Box Period
- Anna Ciepłota
Introduction
You can configure the period mode applicable to a given box type. The settings determine how the period of the boxes behaves in relation to the other boxes in the hierarchy.
Keep in mind:
A box type contains the default settings applicable to multiple boxes (all boxes of a given type). The settings are adjusted in Administration > Box types.
Box configuration refers to the settings of an individual box and is dependent on the box type settings.
Security and access
App admins can access and modify the period mode and sequentiality settings on the Box types page:
Open BigPicture or BigGantt.
Click Wrench button on the right side.
Select Box types.
Click on the box type name link.
Expand the General section.
Go to Advanced.
Possible settings combinations
Table 1. Possible settings combinations
Period mode | Sequentiality | Sequentiality |
|---|---|---|
| Sequential | Overlapping allowed |
Auto bottom-up | No | Yes |
Auto scope-based | No | Yes |
Auto top-down | Yes | Yes |
Manual | Yes | Yes |
Period mode
Changes made to the period mode apply to both existing boxes and newly created ones. However, the scheduling mechanism does NOT recalculate the existing boxes.
The scheduling mechanism does NOT validate existing boxes automatically. Validation is triggered when a new box is created, an existing box period is edited, or a parent box is changed.
You cannot change the period mode or sequentiality settings for a single box. The configuration is set for all boxes of a given type.
Users who do NOT have access to the Administration page can check the period mode by adding such a column in the column view of the Overview module.
Manual
Select the manual period mode to manually determine the start and end dates of boxes.
The box duration has to be manually adjusted.
The box period is independent of its scope and sub-box duration.
The automatic period adjustment never applies to manual period mode boxes.
Manual change of start/end date of a box
The start and end dates of a box are defined during the creation process.
The time periods of boxes can be adjusted:
On the Box Configuration > General > Basics page.
In the Overview module.
Auto top-down
With the auto top-down period mode, you cannot add sub-boxes that exceed the start and end date of the upper-level box.
The box period has to be manually adjusted.
The box period limits periods of its sub-boxes.
If you try to create or modify a sub-box and it does NOT fit within the parent period, the validation error appears.
Exception:
Boxes in the manual period mode are unaffected by the auto top-down period mode of the parent box.
Scheduling conflict
In case of a scheduling conflict, the auto top-down rules have lower priority than the auto bottom-up and auto scope-based rules.
Auto bottom-up
Select the auto bottom-up period mode to adjust the time period of the parent box to match its sub-boxes.
The start date of a box = the earliest start date of its sub-boxes.
The end date of a box = the latest end date of its sub-boxes.
Auto scheduling mechanism:
Only direct children are taken into account during the period calculation.
The box period is affected when:
A new sub-box is added.
A parent box or box periods of existing sub-boxes are changed.
An edge sub-box that the start or end date was based on is removed.
In case of a conflict, the auto bottom-up rules have priority.
Box sequentiality is automatically set to overlapping allowed and cannot be changed.
Auto scope-based
A box type with the auto scope-based period mode adjusts its time period to match all tasks within its scope. The box period reflects the duration of tasks in its scope. There is no discrepancy between a box period and its contents.
All elements (tasks) listed in WBS are taken into account when calculating the box period (including tasks based on projects, versions, sprints, and components).
The start date = the earliest start date of a task in a box scope.
The end date = the latest end date of a task in a box scope.
The auto scope-based rules have a priority. A parent box with the auto top-down period mode does NOT limit a box in the auto scope-based period mode.
Box sequentiality is automatically set to overlapping allowed and cannot be changed.
Recommended use:
The period mode is recommended for the program-type boxes containing other sub-boxes. As a result, the main program-type box is automatically adjusted its period to encompass all its tasks, while at the same time, sub-boxes inside can be sequential.
Period mode edge cases
Table 2. Period mode edge cases
Parent box | Sub-box | Sub-box | Sub-box | Sub-box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Period mode | Auto bottom-up | Auto scope-based | Auto top-down | Manual |
Auto bottom-up | No conflict | No conflict | No conflict | No conflict |
Auto scope-based | Auto scope-based has priority | No conflict | No conflict | No conflict |
Auto top-down | Auto bottom-up has priority | Auto scope-based has priority | No conflict | No conflict |
Manual | Manual box unaffected | No conflict | No conflict | No conflict |
Sequentiality
Changes made to the Sequentiality settings apply to all boxes of a given type (both existing and newly created).
Users who do NOT have access to the Administration page can check the sequentiality by adding such a column in the column view of the Overview module.
Overlapping allowed
Select the overlapping allowed option if you want same-level boxes to overlap. When you create a new box, BigPicture suggests an end date of a sub-box (regardless of the duration of a previously created same-level box).
Sequential
With the sequential option, overlapping of same-level box periods is blocked. When you create a new box, BigPicture suggests an end date based on the duration of a previously created same-level box.
"Read more" URL
The link is displayed when creating new boxes of a given type. For example, the link can lead to internal documentation or other related information.
Additional information
The start and end dates provided manually during the box creation can be changed automatically based on the period mode and other boxes in the hierarchy.
Changes in the start and end dates made to existing boxes trigger a validation check. BigPicture verifies whether such changes are consistent with the current settings. If there is a conflict, a validation error is displayed. As a result, start and end dates cannot be changed.