Meet the new BigPicture navigation
A faster, smarter, and more intuitive way to work is here. We’ve redesigned BigPicture navigation to give you a smoother experience and better access to what matters most.
→ Discover what’s new, explore key improvements, and review feature name updates on the New navigation page.
→ The rollout will happen gradually, and the previous navigation will be retired in September 2026.
Task dates
Task dates (old navigation)
Introduction
To start working in BigPicture, you need to create a box and add tasks to this box.
It is not required for tasks to have the start and end dates defined:
Tasks have dates if the Start Date and End Date fields are set in Jira and the field mapping is configured. For more information, refer to the Start/end date fields article.
Tasks without dates (the Start Date and End Date fields are not set in Jira) can also be added to a box in BigPicture (from the 8.19 version of BigPicture).
Add dates to tasks without dates in BigPicture
There are multiple ways to add dates to tasks without dates. You can add both dates (start date and end date) or only one. A task with one date is semi-transparent, as presented below:
No start date:
No end date:
Gantt module
To add dates to a task in the Gantt module:
Hover the mouse cursor over a task on the timeline.
Click the + icon.
Edit the Start Date and End Date fields (make sure that these columns are added to the current column view).
Scope module
To add dates to a task in the Scope module:
Find a task.
Edit the Start Date and End Date fields (make sure that these columns are added to the current column view).
Board module
To add dates to a task in the Board module:
Right-click on a task and select Edit.
Complete the dates.
For iterations with precise alignment:
Move a task to such an iteration (dates to a task are added automatically based on dates for an iteration).
Resources module
Unscheduled tasks are visible in the sidebar on the right.
To add dates to a task in the Resources module:
Expand the Unscheduled tasks panel.
Drag tasks onto the grid, or double-click to edit the dates.
Risks module
To add dates to a task in the Risks module:
Right-click on a task and select Edit.
Complete the dates.
Delete task dates in BigPicture
You can delete dates from tasks. As a result, such tasks (without dates) disappear from:
Edit task dates in BigPicture
Apart from modifying the Start Date and End Date fields of a task in Jira, you can change dates by the following actions in BigPicture:
Edit dates:
in the column view
in the card view (Board and Risks modules)
Move a task:
on the Gantt timeline
in the Resources module
in the Calendar module
Inline edit dates:
in the Gantt module
in the Resources module
Changes in dates caused by other mechanisms
Scheduling
Tasks without dates and tasks where dates have been deleted are excluded from the scheduling mechanism (are considered locked tasks). Refer to the Scheduling mode (previously period mode) article.
Tasks with one date (start date or end date) are included in the scheduling mechanism.
Auto bottom-up mode
A task without dates in the scheduling mode set to auto bottom-up can get dates when dates for children tasks are added.
A task with dates in the scheduling mode set to auto bottom-up can lose dates when dates for children tasks are deleted.
Refer to the Scheduling mode (previously period mode) article.
Start date or end date set to estimate
If dates are calculated based on an estimate:
Setting a task's start or end date results in calculating the other date automatically.
Deleting a task's start or end date results in deleting the other date automatically.
Refer to the One-way sync of Start/End date article.
Auto top-down and Locked modes
Tasks in the scheduling mode set to auto top-down or locked can modify the dates of their children.
Task period alignment
When the task period alignment of a sub-scope is set to precise alignment, after adding a task to such a sub-box, the dates of a sub-box are assigned to a task automatically.
Refer to the Task period alignment article.
Conversion to milestones
Find out more on the Milestones page
Constraints
Overdue tasks
The overdue tasks feature works for:
Tasks that have start and end dates
Tasks that have only an end date (the task is semi-transparent)
The overdue tasks feature does NOT work for:
Tasks without start and end dates
Tasks with a start date, but no end date
Critical path
The critical path is drawn for:
tasks with start and end dates
tasks with one date (either start or end date)
When many tasks are linked by dependencies on the critical path, and one of the tasks loses start and end dates, the critical path may be disrupted. Once the task has dates assigned again, the critical path will appear.
Dependencies
When many tasks are linked by dependencies, and one of the tasks loses both dates (start and end dates), dependencies are saved. The arrow between tasks will temporarily disappear, but you can still check the dependency by switching to the Collapsed display and clicking on a number in a dot next to the task.
