Manual and auto-scheduling

Scheduling is the process of positioning tasks on a timeline. In general, you can schedule your tasks manually or use the auto-scheduling feature to generate the project schedule for you. This way, you can save time and keep hundreds of tasks under control and within deadlines. 

Manual scheduling

Manual scheduling means you manually set the start and end dates of individual tasks. The App doesn’t automatically re-schedule tasks based on the structure of the tasks (the active structure builders will not affect tasks in manual mode), it ignores all dependencies. Tasks can start or finish on non-working days. This gives you the flexibility to schedule each task exactly as you want it with no risk of unintentional rescheduling.

For example: The task BU-31 'Select the property to build on' starts before the BU-29 'Phase 1 - Finding the location' and the BU-30 'Survey the footprint of the house which is linked with the BU-31 using the 'end to start' dependency starts before the finish date of the BU-31:

You can turn off the auto-scheduling rules for selected tasks by setting their 'scheduling mode' to 'Manual' or 'Locked.'

Automatic scheduling

Automatic scheduling helps you with the positioning of tasks. Instead of scheduling every task manually, the App plans your tasks by following the scheduling rules. Scheduling is done based on the following data:

• the task structure (active Structure builders),
• scheduling mode
• the duration of each task 
• the dependencies between tasks,
• any other constraints (like national holidays, absences, and task period alignment).

For example: The scheduling mode is set to Auto bottom-up for all tasks. The BU-29 is calculated based on the four child tasks (including the milestone), and due to the defined dependencies, each of the tasks is aligned one after the other: 

The scheduling rules

According to multiple rules, the auto-scheduling function aims to calculate the task's period (start and end dates). Those rules are applied simultaneously, but each has its own priority. This way, depending on implemented rules, you can end up with different setups of scheduling functions for each task.

The table below lists everything that directly impacts task scheduling. Click the links to view the documentation pages explaining each item in more detail:

Additional concepts

A task in multiple boxes →  impacts the auto-scheduling and your ability to manually reschedule a task by drag-and-dropping it using the Gantt or Resources modules or changing the dates directly.

This means that if a task is within the scope of multiple Boxes and each of the Boxes is configured differently (has its own, different set of rules such as different task structure, dependencies, etc.), the resulting task's period will be 'evenly shaped' by the rules of each Box. The task's position and duration on the timeline will be the same in all of the boxes.

This information is crucial in troubleshooting problems such as being unable to drag and drop a task or being unable to change the start/end date of a task as the App keeps reverting it to the previous value. In such cases, the task is most likely constrained by rules in other boxes that prevent the change.

All of the aspects influencing the auto-scheduling mechanism might work "behind the scenes."

You can configure the Box in such a way that the 'scheduling mode' or 'Dependencies' information is not displayed.

For example, if a Box is set up so that only the Resources and Scope Modules are enabled, you will not be able to see the 'scheduling mode' and 'Dependencies' information, as there is no place to display it. But that doesn't mean that they don't impact the task's scheduling.

For example: Resources module vs. Gantt view