What happens if team members don't update the Actual Start date?

[Lisa C]

When a project member updates actuals via Project Web Access, what happens if
they don't provide an Actual Start date? Does Project use the Scheduled
Start date?
Should I insist that everyone update the Actual Start?

 

[Rod Gill]

If you enter a % complete, the scheduled start date is used. If you are
entering actual hours on a daily basis, the date of the day with the first
actual work is the actual start date.

 

[MIP]

if you are entering actual hours on a daily basis, does the actual finish
date automatically become the last day the actual work was entered?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

MIP --

It is the last date in which Actual Work is entered and which causes
Remaining Work to be recalculated at 0 hours. Hope this helps.