The following instructions are how to set project dates without having project tasks on the tasks tab of the project. If you would like to use project tasks, see the instructions below.

1. After a project is created from a project request, the Planned start date and Planned end date are required fields. ServiceNow will set the Planned start date as the date the project is created and the Planned end date to one business day after the project is created. You can edit these dates.
2. The planned dates can be changed on the dates tab when a project is in a state prior to Active Initiation.
3. When you change the status of the project to Active Initiation the Actual start date will be required and will default to today. It can be edited.
   • The Planned end date cannot be changed while the project is in a state post Active Initiation.
   • The Planned end date will recalculate based on the Actual start date and the planned duration.

4. When you set the project status to Active Build, or a later status, the Planned end date will be recorded in the Original End date field. It cannot be edited.
   • IMPORTANT: Check your Planned end date before Changing to Active Build
   • In order to avoid recording the ServiceNow default Planned end date as the Original end date, the Planned end date cannot be one day after the date the project was created. If this is the case, you will receive an error message.
5. When changing the project status to Completed, the Actual end date is required and will default to today. It can be edited.
6. You can switch to a project that uses tasks at any time. See PROJECT WITH TASKS. To return to controlling dates at the project level, delete all tasks from the project.

1. After a project is created from a project request, the Planned start date and Planned end date are required fields. ServiceNow will set the Planned start date as the date the project is created and the Planned end date to one business day after the project is created. You can edit these dates.
2. You may choose to use the PMO Project Key Milestones template. Key milestone tasks as defined by the PMO are included in this task template.
   • Click on the “To apply template click here.“ link in the blue box at the top of a project. (The link will only show when there are no project tasks on the project.)
   • Select a date for the tasks default start date. This should be your project Planned start date or the date you want the project Planned start date to be.
   • Select the “PMO Project Key Milestones” template
     • This will create 12 project tasks on the task tab.
     • You can edit or delete any of these tasks
     • The Project Timeline task is intended for setting the overall Planned start and Planned end dates of a project in case the other tasks may not yet align with the desired Planned start and end dates. You do not have to use this Project Timeline task. You can edit or delete this task.
       • Set the Project Timeline task Planned start date to the earliest desired start date for the project.
       • Set the Project Timeline task Planned end date to the desired Planned end date of the project.

3. You can also manually create tasks from the project task tab.
   • For more information on Project tasks and dependencies, see How to use Project Scheduling Functionality
4. The project Planned start date can only be changed if the project is in a state prior to Active Initiation and at least one project task has a Time Constraint set to Start ASAP.
5. When you set the project status to Active Initiation or a later status, the Actual start date will be required and will default to today. It can be edited. However this date will change as soon as the first task enters WIP. See #7 below.
6. When you set the project status to Active Build, or a later status, the Planned end date will be recorded in the Original End date field. It cannot be edited.
   • IMPORTANT: Check your Planned end date before Changing to Active Build
   • In order to avoid recording the ServiceNow default Planned end date as the Original end date, the Planned end date cannot be one day after the date the project was created. If this is the case, you will receive an error message.
7. When a project task is started, change the project task status to “Work in Progress.”
   • The task Actual start date cannot be entered until the task status is “Work in Progress.”
   • The task Actual start date will default to today. This date can be edited.
   • When one or more project tasks are in the “Work in Progress” state, the project Actual start date will equal the earliest project task Actual start date.
   • Once a project task Actual start date is entered, the task Planned end date will move according to the project task planned duration.
8. As project tasks are completed, you will mark them Closed Complete, Closed Incomplete, or Closed Skipped.
   • The task Actual end date will default to today. This can be edited.
   • When all tasks are in a Closed status, the project Actual end date will be set to the latest Actual end date of any task.
9. If you are using task dependencies and they are set to, Start ASAP, Changing task dates will recalculate linked tasks and affect project dates.
10. If you change a task date on the Planning Console table view or on the graph, the project date will be updated.
    • EXCEPTION: If a change you make will move the project Planned start date earlier than it currently is, it will not change. To make this change, you will have to right click a task and click the edit option.
11. ‘Move Project’ Related link if Project Status is Requested or Prioritized allows change of project start date and will shift tasks’ start dates appropriately.