Manual Activity Sheet Start Date, Finish Date, and Duration
The values for the Start Date, Finish Date, and Duration columns are controlled by an automatic formula.
- If you change the Duration, then the Finish Date will change.
- If you change the Finish Date, then the Duration will change.
- If you change the Start Date, then the Finish Date will change.
These fields also control the display on the Gantt chart, and their values can change when you manipulate the activity bar, in the Gantt chart.
The Activity Status will be changed into 'In Progress' if the Actual Start Date is entered.
To edit the activity % complete (progress), you have to enter the Actual Start Date. Also, you can change the Activity Status to 'In Progress' to change the Actual Start Date to the current date and make the activity % complete (progress) editable.
Similarly, when an Activity Status is changed to 'Completed,' the Actual Start Date and the Finish Date will populate with current date, and the % complete value will be: 100%.
You cannot change the Activity Status to 'Not Started' if there are values for the Actual Start Date and % complete. To change the Activity Status, the values for the Actual Start Date and % complete must be removed. Also, when the actual finish date is entered, the Activity Status will be changed to 'Completed.' When the Activity Status is changed to 'Completed,' the actual finish date will be updated.
If you clear the Start Date or Finish Date, the system displays an alert notifying you that the fields are required. All the date columns (uuu_P6Start ,uuu_P6Finish, and uuu_P6Duration) are required columns in the activity sheet. You cannot reset the Start Date or Finish Date, and the system displays an error message if you attempt to do so.
- If you enter a Start Date that is earlier than the Project Schedule Start Date (specified in the activity sheet properties), the system displays the following message: "<uuu_P6Start> cannot be earlier than Project Schedule Start Date."
- If you update the Finish Date <uuu_P6Finish> with a date earlier than <uuu_P6Start>, the system displays the following message: "<uuu_P6Finish> cannot be earlier than <uuu_P6Start>."
The Duration <uuu_P6Duration> and the Finish Date <uuu_P6Finish> values will change based on the activity sheet calendar selected. The Activity Calendar drop-down field will show all of the calendars that are defined at the project-level (which are located, by default, under Schedule Manager > Custom Calendars).
The Activity Status (uuu_P6ActivityStatus) value will be "Not Started," by default
The Start Date and the Finish Date values will show the Project Schedule Start Date, specified in properties, by default.
The Activity Type (uuu_P6ActivityType) value will be "Task Dependent," by default. You can update the task to "Resource Dependent' or "Milestone."
Last Published Sunday, July 20, 2025