---
title: Fixed Start Dates
slug: fixed-start-dates
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-06-10T11:43:13.351Z
---

The **Fixed Start Date** feature lets you ensure certain Work Steps always start on a specific date and time, keeping your schedule aligned with important deadlines or external requirements. 

# How to Set a Fixed Start Date

Here’s how:

1. Open the Technology for your Order Item by clicking the **pencil icon**.
2. Find the Work Step you want to fix.
3. Check the box for **Fixed Start Date** and enter the desired date and time.
4. Complete the rest of your Order Item details.
5. Click **Create Project**.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/M1QBpK9lJudQQL_d-GMK2/9moXJQVMeZ8-nObaPCAsq_image.png)

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/M1QBpK9lJudQQL_d-GMK2/c_i8BN-dWUN6CjD1QQu4F_image.png)

You can **enter a fixed start date** either:

- When creating a new Technology in an Order Item.
- When editing the Technology of an existing, **unscheduled** Order Item.

# How you plan with a Fixed Start Date 

When you schedule an order with a fixed start date:

- planeus **starts planning from the fixed date and time** of your selected Work Step.
- That Work Step becomes the **anchor** for the entire schedule.
- planeus plans:
  - **Preceding Work Steps backward** from the fixed date.
  - **Following Work Steps forward** from the end of the fixed Work Step.

:::hint{type="warning"}
* When planning with a fixed start date, the **schedule direction (Forward, Backward) will be ignored.**
* You cannot apply throughput time optimization in this case.
:::

## What planeus will check

Even with a fixed start date, planeus will still check:

- Capacity plans
- Resource availability
- Weekends and holidays

Your fixed start date might shift if:

- The chosen date **falls on a non-work day.**
- There’s** no capacity available **in a Resource.
- The Resource is already occupied (unless you use **Plan anyway**).
- If Parallel Resources are involved, their capacity is unavailable for the entire duration.

### Notes for Assemblies

- You can only set a fixed start date in the **Technology of the main article**.
- Fixed start dates **can’t be assigned directly** **to sub-assemblies**. 

### How Fixed Start Dates Appear in the Gantt Chart

- A **calendar icon / calendar with a check mark icon **on the Gantt chart means that work step has a fixed start date.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/M1QBpK9lJudQQL_d-GMK2/2SQZPUaW_VhTb5JJr6L0G_image.png)

- After scheduling, you can still **manually move** these Work Steps like any other task. They behave the same as normal Work Steps once planned.

**Fixed start dates** help you ensure key production steps happen exactly when needed — but planeus still keeps an eye on capacity and availability to avoid conflicts.