Actual Start Date and Actual End Date fields in Strategic Planning Workspace

[juliebailey]

We are looking for some guidance to better understand the Actual Start Date and Actual End Date fields in Strategic Planning Workspace.  We would like to know what exactly sets the Actual Start Date and Actual End Date fields and how these two fields affect the Planned Start/End Date and Approved Start/End Date for Planning Items (e.g., Epic and Feature).

[Tanushree Maiti]

Hi @juliebailey 

Refer: Project planning item form 

Field Description

Planned start date	Date on which the work for this planning item is planned to start. This value is copied from the Approved start date field.
Planned end date	Date on which the work for this planning item is planned to be complete. This value is copied from the Approved end date field.
Approved start date	Approved start date for this planning item.
Approved end date	Approved end date for this planning item.
Actual start date	Actual date on which the work for this planning item has started.
Actual end date	Actual date on which the work for this planning item is complete.

Also check:  https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-business-management/scenario-planning-in-spw/initiative-form.ht...

[juliebailey]

Hi @Tanushree Maiti,

Thank you for your quick response.  This summary is helpful.  Do you by chance know what sets the Actual Start/End Dates?  They are grayed and we are unsure what actions sets the value to those fields.

[Tanushree Maiti]

Hi @juliebailey 

Check these internal components /scripts which populate  Actual Start/End Dates .

https://www.servicenow.com/community/spm-forum/project-task-actual-end-date/m-p/994232

https://www.servicenow.com/community/spm-forum/setting-actual-start-and-end-date/td-p/3390893

[Vinay3]

Hi @juliebailey the Actual Start/End Date fields are execution fields and cannot be modified in SPW by portfolio user on Portfolio planning items. They are synced from the respective projects based on the update on the tasks status under the project. For ex: When all the tasks are marked complete in a project, the actual end date is populated.