P.S. Author Eric Christoph is teaching our live lesson this week! Register here for Excel & Power BI Supercharged - Unlock Project Online Data with Power Query + learn more below.
Video Quick Video Tip: Enhance Your Schedule with Deadline Dates in Microsoft Project
Need a flexible way to track due dates in Microsoft Project? This quick tutorial shows you how deadline dates can transform your scheduling approach:
Apply deadline dates to any task type - summary, regular, or milestone
Display contractual finish dates or team targets visually on your Gantt chart
Maintain scheduling flexibility unlike rigid constraints like "Must Finish On"
See deadlines appear as green arrows directly on your Gantt chart
Watch this 2-minute video to learn how to set and use deadline dates to communicate important target dates while keeping your schedule dynamic.
Case Study: How Strategic Project Management Transformed an EV Manufacturing Launch
Discover how advanced project management techniques rescued a troubled electric vehicle production program. This real-world case study reveals:
How establishing clear milestones and KPIs turned a failing launch around
Why structured quality planning became the backbone of manufacturing success
The project management approach that recovered a six-month parts delay
Strategic changes that ultimately reduced program costs by over $75M
This is a great example of how disciplined project management methodologies can create measurable business impact in complex manufacturing environments.
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3/12: Scaling Scrum with Hands-on Applicability: Understanding Scaling with Scrum (Part 1) | Learn More / Register Here
3/19: Scaling Scrum with Hands-on Applicability: Scaled Scrum with CIPSA Framework (Part 2) | Learn More / Register Here
3/26: Scaling Scrum with Hands-on Applicability: Hands-on, Scaled Scrum with MS Project (Part 3) | Learn More / Register Here
PM Best Practice: Let Deadlines Drive Milestones, Not Constraints
Instead of using rigid constraints like "Must Finish On" in your schedule, try using deadline dates. They provide necessary visibility for stakeholders while maintaining scheduling flexibility. Deadlines appear as green arrows in Microsoft Project's Gantt chart but don't force fixed dates that can create artificial scheduling conflicts. This approach lets your schedule respond dynamically to real-world changes while still clearly communicating important target dates to your team.
