Late Finish (task field)

Data Type    Date

Entry Type    Calculated

Description    The Late Finish field contains the latest date that a task can finish without delaying the finish of the project. This date is based on the task's late start date, as well as on the late start and late finish dates of predecessor and successor tasks, and other constraints.

How Calculated    When you first create a task, its late finish date is the same as the project finish date. As you link the task to predecessors and successors and apply any other constraints, Microsoft Office Project calculates the late finish date as the latest possible date this task could be finished if all predecessor and successor tasks also start and finish on their late start and late finish dates. These calculations are based on a fixed task duration. If there is a leveling delay on the successor task, this delay is also figured into the date in the Late Finish field.

Best Uses    Add the Late Finish field to a task view, along with the Late Start, Early Start, and Early Finish fields, to analyze slack time in your schedule.

Example    Several critical tasks are slipping and likely to cause the entire project to be severely delayed. You add the Early Start, Early Finish, Late Start, and Late Finish fields to the Task Sheet view so that you can analyze the delays and find any available slack.