If you don't use commit dates and everything is based on planned dates setup by the project manager, as a system administrator you should be able to remove commit dates from the product. When commit dates are removed, no user will see them or set/change them anymore.
To be honest, most users don't even notice commit date until it starts messing with their projections. In the innovation lab there have been numerous requests to change commit date behaviour, that either haven't been implemented, or have been marked implemented when the solution doesn't actually resolve the issues users are experiencing.
The historical requests to fix commit date include:
1. Give system admins an option to remove "Commit Dates" from the system – 2100 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSAKAA4/detail
2. New Home: Admin ability to customize left side Work List – 970 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSgfAAG/detail
3. Viewing Planned Completion vs. Commit Dates – 510 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSB0AAO/detail
4. Commit Dates Approvals follow the same flow as all approvals – 180 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSaMAAW/detail
5. Ability to reject a proposed new date (commit date) – 150 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSZRAA4/detail
6. change the view for "Assigned To" view to use planned completion date instead of commit date – 100 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSG1AAO/detail
7. Home: Make Commit Date Field Editable – 90 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSmAAAW/detail
8. Provide option in set up area to turn off automatic set commit date – 70 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSlQAAW/detail
9. Allow clearing / deleting a commit date on a task – 60 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSShAAO/detail
10. Progress Status on Commit Date Later than Planned Completion Date – 70 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSlKAAW/detail
11. Allow change of commit date by PM after team member clicks "Work on it" – 60 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PSpdAAG/detail
12. Commit Date User Control – 40 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000PScwAAG/detail
13. Ability to batch update commit dates – 30 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0870z000000XiFvAAK/detail
14. Users with Manage it Access to Projects/Accepting Commit Dates – 20 points
https://one.workfront.com/s/idea/0874X000000sYLlQAM/detail
So here is one idea that address all of the above, without impacting any current instances that are actively using commit dates.
1. Under ‚ÄòSettings’, ‚ÄòProject Preferences’ there is a default setting for how projects handle commit dates. Sys admins can set this to:
· Set to planned when edited
If ‚ÄòTrue’ or enabled, (default) Workfront continues to function as it currently does
If ‚ÄòFalse’ or disabled, changing the status, percentage complete, actual start date etc does NOT populate a commit date ‚Äì the field continues to be blank
· Calculate progress status on
Commit Date (default) Workfront continues to function as it currently does
Projected Completion Date Workfront ignores commit date unless accepted by someone with manage rights to the project (which would update the planned date and thus the calculations anyway)
· Commit date editable by
If set to ‚Äòassignees’ (default) Workfront continues to function as it currently does
If set to ‚Äòassignees and project owner’ all commit dates are editable by the current project owner or the assignee(s)
If set to ‚Äòassignees and project managers’ commit dates can be edited by the assignee OR anyone with manage rights to the project
· Commit date changes approved by
If set to ‚ÄòProject Owner’ (default) all commit date approvals go to the project owner ‚Äì current functionality
If set to ‚ÄòProject Managers’ commit date approvals can be accepted or rejected by anyone with manage rights to the project
2. Under ‚ÄòProject Details’, have the same fields as ‚ÄòSettings’, ‚ÄòProject Preferences’
Note that this fields can be hidden (deselected) in layout templates, meaning if they are set a particular way in project preferences (and/or templates), sys admins can choose whether project owners can change them or not
3. If you have permission to edit the commit date, you have permission to simple delete it. Doing so will have Workfront perform the same calculation for projected completion date that it would if a commit date had never been entered.
4. If you have permission to edit the commit date, it is editable anywhere it is displayed – home page right pane, any dashboard/report, and view that includes the commit date field, task details pane etc. This includes selecting multiple tasks in a view/report and bulk editing to update or remove it.
5. Commit date becomes an option in areas dealing with dates
· A date field option on calendars
¬∑ The ‚Äòsort by’ drop-down on the home page
· Left side worklist of the home page (planned for implementation)
6. If a commit date is generated that is different to the planned completion date, it shows in the home screen along with task/issue/project status change approvals and proof approvals. The workflow is a single stage with only one approval needed, and either contains just the project owner or all people with manage rights to the project (depending on the setting in project preferences)
7. The Project owner and/or users with manage rights to the project can reject a commit date. While the commit date will still be on record, the planned completion date and progress status will NOT be based on the commit date.
