Tasks: change Start Date without moving Due Date?

[Mike B]

At the moment, if I have a task with both a Start Date and Due Date set, and
I want to move JUST the Start Date on a bit, I have to set the Start Date to
None, and then select it again and move it to the date I want. If I just
change it straight off, the Due Date changes too, which is a BAD THING... my
Due Dates are set in stone and cannot be changed (well, not without jumping
through hoops).

This is inconvenient because once I set the Start Date to None, and go back
into it, the calendar popup defaults to Today, and I have to flick forwards
to find roughly where the Start Date used to be, then choose a day a few days
after.

So, is there any way to move JUST the Start Date and NOT also the Due Date?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

yep but it's not what you may expect.

When you set Start and Due, I always suggest you wipe the date range. eg
Use either drop down window to see the dates, click and wipe oevr a date
range and release. This methods sets start and due in one swoop.

To change Start but not Due, click the Due date button drop down arrow and
wipe BACKWARDS from Due to your new Start Date.

Regards

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook
Trainer and Consultant

There are various articles about using Outlook here: www.judygleeson.com
Canberra, Australia

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each
other?"
George Eliot

 

[Mike B]

So there's no way of achieving "I just want to move the Start Date on by 2
days, without changing the Due Date"? I either have to use my method, or
your "wipe" method? With the wipe method, there is the danger that when you
select start of the wipe, you click on the wrong date by mistake (without
noticing), thus messing up your due date. I'd like a method which enables
you to leave the due date completely untouched, just tweaking the Start Date.
I'm surprised it's not possible, at least not easily.

Mike

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

I specifically said - wipe from the Due date backwards as I aticipated that
problem of accidentally moving the Due Date. Please read my post
thoroughly.

Regards

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook
Trainer and Consultant

There are various articles about using Outlook here: www.judygleeson.com
Canberra, Australia

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each
other?"
George Eliot

 

[Mike B]

I did read your post. What I'm saying is that it isn't too convenient to do
as you suggest, and in most cases not possible at all. Say my Due Date is 25
December 2008. And my Start Date is 25 December 2007. All I want to do is
move the Start Date on by two days to 27 December 2007. So I have to click
on 25 December 2008, and drag backwards and make sure to find 27 December
2007? That's long winded. In fact, it doesn't actually seem possible to
drag backwards beyond the month shown. Try it. Also, there is the danger
(read my post carefully) that you click on the wrong start point for the wipe
(start point = Due Date), and thereby change your Due Date. Ooops.

All it should take is changing a 5 to a 7 in the Start Date, with no change
to the Due Date, and that should be all.

Seems like convenience is just not possible.

But thanks for your help.

Mike

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

The wiping works for me because my start and due dates are in the same
month. Sorry for the misunderstanding aout why that won't work for you.

I don't know why Microsoft thinks we need to keep the same gap between start
and due when you change one, but they've always done it that way.

Regards

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook
Trainer and Consultant

There are various articles about using Outlook here: www.judygleeson.com
Canberra, Australia

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each
other?"
George Eliot

 

[Mike B]

Thanks, Judy. I also find it odd that you can't easily change SD without
also changing DD. For me, a task is due on a certain date, is fixed, and has
no relation to when you start the task. If I have to re-schedule a start
date because I can't yet start the task (e.g. too busy when the SD comes
around), that doesn't mean I automatically want to change the due date...
doing so will ensure I miss lots of deadlines.....!

Re the wiping method, I can't imagine it always happens that one's start and
due dates are in the same month... months after all being quite an artificial
division of the available time... e.g. a task might start on 31 Jan and be
due on 1 Feb just as likely as it starts on 1 Feb and ends on 2 Feb.

Anyway, thanks! And Happy Holidays!

Mike