Milestones group a bunch of tasks together that share a common phase, goal, or initiative. Nifty offers two milestone management modes -- Auto and Manual -- for projects that have defined milestone lengths, as well as projects that are goal based with flexible timelines.
Auto-Milestones (Auto-Mode)
Auto-mode defines your Milestone start and end dates based on the dates of the tasks within them. In this way, when your individual task deadlines within a Milestone change, so does the Milestone's date range.
Auto-Milestones are great for:
Automatically updating timelines in bulk.
Projects whose phases are determined by goals and not deadlines.
Replacing a Project Manager or Scrum Master who manually manages Milestones.
How Auto-Milestones Milestones Work
Auto-Mode's ON Status can be confirmed or updated from the Roadmap screen.
When enabled, Milestone date ranges are determined by the earliest date (Start or Due date) and latest date (Due date) amongst group of tasks attributed to the Milestone.
Updating Milestones
In Auto-mode, a Milestone's start and end dates will adjust automatically to the earliest and latest dates amongst the tasks grouped within it. Auto-mode Milestones do not require their own management. In the below example, the Milestone (shaded area) is updating itself in accordance to the changes of the tasks within in.
Manual Milestones
When Auto-Mode is off, Nifty's Milestones are now being managed manually. In this setting, Milestones have defined start and end dates that determine the due dates of the tasks within them.
Manual Milestones are great for:
Deadline-focused projects with defined phases.
Projects that require manual management of milestones.
Sprints or objectives whose phases complete based on dates and not just deliverables.
How Manual Milestones Work
Auto-Mode's OFF status can be confirmed or updated from the Roadmap screen.
When Auto-Mode is disabled, Milestones are created as phases with their own start and end dates. They appear in your Roadmap even when they do not have any tasks within them.
Tasks added to a Milestone whose current due dates do not fall within the Milestone's date range will automatically pick up the due date of the Milestone. These tasks can have a due date that falls anywhere within the Milestone's date range.
Updating Milestones in Manual Mode
When updating the Start or Due date of a task to a date that exist outside of its Milestone's date range, you will be prompted with a message requesting confirmation.
If accepted, the Milestone's start or end date will update to fit the new date within its date range.
If the Milestone itself is adjusted, the the due dates of the Tasks within it will not adjust unless they need to in order to remain within the Milestone date parameters. In the below example, the Milestone is first adjusted without making impact to any of the Task deadlines. The next time it is moved, however, the Task deadlines update to remain within the Milestone.
