This article illustrates the value of using deadlines instead of constraints to make forecasting easier. Constraints make forecasting more difficult because they take flexibility away from a schedule.

Deadlines don’t take flexibility away from a schedule. Whenever possible, I recommend that you use deadlines in Microsoft Project instead of constraints. The use of a Deadline Dashboard enables the user to see schedule and deadline problems before they jeopardize the project. With a Deadline Dashboard we can’t predict the future, but now we can see schedule vulnerabilities.

How to create a Deadline

Deadlines are set by typing a date into the Deadline field located on the Advanced tab of the Task Information dialog box. You get to this by double clicking on the task name of the task on which you wish to impose a deadline. See Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Location of the Deadline field.