This article demonstrates how to insert deadlines in your Microsoft Project schedule.

Microsoft Project allows you to build a dynamic schedule. As the project executes, the Start and Finish dates will adjust based on the actual start/finish and actual work/duration recorded in the schedule. In order to meet a delivery date, there are specific tasks or milestones that must be completed on a specific date.  You might be tempted to manually pick the finish date and set a “Finish No Later Than” constraint.

A better way to set task deadlines in Project is to simply set a deadline date for a task. Then use the default “As Soon As Possible (ASAP)” constraint. This way, Project can reschedule the task with the greatest flexibility. You can also view the deadline date for the task in the Gantt Chart.

Unlike constraints, deadlines do not impact in any way on the outcome of a schedule and are not used by Project to calculate schedule dates. Deadlines are simply visual cues that can be placed on a Gantt chart to show that a task was completed after a finish date.

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Steps to Create Deadlines in MS.Project 2016

 

1-  Double click on the task to display the Task Information dialog box, then click on the Advanced tab. In our example, we double click on the task Development

Create a deadline in MS Project

 

2- Click on NA in Deadline and type the dateline date ( 21/06/19) and click OK

 

Create a deadline in MS Project- advanced tab

 

3-  A deadline icon will appear at the end of the task on the Gantt chart  and an indicator in the Indicator column that changes color when the deadline is passed.

 

Create a deadline in MS Project 2016- task deadline icon

 

Deadlines appear visually only after the due date has elapsed and if the task is not completed by that date. They also appear in a Deadline field and can be used as part of the filtering system. For example, you can create a filter that shows only tasks that have deadlines, or that are due on a specific date.

 

Deadlines can be added to any task in the project schedule.  You may want to add specific deadlines based on the tasks on the critical path or on important milestones.  The deadline gives you flexibility in setting a commitment date that isn’t tied directly to a baseline finish date.

 

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