Setting that allows a Planner to edit task start/end dates only through duration?

[HannahKr2]

Currently our users can directly change a start or end date in a project, which changes the associated task constraint to Must Start On or Must Finish On. I have memory of users not being able to do that previously; the only way to change a date was through adjusting the duration.

Is there a setting that allows a Planner to edit task start/end dates only through duration? If so, where can that be accessed?

If you have a recommendation on the best practice for date adjustment for users new to project management/Workfront, please let me know.

Thanks!

[KellieGWAB]

If they have manage access you can't limit their ability to move the dates.

Options

1. You could create a view that only has the date fields visible but formatted so they can't edit directly from that project view. They could still go into the task and edit the dates but you could try limiting it on their actual view to see if that helps. Going into text mode and making it a valueexpression instead of a valuefield will make it uneditable in the view screen. 
2. In a view you could use conditional formatting to highlight date fields in red or something to flag when a task constraint turns to a must start on or finish on. This way it makes the PM aware that they have hard coded the date. 

valueexpression={plannedStartDate}
querysort=plannedStartDate
valueformat=atDate
displayname=
linkedname=direct
namekey=plannedStartDate

It's really going to be a coaching exercise with your users. Explaining to them that hand picking a date overrides the functionality of Workfront's timeline features.

[HannahKr2]

Hi Kellie. Thanks for the answer.

Has it always been like this? I could have sworn that our users weren't able to hard code dates when the constraint was set to As Soon As Possible and were only able to change dates by adjusting the duration.

[Rafal_Bainie]

in a sense you are both right @HannahKr2  @KellieGWAB 

when task is set to ASAP, planned dates are greyed out and not editable, while duration is still editable.

At the same time, depending on user's task level access they can still go in, adjust the constraint and edit the dates...

[KellieGWAB]

You are right it does gray them out in the task settings area however from the main project screen where most planners setup their timelines and do their planning, it does not.

All dates are editable and the only way around it is to control it from their view.

[HannahKr2]

Hi Kellie. Thanks for the answer.

Has it always been like this? I could have sworn that our users weren't able to hard code dates when the constraint was set to As Soon As Possible and were only able to change dates by adjusting the duration. One of the biggest pieces of feedback we received was "Dates can't be changed" so this is throwing me for a loop now that they can be changed with a double click.