Project: Filled Tasks Given Fixed Date Constraints
  
PSS ID Number: Q113337
Article last modified on 09-18-1994
 
3.00 3.00a | 3.00
 
WINDOWS    | MACINTOSH
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Project for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0a
 - Microsoft Project for Macintosh, version 3.0
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SUMMARY
=======
 
Tasks that have been selected with a locked first column and entered using
the Fill Down command may be given a Must Start On or Must Finish On
constraint if the table contains the Scheduled Start for Scheduled Finish
field(s). When tasks are subsequently linked, the tasks do not schedule
according to the task links because of the fixed date constraints.
 
WORKAROUND
==========
 
To avoid this behavior do one of the following:
 
   Remove the Sceduled Start and Scheduled Finish fields from the table you
are using to do the Fill Down Command.
 
   -or-
 
   Select only the fields you want to have filled down (don't select Locked
column) and avoid selecting either the Scheduled Start or Scheduled  Finish
fields.
 
   -or-
 
   Once the fill down procedure has been executed, with the tasks selected,
choose Form from the Edit menu and select the As Soon As Possible
constraint. Choose Ok. This will remove the constraints that may have
been applied to the tasks.
 
MORE INFORMATION
================
 
If you select tasks using a locked first column, all the fields for that
task are selected. When you use the Fill Down command, data is entered
directly into each field. If the table includes Scheduled Start or
Scheduled Finish, all tasks entered with the Fill Down feature will be
given Must Start On or Must Finish On constraints.
 
Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------
 
1. From the View menu, choose Task Sheet.
 
2. Enter a new task, select the task by clicking on ID 1 (the first
   column), and drag down to select additional blank rows.
 
3. From the Edit menu, choose Fill Down.
 
Note: When you double click on one of the tasks the Fill Down command
affect, you should note that the constraint says Must Start On or Must
Finish On.
 
4. From the Edit menu, choose Link Tasks.
 
When you link the tasks, you will receive the error message "Late date
before scheduled start in task 1."
 
KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:
 
Additional reference words: 3.00 3.00a
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.
