Common Errors and Warnings
This guide explains common error messages and how to resolve them.Feature Spec Reference
Module 3.7 — Circular Dependency DetectionVarious validation modules
Errors (Block Action)
“Circular Dependency Detected”
- Cause: You tried to create a dependency that would create a loop (A→B→C→A)
- Solution: Remove or change one of the dependencies to break the loop
- Example: Task A depends on B, B depends on C, you try to make C depend on A—forbidden
”Start Date Cannot Be Before Project Start”
- Cause: Task start date is earlier than project start date
- Solution: Adjust task start date to be on or after project start date
”Target Completion Must Be After Start Date”
- Cause: In Create Project, target completion is before or same as start date
- Solution: Set target completion to a date after start date
”Task Name Is Required”
- Cause: You tried to create a task without entering a name
- Solution: Enter a task name (1–200 characters)
“Select at Least One Working Day”
- Cause: Work Week has no days checked
- Solution: Check at least one day (Mon–Fri recommended)
“Duration Must Be Greater Than 0”
- Cause: Task duration was set to a negative or zero value (except milestones, which have duration 0)
- Solution: Enter a positive duration (e.g., 1, 2.5, 10)
Warnings (Non-Blocking)
“Task Has No Predecessors But Is Not ASAP”
- Cause: Task with constraint (e.g., FNLT) has no predecessor
- Meaning: Task may not schedule as expected
- Action: Consider changing to ASAP or adding a predecessor
”Over-Constrained Task”
- Cause: Task has conflicting constraints or dependencies that can’t be satisfied
- Meaning: CPM engine had to override one constraint to calculate a valid schedule
- Action: Review constraints and dependencies; remove one constraint if possible
”Circular Constraint Warning”
- Cause: Constraint dates create an impossible situation
- Example: Start No Earlier Than Jan 15 + Finish No Earlier Than Jan 10 = impossible
- Action: Adjust constraint dates to be compatible
”Resource Over-Allocated”
- Cause: Resource assigned to multiple overlapping tasks at >100% allocation
- Meaning: Resource can’t be in two places at once
- Action: Shift one task later, add another resource, or reduce allocation %
“Dependency Lag Exceeds Task Duration”
- Cause: Lag value is larger than the predecessor task duration
- Example: 5-day task with 10-day lag
- Meaning: Unusual but not always wrong (intentional delay)
- Action: Verify this is intentional; consider reducing lag