Skip to main content

Scheduling Modes

One of the most powerful features of MSP Planner is its professional scheduling engine. Unlike basic Gantt tools that only track dates, MSP Planner understands the mathematical relationship between Duration, Work, and Units.

The Golden Rule of Scheduling:​

Work = Duration × Units

By choosing the correct Scheduling Mode, you tell the app which of these three variables is the "fixed" constant and which ones should be automatically recalculated when you make a change.

1. Fixed Duration​

"The deadline is non-negotiable."

In this mode, the duration of the task is locked. If you add more resources (increase Units), the app will automatically reduce the amount of Work required from each person to fit the fixed window.

  • Use Case: A fixed-length phase (e.g., a 2-week Sprint or a 1-month UAT period).
  • Behavior: Changing Units -> Recalculates Work.
  • PM's Strategic Insight: Use this mode for tasks with hard time-boxes. It highlights Deadline Risk: if the required work increases but the duration is fixed, you must either increase resource units or accept a drop in quality/scope.

2. Fixed Work​

"The amount of effort is known."

In this mode, the total man-hours (Work) are locked. If you add more resources (increase Units), the duration of the task will shrink because the work is being shared among more people.

  • Use Case: A specific deliverable that requires 100 man-hours of effort, regardless of how many people are assigned.
  • Behavior: Changing Units -> Recalculates Duration.
  • PM's Strategic Insight: This is the primary mode for Schedule Crashing. If a task is on the Critical Path and delaying the project, you can increase the units to pull in the finish date, provided the work is parallelizable.

3. Fixed Units​

"The resource's availability is the constant."

In this mode, the percentage of the resource's time (Units) is locked. If you increase the amount of work, the duration will extend to accommodate the extra effort.

  • Use Case: A part-time consultant who is only available for 10 hours a week (25% Units).
  • Behavior: Changing Work -> Recalculates Duration.
  • PM's Strategic Insight: Use this for Capacity-Constrained resources. It provides the most predictable delivery dates because it respects the physical limit of the resource's availability.

4. Manual Scheduling​

"I'll decide the dates myself."

Unlike the modes above, Manual Scheduling bypasses the auto-calculation engine. In this mode, the "Golden Rule" is disabled, and the app does not automatically shift dates based on dependencies, calendars, or resource loads.

  • Use Case: High-level roadmapping, placeholder tasks, or commitments with fixed dates that should not be moved by the engine.
  • Behavior: You have total control over the Start, Finish, and Duration. If you move the bar or change a date, the other two values are updated based on simple wall-clock math, without calendar-snapping or constraint interference.
  • PM's Strategic Insight: Manual mode is for the "Thinking Space" (Drafting/Roadmapping). Once the plan is vetted and becomes a formal commitment, switching to an Auto-mode ensures the schedule remains deterministic and logically sound.

Pro Tip: Choosing the Right Mode​

Not all tasks are created equal. Use this quick reference to select the right mode for your task type:

Task TypeRecommended ModeWhy?
Sprints / Time-boxesFixed DurationThe window is closed; only units or work can change.
Deliverables / FeaturesFixed WorkThe effort is the constant; dates should shift if resources change.
Specialist / Part-timeFixed UnitsThe resource's availability is the bottleneck.
Roadmap MilestonesManualHigh-level targets that shouldn't move during early drafting.

Interaction with "Actuals"​

When tracking execution, compare your Planned Work (from the selected mode) against the Actual Work pulled from Jira. If a "Fixed Work" task is consistently over-burning its budget, you have a "Reality Gap" that requires you to either increase the laocated units or extend the duration.

How to apply Scheduling Modes​

You can set the scheduling mode for any task using the Task Editor or the Grid Columns.

When you change a mode, MSP Planner immediately recalculates the task's timing and resource load based on the "Golden Rule." This allows you to perform realistic capacity planning: you can see exactly how adding a second developer to a "Fixed Work" task will pull in your project finish date.

Resource Analytics