Lesson # 6 Schedule Constraints

Constraints
Constraints: The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or

dictate the action or thought of others.

Constraints are imposed restrictions used to reflect project

requirements that cannot be built into the logic Use constraints to build a schedule that more accurately reflects the real world real-world aspects of the project, provide added control to the project, and impose a restriction on the entire project or an individual activity Constraints are user-imposed

Constraints
Project Constraints
Project Finish Constraints (Must Finish By) Project Start Constraints (Must Start By)

Activity Constraints
Start On or After Start On or Before Start On Mandatory Start Finish On or After Finish On or Before Finish On Mandatory Finish A L t As Possible As Late A P ibl As Soon As Possible

Project Finish Constraints j

One of the most common project scenarios is a required finish date for

the project
Used only during the backward pass Required finish date specifies when the project must finish regardless

of the network's duration and logic network s

Late Finish - Duration + 1 = Late Start

74

Backward pass

LS 1

Critical Activities LF 5

A
5 ES 1 EF 5 TF = 0

Must Finish By: M Fi i h B Day 20*

LS 6

20* LF 25

C
15 ES 11 EF 25 TF = -5

LS -4

LF 5

B
10 ES 1 EF 10 TF = -5

Which activities are critical based on Total Float?

Backward pass

LS 1

LF 5

A
5 ES 1 EF 5 TF = 0

Must Finish By: M Fi i h B Day 20*

LS 6

20* LF 25

C
15 ES 11 EF 25 TF = -5

LS -4

LF 5

B
10 ES 1 EF 10 TF = -5

Which activities are critical based on Longest Path? 128

Project Start Constraints j

Used only during the forward pass Required start date specifies when the project must start regardless of

the network's duration and logic

Early Start (ES) + Duration - 1 = Early Finish (EF)

77

A
5 ES 1 2 EF 5 6

Must Start B D M S By: Day 2*

C
15 ES 12 11

25 EF 26

B
10

2 ES 1

11 EF 10

Forward pass

Start On or After
Used to set the earliest date an activity can begin Forces the activity to start no earlier than the constraint date Pushes the early start to the constraint date Affects the early dates of its successors

LS

LS LF

LF

LS

LS LF

LF

A
ES *

A
ES EF * EF ES

B
EF

ES EF

79

A
5 ES 1 EF 5

Start On or After: Day 15*

C
15 ES 15 11

25 EF 29

B
10 ES 1 EF 10

Forward pass

Start On or Before
Used to set intermediate start points Forces the activity to start no later than the constraint date Pulls the late start date to the constraint date Affects the late dates of its predecessors

LS

LF

LS

LF

A
ES EF ES

B
EF

81

Backward pass

LS 6 4

LF 10 8

A
5 ES 1 EF 5

Start On or Before: Day 9*

LS 11 9 LF 25 23

C
15 LS-1 1 LF 10 8 ES 11 EF 25

B
10 ES 1 EF 10

Start On
Forces the activity to start on the constraint date Shifts both Early and Late Start dates Delays an Early Start or accelerates a Late Start Used to specify dates submitted by contractors or vendors

LS

LF

LS

LF

A
ES EF ES

B
EF

83

10 Start On: Day 12* y

11 12

25 26

10

11 12

25 26

10

Mandatory Start y
Forces the activity to start on the constraint date Forces early and late dates to be equal to the constraint date Affects late dates of predecessors and early dates of successors May violate network logic

LS

LF

LS

LF

A
ES EF ES

B
EF

85

6 4

8 10 Mandatory Start: y Day 9* 25 11 9 23

-1 1

10 8

11 9

25 23

10

Finish On or After
Forces the activity to finish no earlier than the constraint date Shifts the Early Finish to the constraint date Affects the early dates of its successors Used to prevent an activity from finishing too early

87

Finish On or Before
Used to set intermediate completion points Forces the activity to finish no later than the constraint date Pulls the late finish date to the constraint date Affects the late dates of its predecessors

88

Finish On
Forces the activity to finish on the constraint date Shifts both Early and Late Finish dates Delays an Early Finish or accelerates a Late Finish Used to satisfy intermediate project deadlines

89

Mandatory Finish y
Forces the activity to finish on the constraint date Forces early and late dates to be equal to the constraint date Affects late dates of predecessors and early dates of successors May violate network logic

90

As Late as Possible
Delays an activity as late as possible without delaying its successors Shifts the early dates as late as possible Also called a zero free float constraint

91

AS Late as Possible

10

6 1 TF = 0 5 5 FF = 0 1

5 10

11

25

10

11 TF = 0 FF = 0

25

1 TF = 0 FF = 0

10

Workshop Define & Analyze Constraint