Constraints are the rules set on the tasks which help you to schedule the start and finish of the task. For instance, you're planning a painting project for your newly designed room, and you know that the room has to be ready before August 6, since the painting crew is available only on August 7 and not later than that. It is fine if your room is prepared prior to August 6. Likewise, in Projects, you can set a Finish No Later Than constraint for the ‘Preparation’ task, and set the date to August 6, but is has to be completed by that date. The advantage of entering constraints is that Celoxis does not allow the schedules to conflict with the specified Constraints and warns you accordingly, thereby avoiding any overlapping of tasks. The following constraint types are supported:
As Soon As Possible (ASAP)
When you set ASAP constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules your tasks to start as early as they can. There are no constraint dates in ASAP.
As Late As Possible (ALAP)
When you set As Late As Possible constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the task to start as late as it can without delaying subsequent tasks.
Must Start On (MSO)
When you set MSO constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the task to start on a specific date. Once you select this constraint type MSO, your tasks will start on the specified date and no other scheduling or dependencies would affect it.
Must Finish On (MFO)
When you set the MFO constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the task to finish on a specific date. Once you select the constraint type MFO, your tasks will finish on the specified date and no other scheduling or dependencies would affect it.
Start No Earlier Than
When you set Start No Earlier Than constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the task to start on a specific date or after a specific date.
Start No Later Than
When you set Start No Later Than constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the task to start on a specific date or before that specific date.
Finish No Earlier Than (FNET)
When you set FNET constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the tasks to finish on a specific date or after that specific date.
Finish No Later Than (FNLT)
When you set FNLT constraint for your tasks, Celoxis schedules the task to finish on a specific date or before that specific date.
Constraints have higher precedence than the dependency i.e if a task is a successor task and also has a constraint date set, then the start/finish dates of the task will be determined by the constraint and its date.