no longer modify the system dates.