Setting Task Dates and Durations

Overview

Every task in Monument can have a start date and end date that define when work is planned. These dates drive the schedule Gantt chart, resource allocations, and financial projections.

Setting Dates

There are two ways to set task dates:

From the Property Panel

1. Click a task to open the property panel.
2. Click the Start Date field and pick a date from the calendar.
3. Click the End Date field and pick the end date.

From the Schedule

1. On the Schedule page, find the task in the Gantt view.
2. Click and drag on an empty area of the task's row to create a date range.
3. Or drag the edges of an existing Gantt bar to adjust the start or end date.

Duration

Duration is calculated automatically from the start and end dates, counting working days based on the project's work pattern (typically Monday–Friday). The Gantt bar length reflects this duration.

If you change the duration, Monument adjusts the end date accordingly while keeping the start date fixed.

Parent Task Dates

Parent tasks (phases, stages) can derive their dates from their children:

• Start date = the earliest child start date
• End date = the latest child end date

When you move a child task's dates, the parent automatically adjusts. You can also set parent dates manually if you prefer.

Date Constraints

Tasks can have date constraints that affect how dates interact:

• As soon as possible (default) — the task starts at the earliest valid date
• Fixed dates — the task must start/end on specific dates, regardless of dependencies

When dependencies are set up, dates cascade automatically based on the dependency type and any lag days.

What's Next

• Task Dependencies — link tasks so dates cascade automatically
• Navigating the Timeline — zoom and scroll the schedule
• Creating Resource Allocations — assign staff to dated tasks