Latest Update: 6-9-2026
In Planera, tracking what’s happening now—and what’s already happened—is just as important as knowing what was originally planned. That’s where Expected Finish and Actual Dates come in.
These fields help teams manage real-time performance and accurately reflect what’s happening on the ground.
What Is Expected Finish?
The Expected Finish Date is Planera’s forecasted completion date for an in-progress activity. It blends field progress with schedule logic to give a dynamic, real-world estimate of when the task will likely finish.
How It's Calculated:
The Expected Finish is based on:
Actual Start Date (if entered)
Remaining Duration
Current Data Date
For example:
If an activity started on June 12, today’s Data Date is June 16, and there are 5 working days remaining, Planera sets the Expected Finish to June 20.
The Expected Duration (how long the activity will take from start to finish) is also calculated using the actual progress to date + remaining work.
Use Cases:
Adjusting forecasts during progress updates
Highlighting delays or accelerations from plan
Spotting variance between Planned Finish and Expected Finish
🛠 Tip: Use this during weekly updates to track drift and keep forecasts grounded in reality.
What Are Actual Start and Actual Finish?
These dates represent what has already happened—the ground truth of your schedule.
Actual Start = When the work actually began
Actual Finish = When the work actually completed
How They're Entered:
Manual entry by the project team
Auto-filled from integrated “Field Schedule” when it is connected to “Master Schedule”
Once entered, Actual Dates are locked.
Use Cases:
Historical analysis
Earned value calculations
Audit trail for schedule health reviews
🛠 Tip: Keep these accurate. Once input, Actuals become the foundation for variance analysis and reporting.
Why You Can't Move an Actualized Activity in the Gantt
In the Gantt, you can drag an activity to set a Start On constraint, and you can undo that action. You cannot do this for an actualized activity, because the work has already started and its actual start date is locked.
Previously, Planera blocked this drag with no explanation. Now, when you try to drag an actualized activity, Planera gives you feedback during the drag that the activity cannot be adjusted because it has already started. The activity stays in place.
To change the dates on an actualized activity, open its Activity Status and edit the actual start or finish there instead of dragging. See Updating Schedule Progress.
Summary Table
Date Type | Editable? | Driven By | Primary Use |
Expected Finish | ✅ | Actual Start + Remaining Duration + Data Date OR | In-progress forecasting |
Actual Start/Finish | ✅ | Field entry or reporting system | Historical tracking and reporting |
Planned Start/Finish | ❌ | Schedule logic + constraints | Forward-looking planning |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my activity move when I try to drag it in the Gantt?
The activity has actual dates entered, which lock it in place. Locked activities cannot be dragged to a new date. To change them, open the activity's Activity Status and edit the actual dates.
What happens if I try to drag an activity that has already started?
Planera shows feedback during the drag that the activity cannot be adjusted because it has already started, and the activity stays in place. Activities lock once they have actual dates entered.
I need to change the dates on an activity that is already actualized. What do I do?
Open the activity's Activity Status and edit the actual start or actual finish date. You cannot move an actualized activity by dragging it in the Gantt.