Milestones
Mark key events as zero‑duration items in Plan Builder. One day, no span.
What are milestones?
- zero‑duration: Represent a moment in time, not a span of work
- schedule anchors: Gate phase transitions, approvals, or release dates
- participate in deps: Can be predecessors or successors in chains
How milestones work
- duration: Always 0; cannot be changed
- start/finish: Forced to the same business day and the same timestamp
- business‑day alignment:
- Dates adjust to the nearest valid business day (skip weekends)
- Time normalization uses the working‑day start for both start and finish
- roll‑ups: Milestone children do not affect parent start/finish/duration roll‑ups
Creating milestones
- toolbar: Open the Add dropdown in the Plan toolbar → Add Milestone (or press
M) - placement:
- No selection: appended at the end at level 0
- One selection: inserted after the selected row’s subtree at the anchor’s level
- Multiple selections: inserted after the first selected row
- level rules: Milestones are siblings (top/group level); they cannot be subtasks
Working with milestones
- set date: Edit Start; Finish is auto‑set to the same day/time
- dependencies: Use milestones in FS/SS/FF chains like any task
- visibility: Use the Milestones toggle in the toolbar to show/hide them in the grid and Gantt
Appearance
- plan grid: Duration shows 0; row flagged as a milestone
- gantt: Renders as a diamond/marker at the date
- calendar: Renders as a 1‑day bar with milestone coloring
FAQs
Why did my milestone move to a weekday?
Dates align to business days. Weekend dates shift to the nearest valid business day.
Why do start and finish show the same timestamp?
Milestones normalize both start and finish to the working‑day start; they are a single point in time.
Can milestones have subtasks or duration?
No. They cannot have children and duration is locked to 0.
Do milestones participate in critical path?
Yes if linked in dependency chains, they can be on the path when slack is zero.
Tips & troubleshooting
- Use milestones at phase boundaries and for important approvals/releases
- If you need a span, create a regular task instead of a milestone
- Hide milestones temporarily to declutter planning, then re‑enable for reviews
Last updated: 2025‑10‑24