Latest Update: 8-17-2026
Every activity in a CPM schedule has an Early Start (the soonest it can begin) and a Late Start (the latest it can begin without delaying the project). Resource Rollup lets you see your labor and equipment usage plotted against any of these three schedule bases:
Early Start: every activity assumes its earliest possible start date
Late Start: every activity assumes its latest possible start date
Mid: the midpoint date between Early Start and Late Start for each activity
Switching between bases shows you a best case, worst case, and middle ground for when resource demand will actually hit your schedule. This is especially useful for activities with a lot of float, since their resource demand can land anywhere in a wide window depending on which basis you use.
This view builds on the Resource Planning Dashboard. If you haven't set up a resource report yet, start there first.
Viewing the Resource Rollup
From your Planera homepage, go to the Resource Planning Dashboard.
Select the project or report you want to view. For more information on creating reports, read here.
In the Start Type, choose Early Start, Late Start, or Mid for each project.
Depending on your choices for the projects in your report, the overall Start Type will show Early, Mid, Late or Mixed
Review the rollup graph. Each bar reflects when resource hours land under the start type you selected.
Hover over any bar to see the exact hours and the resource assigned to that day.
Note: Changing the start time in your resource dashboard does not affect dates in your schedule and is for higher-level analysis of resources across projects. Read more about constraint types here to impact early and late starts.
Understanding the Mid Basis
Mid Start is the midpoint date between an activity's Early Start and Late Start.
For example, if an activity's Early Start is Monday and its Late Start is Friday, its Mid date is Wednesday.
Use Mid basis when you want a middle-ground forecast instead of the best case (Early) or worst case (Late) extremes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Early Start, Late Start, and Mid basis in Resource Rollup?
Early Start shows resource demand assuming every activity starts as soon as possible. Late Start shows demand assuming every activity starts as late as possible without delaying the project. Mid shows demand at the midpoint date between Early Start and Late Start for each activity.
Why would I use Late Start instead of Early Start?
Late Start shows your worst-case resource demand, when activities are delayed as long as possible without pushing out your finish date. Comparing it to Early Start highlights how much flexibility (float) you have in when resources are actually needed.
Does switching the schedule basis change my actual schedule dates?
No. Switching between Early Start, Late Start, and Mid only changes how resource hours are plotted in the rollup view. It doesn't move any activity dates in your schedule.
What happens to activities with zero float?
Activities with zero float (on the critical path) show the same date under all three bases, since their Early Start and Late Start are the same day.
Can I switch schedule basis on a multi-project report as well as a single project?
Yes. The schedule basis selector applies whether you're viewing a single project or a combined multi-project report.