Estimated dates are used to predict the effect of delayed or early completion of predecessor activities on successor activities. They are useful to identify potential problems or the potential for schedule compression.
The estimated start, finish, and duration are read-only elements calculated by the system. They are updated by the system each time activities complete. Succeeding estimated dates are adjusted based on the logic below.
For completed or predecessor complete activities:
- Estimated Start Date = Actual Start Date
- Estimated Finish Date = Actual Finish Date
For in-progress or not started activities:
- Estimated Start Date = Predecessor (latest) Estimated Finish Date
- Estimated Finish Date = Estimated Start Date + Forecast Duration