Manage Projects › Update Task Data › Define Task Advanced Properties › Lock Tasks in Place

Lock Tasks in Place

You may want to lock certain tasks or milestones in place to prevent scheduling functions, such as Recalculate or Autoschedule, from moving the task. Use the Advanced tab of the Task Properties dialog box to lock a task. You can still shift a locked task's start date, finish date, or both dates in views that display a Gantt chart, such as the Gantt Chart view.

When you lock a task and you autoschedule your project, Autoschedule does not move the ETC. If you have roles assigned to locked tasks, the ETC does not move and the ETC is in the past. The same is true for a resource that has not tracked current timesheets; the ETC spreads from the task's Start Date to the task's Finish Date, depending on the loading pattern.

Note: You can override this lock by autoscheduling your project.

To lock a task in place

1. In a view that displays the task detail pane, right-click the task and select Modify.

   The General Tab on the Task Properties dialog box opens.

2. Select the Advanced tab.

   A list of task-related values displays.

3. Scroll down the Fields list and select the Lock for Scheduling? check box, and click OK.

   That task is locked in place. The Task Properties dialog box closes.

More information:

Define Task Advanced Properties

Define Task Scheduling Constraints

View Task Percent Expended Amount

Override Task Lock during Autoschedule