Calculating Due Dates / Assigning a WorkFlow?

[Jessica_Banther]

Two questions that I’m hoping will be quick or easy to solve:

1. I know how to set durations or due dates by counting forward from the start of a project. However, is there a way to calculate due dates moving backward from a final deadline? I.E. I have a book scheduled to release in 4 months. I know I have a list of marketing/promotion tasks that need to be done, 60 days before, 30 days before, and then each day for the 14 days before. In a regular spreadsheet, I can plug in my release date at the top and use date formulas to auto-calculate T-minus however many days since the start date of the project is fluid. I don’t want to have to go in and manually set a deadline for each task on every project that’s done this way.

2. I believe I can solve my second problem with workflows and rules, but I have not quite figured it out yet, so a link to a tutorial would be appreciated. Within my publishing schedule, each launch is considered Tier 1, 2 or 3. While there is some overlap in tasks, a Tier 1 book launch requires significantly more work and lead time than a Tier 3 launch, but all launches of the same Tier are basically the same. Am I correct in thinking I can create a workflow and rule for each of these tiers so that I can create a book project and assign it a Tier 1 release strategy, and have that workflow/list of tasks, automatically added to that project? And if so, can the dates for those tasks be autogenerated based on question 1?

Tutorials, processes, guidance are appreciated! Thanks!

[Bastien_Siebman]

1. are you based on a project template or want this done in a regular ad-hoc project?
2. what about having 3 different project templates? Why rely on automation?

[Billie-Jean]

Hi Jessica, I just figured out that you can do this by creating your own project template.
Create a project template, and add the due date into the customisable field. you can base task due dates by scheduling it x days before the project due date. I have been looking for a way to do this in Asana forever, so it’s something relatively new. I’m not sure if its subscription dependant either.

So you can chose to set due dates of task either x days before project due date (which is what I think you want to do). Or you can set it to be due x days after you start the project.
I’m not sure how to explain this, but here is a screenshot of what I have done.
I need a task that is my go live date, so it displays in dashboards - this is due on the same day as the project. Then I have to complete research activities 3 months before go live date.

Hope this helps