From the course: Microsoft Project Step by Step: Planning for Successful Project Management

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Enter actual values for tasks

Enter actual values for tasks

The most precise tracking method is entering actual values. Now, before I show you this, let me also help you differentiate between some columns that create a lot of confusion. In this example, I have three columns. You might be thinking, "Well, don't they seem to be about the same thing?" The Start column is the scheduled start. This is what the plan has calculated for you. It will dynamically update as you make changes. But Baseline Start is the frozen start that will never change after you set it. This is where you enter the actuals. Just as an example, let me put in a different date. Now, you see, kind of, the power of all three columns. With that item, I change that date, the scheduled start is the same as actual, of course, if it's actually happened, that's the new date. Sometimes when you do an actual start update, other things happen. In this example, you're seeing it's now re-calculating all future tasks. But again, baseline does not change. So you have a choice to use any of…

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