Creating buffer tasks

Creating project buffer tasks

To create a project buffer task:

Create a task in the normal way, either by drawing it in the bar chart or typing into the spreadsheet.
Position the task that you want to define as a buffer task so that its finish date is the date beyond which you do not want the buffer task to move. Also, ensure that the task has no outgoing links, no links that end at the finish of it, and no tasks to the right of it on the same bar.
Either:

Right-click the task, select Make Into from the menu that appears, then select Buffer Task.
Edit the properties of the task and select the Buffer task check box, in the Constraints group of fields, on the Task tab of the Bar and Task Properties dialog.
Display the Buffer task field, found with the Constraint fields, in a spreadsheet column, then edit the field to specify that the task is a buffer task.

The task becomes a buffer task and a deadline constraint flag is applied to it. When you designate a task as a buffer task, the task's current duration is copied into the Original buffer task duration field.

You can turn a buffer task back into a normal task by editing the Buffer task field or by right-clicking the task and selecting Make Into - Task. Note that you cannot turn expanded tasks, summary tasks, hammocks or milestones into buffer tasks. If you turn a buffer task into one of these entities, the buffer task setting is removed automatically from the task (except where a buffer task is turned into a milestone during a reschedule).

Creating feeder buffer tasks

To create a feeder buffer task:

Create a task in the normal way, either by drawing it in the bar chart or typing into the spreadsheet.
If the purpose of the feeder buffer task is to protect the start date of a task to the right on the same bar, position the task so that its finish date is the same as the start date of the task you want to protect; if the purpose of the feeder buffer task is to protect the start date of a task on a different bar, draw a link from the finish of the task to the start of the task you want to protect.
Either:

Right-click the task, select Make Into from the menu that appears, then select Buffer Task.
Edit the properties of the task and select the Buffer task check box, in the Constraints group of fields, on the Task tab of the Bar and Task Properties dialog.
Display the Buffer task field, found with the Constraint fields, in a spreadsheet column, then edit the field to specify that the task is a buffer task.

The task becomes a buffer task. As the task has either a task to the right on the same bar or an outgoing link, a deadline constraint flag is not applied to it. When you designate a task as a buffer task, the task's current duration is copied into the Original buffer task duration field.