[whpalmer4]

If a task has a start date, it will not be available before the start date has arrived. If there is no start date, there is no restriction. That is not the entire availability story, however. To be available, the task must also not be other than the first incomplete action in a sequential project or action group, must not be assigned to a context which is on hold, must not be assigned to a project or action group which is on hold, dropped, or assigned a future start date, must not be contained in a folder which is dropped, and of course must not yet be completed.