HKSM
Start Date
A time marker tied to when a scheduled activity begins, commonly identified with a qualifier such as actual, planned, estimated, scheduled, early, late, target, baseline, or current.
Key Points
- Start dates are labeled with qualifiers like actual, planned, estimated, scheduled/current, early, late, target, or baseline.
- Early and late start come from network analysis; baseline start is from the approved plan; scheduled/current reflects the latest working schedule; actual start is when work truly began.
- Dependencies, leads/lags, calendars, constraints, and resource leveling all influence start dates.
- Schedule variance can be assessed by comparing current or scheduled start against the baseline start.
Example
Activity "Install wiring" has a Baseline Start of 02 Aug. After resource leveling, the Scheduled (current) Start moves to 04 Aug, and the Actual Start occurs on 05 Aug. The variance from baseline is +3 days.
PMP Example Question
In a schedule report, which start date qualifier indicates the date the activity truly began?
- Actual start
- Planned start
- Early start
- Late start
Correct Answer: A — Actual start date
Explanation: The actual start records the real-world date work began, while planned, early, and late are projections or limits from the plan and analysis.