The arrow between tasks will appear once you assign at least one date to the task.
Period warnings
See more on the Period warnings / Parent task conflicts page.
Baselines
Baselines work for tasks with start and end dates. They can’t be created for tasks with only one date.
Task dates (new navigation)
Introduction
To start working in BigPicture, you need to create a box and add tasks to this box.
It is not required for tasks to have start and end dates defined:
Tasks have dates if the Start Date and End Date fields are set in Jira and the field mapping is configured. For more information, refer to the Start/end date fields article.
Tasks without dates (the Start Date and End Date fields are not set in Jira) can also be added to a box in BigPicture.
Add dates to tasks without dates in BigPicture
There are multiple ways to add dates to tasks without dates. You can add either both dates (start and end) or only one. A task with one date is semi-transparent, as presented below:
No start date:
No end date:
Gantt module
To add dates to a task in the Gantt module:
Hover the mouse cursor over a task on the timeline.
Click the + icon.
Edit the Start Date and End Date fields (make sure that these columns are added to the current column view).
Scope module
To add dates to a task in the Scope module:
Find a task.
Edit the Start Date and End Date fields (make sure that these columns are added to the current column view).
Board module
To add dates to a task in the Board module:
Go to Infobar > Backlog.
Edit the Start Date and End Date fields (make sure that these columns are added to the current column view).
For iterations with precise alignment:
Move a task to such an iteration (dates to a task are added automatically based on dates for an iteration).
Resources module
Unscheduled tasks are visible in the sidebar on the right.
To add dates to a task in the Resources module:
Expand the Backlog panel.
Drag tasks onto the grid, or double-click to edit the dates.
Delete task dates in BigPicture
You can delete dates from tasks. As a result, such tasks (without dates) disappear from:
Edit task dates in BigPicture
Apart from modifying the Start Date and End Date fields of a work item in Jira, you can change dates by the following actions in BigPicture:
Edit dates:
in the column view
Move a task:
on the Gantt timeline
in the Resources module
in the Calendar module
Inline edit dates:
in the Gantt module
in the Resources module
Changes in dates caused by other mechanisms
Scheduling
Tasks without dates and tasks where dates have been deleted are excluded from the scheduling mechanism (are considered locked tasks). Refer to the Scheduling mode (previously period mode) article.
Tasks with one date (start date or end date) are included in the scheduling mechanism.
Auto bottom-up mode
A task without dates in the scheduling mode set to auto bottom-up can get dates when dates for child tasks are added.
A task with dates in the scheduling mode set to auto bottom-up can lose dates when dates for child tasks are deleted.
Refer to the Scheduling mode (previously period mode) article.
Start date or end date set to estimate
If dates are calculated based on an estimate:
Setting a task's start or end date automatically calculates the other date.
Deleting a task's start or end date automatically deletes the other date.
Refer to the One-way sync of Start/End date article.
Auto top-down and Locked modes
Tasks in the scheduling mode set to auto top-down or locked can modify the dates of their children.
Task period alignment
When the task period alignment of a sub-scope is set to precise alignment, after adding a task to such a sub-box, the dates of a sub-box are assigned to a task automatically.
Refer to the Task period alignment article.
Conversion to milestones
Find out more on the Milestones page.
Constraints
Overdue tasks
The overdue tasks feature works for:
Tasks that have start and end dates
Tasks that have only an end date (the task is semi-transparent)
The overdue tasks feature does NOT work for:
Tasks without start and end dates
Tasks with a start date, but no end date
Critical path
The critical path is drawn for:
Tasks with start and end dates
Tasks with one date (either start or end date)
When many tasks are linked by dependencies on the critical path, and one of the tasks loses its start and end dates, the critical path may be disrupted. Once the task has dates assigned again, the critical path will appear.
Dependencies
When many tasks are linked by dependencies, and one of the tasks loses both dates (start and end dates), dependencies are saved. The arrow between tasks will temporarily disappear, but you can still check the dependency by switching to the Collapsed display and clicking on a number in a dot next to the task.
The arrow between tasks will appear once you assign at least one date to the task.
Parent task conflicts
See more on the Parent task conflicts page.
Baselines
Baselines work for tasks with start and end dates. They can’t be created for tasks with only one date.