How does constraint type affect the start time when importing

[greg]

Hello,
When importing. If you have task, start, work fields.
It seems like you need to specify a constraint type. If you do not, it
seems like the tasks end up doing whatever they want to do.

For example
If the constraint type is "as soon as possible" it seems like you start on
the current date (today).
If the constraint type is "Start No Later Than" it seems like you start on
the current date(today).
If the constraint type is "Start No Earlier Than" it seems like you start at
the correct time

Am I seeing this correctly?
Can you get the start date correct, without specifying a constraint type?
Or by using one other than start no earlier than? Maybe by specifying
another field?


thanks for any help

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

Your observations about constraints are correct. However, schedules in
Project are what is termed CPM (Critical Path Method) schedules. In CPM the
dependencies between tasks are what is used to determine the start dates. For
example if you have task A and B, and B can not start until A is complete,
you create a Finish to Start dependency between the two. If A is one week
long and starts today, then B will start one week from now. Now if A changes
over that period (perhaps it is delayed or we finish early) then the start
date of B will change. If you use a constraint for B, then it will not change
so you may have a gap or overlap between the two.

There are a number of ways to specify dependencies (also called links) in
project. Probably the most commonly used way is to enter them in the
Predecessor column.

-Jack Dahlgren
http://zo-d.com/park-information

 

[greg]

Thanks for your help.
your stating that if I import a, b both have Start No Earlier Than a start
date.
A is a predecessor of B
B can still have the Start No Earlier Than. But it will actually start
after A. (I see this in Project)

However is the only way to enforce my imported start date is to specify
Start No Earlier Than?
Or is there another way to enforce the imported start date?