Imposed Date
A constraint that sets a specific calendar date on an activity or milestone, forcing when it may start or must finish, often stated as 'start no earlier than' or 'finish no later than'.
Key Points
- Represents a mandated timing constraint from a sponsor, customer, contract, regulation, or internal policy.
- Limits scheduling flexibility and can reduce or create negative float if it conflicts with network logic.
- Common forms include 'start no earlier than' (SNET) and 'finish no later than' (FNLT); other variants may also be used.
- Should be used sparingly, justified, documented with the source, and reflected in the schedule baseline.
Example
A city permit allows lane closures only from June 1 onward. The paving activity is assigned a 'start no earlier than' June 1 constraint. Separately, the marketing launch must happen by October 15, so the launch milestone is given a 'finish no later than' October 15 imposed date.
PMP Example Question
A sponsor requires the beta demo to occur no later than June 30. How should the project manager model this in the schedule?
- Apply a 'finish no later than' imposed date to the demo activity.
- Add a lead to the predecessor activity to accelerate the demo.
- Increase resource allocation to compress the schedule.
- Add a milestone without any constraints and monitor it weekly.
Correct Answer: A — Apply a 'finish no later than' imposed date
Explanation: An imposed date is a calendar constraint that enforces a specific latest finish or earliest start. Option A directly models the sponsor's requirement.
