Scheduling mode

Introduction

The scheduling mode determines whether a task is scheduled manually or automatically, which gives you the option of deciding how much control you want over task scheduling in a Box. By default, tasks are automatically scheduled (the scheduling mode is set to 'Auto basic' for all newly added tasks when you create a new Box), but you can change this. BigPicture PPM for monday.com can schedule the task based on dependencies, task structure, and other factors. To learn more about the scheduling rules, go to this page. (dodać LINK!!)

There are five different modes explained further below:

• Auto basic (default mode)

• Auto bottom-up

• Auto top-down

• Manual

• Locked

Configuration

• The App admins can set the default scheduling mode for new tasks that will be added to the selected Box Type in the Administration.

• The Box admins can set the default scheduling mode for new tasks that will be added to the selected Box Type (can change the default scheduling mode for new tasks that will be added to the Box) in the Box configuration.

Setting the task scheduling mode

There are multiple ways of changing the scheduling mode in BigPicture PPM on monday.com.

Option 1

• You can change the scheduling mode of a task (or a group of tasks, using the multi-select option) by using the right-click dialog:

Option 2

• You can also select multiple tasks and click on the three-dot menu in the middle:

Option 3

• You can also use inline editing to change the scheduling mode of a task. 

Option 4

• You can change the scheduling mode for all the tasks in the box at once. Go to Data > Scheduling mode in the main menu on the Gantt module:

Exceptions

User adds tasks to monday board or creates new tasks in BigPicture Box

Default scheduling mode

But the mode of Boards and Groups is always set to Auto bottom-up.

Available scheduling modes

Auto basic mode

Auto basic mode is the default scheduling mode in BigPicture PPM for monday.com.

Tasks in Auto basic mode react to automation based on non-working days, dependencies, and parents in Auto top-down and Locked mode.

Tasks set to Auto basic mode do NOT affect children’s dates (as tasks in Auto bottom-up mode) and do NOT shift children’s tasks when tasks are moved.

Use Auto basic mode as default scheduling mode. Its mechanism is similar to auto-bottom up mode.

It is a default mode, in which tasks react only to dependencies and non-working days. Task dates or duration do NOT affect its subtasks, and subtasks do NOT affect the task.

Tasks in this mode behave according to the following rules:

• Parent in ‘auto basic' do NOT adjusts automatically based on its children dates.

• If the parent is in 'auto basic' mode but superior element in WBS does NOT allow it, then the children may not be allowed to change start or end date. (to be confirmed yet with PM)

Auto bottom-up mode

Auto bottom-up mode is similar to Auto basic. Parents adjust automatically based on children’s task dates.

This mode can be used on parent tasks to have an overview of how date changes of the given task within the initiative affect its duration. (TBD with Marcin)

Parents in Auto bottom-up mode do NOT react to dependencies as their dates are based on children’s task dates, not dependencies. But parents can be moved on the Gantt timeline, and children’s task dates will move, as well.

The auto bottom-up mode to planning goes from the specifics to general or, in other words, starts with the most detailed level.

Tasks in this mode behave according to the following rules:

• Parent in 'auto bottom up' adjusts automatically based on its children i.e.:

  • start date of the parent = earliest start dates of the children tasks

  • end date of the parent = latest end date of children tasks

• If the parent is in 'auto bottom up' mode but superior element in WBS does NOT allow it, then the children may NOT be allowed to change start or end date.

Auto top-down mode 

Auto top-down mode is best to use on parent tasks that will update children’s task dates and synchronize the dates of a given initiative (the so-called top-down planning).

This mode can be used on parent tasks just to ensure that the task dates of a given initiative are NOT planned behind the schedule (dates do NOT exceed the timeframe of a given initiative).

In addition, to block the duration of a given initiative, set the mode to Locked. It has the same effect on children’s tasks.

Auto top-down parents move children’s task dates, with the main difference from Auto basic mode.

Use the auto top-down mode to plan at the high level first and then to gradually move to lower levels. In this mode, the parent task determines the earliest start and latest finish dates of its children.

Tasks in this mode behave according to the following rules:

• Parent in 'auto top down' puts boundaries on its children start and end dates i.e.:

  • start date of any child >= start date of the parent

  • end date of any child <= end date of the parent

• You can scheduled the parent task to start on a non-working day.

Locked mode

Use Locked mode to prevent users from moving the task using the App or by editing the synchronized date fields. Locked tasks behave according to the following rules:

• Users cannot move tasks in Locked mode or edit their dates.

• Tasks in Locked mode do NOT react to any automation.

• Dependencies do NOT reschedule the task.

Manual mode

Use Manual mode to plan tasks manually. Tasks in Manual mode behave according to the following rules:

Tasks in Manual mode do NOT react to any automation rule, but in contrast to Locked mode, the dates can be edited without limits.

For example, if you move parent in Auto bottom-up mode for the task in Manual mode manually, it will move the task, too.

Jeżeli zadanie w trybie Manual ma rodzica w trybie Auto bottom-up, to ręczne przesunięcie na Gantt takiego rodzica również przesunie zadanie Manual

• Parent task in 'manual mode' shows the start/end date of the issue as set in Jira.

• Children tasks can exceed the start/end date of the parent tasks and it will NOT change the start/end dates of the parent task. You can enable the period warnings to see the recalculated position of the parent task.

General rules and outcomes

The general rules and outcomes are presented in the table below:

Table to remove????

 Table

Scheduling mode	Task impacted by other tasks or dependencies?	Task impacted by non-working days?	Does moving the task affect children?	Task start / end date editable /movable?
Auto basic	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Locked	No	No	Yes	No
Manual	No	No	Yes	Yes
Auto top-down	Yes, by either parents dependencies	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto bottom-up	Yes, by either parents children dependencies	Yes	Yes	Yes