Advanced

• A "Box type" contains the default settings applicable to multiple Boxes (all Boxes of a given type). You can adjust those settings in the Box type administration.
• Box configuration refers to the settings of a single, individual Box. They are dependent on the "Box type" settings. 

Period Mode

Changes made to a period mode (of a Box type) apply to both existing Boxes and newly created Boxes of a given type.

Period recalculation: when you change the period mode of a Box type to "auto bottom-up" or "auto scope-based," you automatically trigger a recalculation. Duration of existing Boxes will be adjusted accordingly.  

Manual

Select this mode if you want to manually determine the "start" and "end" date of Boxes:

• Box duration has to be manually adjusted.
• Box period is independent of its scope and sub-Box duration.

Auto scheduling rules don't apply to Boxes in a "manual" period mode.

The automatic period adjustment never applies to "manual" period mode Boxes. Even if a "manual" period Box is nested under an "auto top-down" Box, the "manual" period will be unaffected by auto-scheduling rules. 

Auto Top-Down

Box duration has to be manually adjusted. 

Select this mode if you want Boxes of this type to limit the duration of their sub-Boxes. 

• Box period has to be manually adjusted.
• Box period limits periods of its sub-Boxes. 

If you try to create or modify a sub-Box and it doesn't fit within the parent period, the following validation error will be displayed:

Exception:

Boxes in a "manual" period mode are unaffected by a parent Box's "auto top-down" period mode. 

Scheduling conflict

In case of a scheduling conflict, "auto top-down" rules have lower priority than the "auto bottom-up" and "auto scope-based" rules. 

An "auto top-down" Box won't limit the periods of "auto bottom-up" and "auto scope-based" Boxes. 

Auto Bottom-Up

A Box in this mode adjusts its period to encompass its sub-Boxes. 

• start date of a Box  = the earliest start date of its sub-Boxes
• end date of a Box  = the latest end date of its sub-Boxes

Auto scheduling mechanism

• Only direct children are taken into account during the period calculation (grandchildren and other lower-level sub-Boxes won't affect the Box period). 
• Box period will be affected by actions such as: adding a new sub-Box, change of a parent Box (nesting a Box under an "auto bottom-up" Box), changes in Box periods of existing sub-Boxes, removing an "edge" sub-Box that start/end date was based on. 
• In case of a conflict ("auto bottom-up" vs. "auto top-down" Boxes), the "auto bottom-up" rules have a priority. 

Overlapping

Box sequentiality is automatically set to "Overlapping allowed" and can't be changed. Otherwise, a scheduling conflict could potentially occur:

• the App could try to make sure that Boxes of this type don't overlap
• while simultaneously trying to change the Box period based on the duration of sub-Boxes. 

Sometimes it would not be possible to enforce both scheduling rules simultaneously. For that reason, "Overlapping allowed" is automatically selected and can't be changed.

Auto Scope-Based

A Box in this mode adjusts its period to encompass all tasks. Box period reflects the duration of tasks in its scope. There is no discrepancy between a Box period and its contents.

• start date = the earliest start date of a task in a Box scope
• end date = the latest end date of a task in a Box scope

 "Auto scope-based" rules have a priority. A parent Box in an "auto top-down" period mode won't limit a Box in "auto scope-based" period mode. 

All elements (tasks) listed in WBS are taken into account when calculating the box period (including tasks based on projects, versions, sprints and components)

Recalculation frequency

The frequency of Box period recalculation depends on App settings.

Settings can be changed in App configuration (Overview configuration) by a Jira admin. Click on the wrench at top right > App configuration > Modules > Overview to manage the recalculation interval.

Empty scope

When the scope is empty, you can manually set the Box period (no validation applied).

A Box with an empty scope (no tasks in a Box) can still be used for roadmapping purposes. 

Overlapping

Box sequentiality is automatically set to "Overlapping allowed" and can't be changed. Otherwise, a scheduling conflict could potentially occur:

• The App could try to make sure that Boxes of this type don't overlap;
• While at the same time trying to change the Box duration to encompass all tasks.

Sometimes it would not be possible to enforce both scheduling rules simultaneously. For that reason, "Overlapping allowed" is automatically selected and can't be changed.

"Auto scope-based" Boxes can contain other sub-Boxes (such as Program Increments and Iterations). This way, the main Program-type Box will automatically adjust its period to encompass all its tasks, while at the same time sub-Boxes inside can be sequential. 

Period mode edge cases 

Sequentiality

Changes made to Sequentiality settings apply to all Boxes of a given type (both existing and newly created).

The scheduling mechanism does not validate existing Boxes. Validation is triggered when:

• creating a new Box
• editing an existing Box period
• changing a parent Box

 Examples

Month sub-boxes have overlapping periods:

When you change the settings to "sequential," the existing periods are not recalculated until the validation is triggered.

When you try to create a new sub-Box, you will see the following error:

When you try to edit a Box period, you will see the following error:

When you try to change a parent Box, you will see the following error:

Overlapping Allowed

Select this option if you want same-level Boxes to overlap. When you create a new Box, the App will not suggest an end date of a Sub-Box (regardless of the duration of a previously created same-level Box).

Sequential

Only "manual" and "auto top-down" Boxes can be sequential.

When you select this option, overlapping of same-type Box periods is blocked. This rule applies to same-level Boxes only. When you create a new Box, the App suggests an end date based on the duration of a previously created same-level Box:

For example, the screen below shows Program-type Boxes (prefix PROG) which overlap, while the iterations (prefix ITER) are set to be sequential:

"Read More" Custom Link

The link will be displayed when creating new Boxes of a given type. For example, the link can lead to internal documentation or other related information.

Go to the next section - Module administration.