Entry Type  Calculated or entered (calculated or entered field: A field in which the value is determined by Project based on information in other fields. Information that you enter in the field yourself overrides calculated values.)

How Calculated  As soon as a baseline is saved, the date in the task's Start field at that point in time is copied as the value of the task Baseline Start field.

Best Uses  Add the Baseline Start field to a task sheet when you want to compare baseline start dates to scheduled or actual start dates for tasks.

Example  You set the baseline for your project a month ago. At that time, the "Develop estimate" task was scheduled to start on January 3. The task was actually started on January 8. In the Task Sheet view, you have added the Baseline Start and Actual Start fields. The Baseline Start field for this task contains January 3, and the Actual Start field contains January 8.

Remarks  The Baseline Start field contains "NA" until you save a baseline for the project. To set a baseline, point to Tracking on the Tools menu, and then click Save Baseline. Setting a baseline copies the currently scheduled fields for tasks into the corresponding baseline fields.

You can use the Tracking Gantt view to see the baseline start date shown with baseline Gantt bars. You can also use the Variance table to compare baseline dates with scheduled dates and actual dates.

Entry Type  Null (Null field: A field that displays no actual information but that sets up the field for information elsewhere in the view, particularly in the Task Usage or Resource Usage view.)

Best Uses  Add the Baseline Start field to the Resource Usage view when you want to display or filter baseline start dates for assignments. No information is actually displayed in the Baseline Start resource field; it merely makes the corresponding Baseline Start assignment field information available.

Example  You set the baseline for your project a month ago. You add the Baseline Start field to the Resource Usage view. No information appears in the Baseline Start field next to the resource names. However, the baseline start dates for their assignments appear in the Baseline Start assignment fields below each resource name.

Entry Type  Calculated or entered (calculated or entered field: A field in which the value is determined by Project based on information in other fields. Information that you enter in the field yourself overrides calculated values.)

How Calculated  As soon as a baseline is saved, the date in the assignment's Start field is copied as the value of the assignment Baseline Start field.

Best Uses  Add the Baseline Start field to the Task Usage or Resource Usage view when you want to compare baseline start dates to scheduled or actual start dates for assignments.

Example  You set the baseline for your project a month ago. Jamie was assigned to the "Develop estimate" task, which at that time was scheduled to start on January 3. Jamie started the assignment on January 8. In the Task Usage view, you have added the Baseline Start and Actual Start fields. The Baseline Start field for Jamie's assignment contains January 3, and the Actual Start field contains January 8.

Remarks  The Baseline Start field contains "NA" until you save a baseline for the project. To set a baseline, on the Tools menu, point to Tracking, click Save Baseline, and then click Save Baseline. Setting the baseline copies the currently scheduled fields for assignments into the corresponding baseline fields.