Constraints

To improve communication between teams and ensure any blockages are addressed, Hoylu has Constraints, which can work similarly to Milestones and Tasks inside of a Pull Plan. They have the hourglass icon to signify the time-critical issue. 

1. Drag and drop a Constraint from the Toolbox onto the day it is required
   
   
2. Add a Team and/or an Assignee (optional)
   
   
3. Type in a Title for the Constraint
   
   
4. Add a Link (optional)
   
   
5. Add a description (optional)
   
   
6. Click the Save & Close button
   
   
7. Follow the steps of a regular Task or Milestone to status the Constraint

Figure 1. Adding a Constraint.

😎 Pro Tip: When you have the Constraint tool selected in your Toolbar, double-click on any date in any Swimlane, and Hoylu will create a new Constraint there.

However, there can be a more collaborative aspect to Constraints: the creator will communicate the Constraint, the responsible party can provide a Promised date, and both parties can discuss until either the Promised date or Required date are accepted.  

As the creator:

1. Drag and drop a Constraint from the Toolbox onto the day it is required
   
   
2. Add a Team and/or an Assignee (required)
   
   
3. Type in a Title for the Constraint
   
   
4. Add a Link (optional)
   
   
5. Add a Description (optional)
   
   
6. Click the Save & Close button

Figure 2. Create a new constraint.

The team or user to whom the Constraint has been assigned can now review it.

As the responsible party:

1. Click on the Status icon to move the Constraint into a Planned state
   
   
2. Double-click on the Constraint to open the Editor
   
   
3. Add a Promised date
   
   
4. Click the Save & Close button

Figure 3. Status as Planned to add a Promised date.

✏️  Note: If the Promised date falls after the Required date, a red border will appear around the Constraint to show a conflict, and the later Promised date will appear as a label. 

The creator of the Constraint can now progress to the next step of the Constraint process. 

As the creator:

1. Click on the Status button of the Constraint
   
   
2. Click on Accept Promised Date

Figure 4. Accept Promised date, and the Constraint will move to the new date. 

The Constraint can now be handled in a similar manner as Tasks and Milestones and be moved into further states like Committed, Complete, or Incomplete.

😎  Pro Tip: You can also add Constraints to Agile Boards to create your own customizable Constraint Log, but see this article to see how you can take advantage of Hoylu's Constraint Log.