Task Multiple Dependencies

This feature is available to the following product editions:

Starter
Standard
Premium

Understanding Dependency Relationships

With the multiple dependencies feature in TaskRay, you can create dynamic dependency relationships between tasks within a project. Creating dependencies allows you to meaningfully connect tasks together throughout the course of a project plan.

When dependency relationships are created between tasks, any future scheduling changes will affect all of the connected tasks. This can be helpful for projects that require tasks to be completed in a prescribed order, especially with complex, long-term projects. Project start and end dates will also automatically adjust based on the task dates.

If dependencies are not enabled in your org, your admin would first have to enable them.

Additionally, if you are using Project Schedules to designate non-working days (days on which tasks cannot be scheduled), tasks that get rescheduled via dependency updates will also take non-working days into account and will get pushed to the nearest working days.

About Dependencies

Every dependency relationship between two tasks will track the following information:

Successor Task (in a dependency relationship, this is the task that is dependent on the completion/start of another task)
Predecessor Task (in a dependency relationship, this is the task that must be completed/started before the dependent successor task)
Dependency Type
Lag

Dependency Types

With the Multiple Dependencies feature in TaskRay, you can connect tasks using any of the four different dependency types. Dependency types define the order in which tasks need to be started and/or completed in a task dependency relationship. The four types of dependencies are:

Finish-To-Start
Start-To-Start
Finish-To-Finish
Start-To-Finish

Screen_Shot_2018-03-12_at_13.46.45__2_.png

Lag

Lag refers to the number of business days between two tasks in a dependency relationship (between a successor task and a predecessor task). Lag can be positive or negative depending on how the tasks in the dependency relationship are scheduled.

Adding Dependencies

In TaskRay, there are two ways to establish dependency relationships between tasks. You can either connect dependencies in Plan View, or you can set a dependency relationship between tasks through the Predecessors tab in Task Details.

Add Dependencies in Plan View

Before you start adding task dependencies in Plan View, the first step is to schedule the tasks so that they appear on the timeline.

To create a dependency, hover over a scheduled task to reveal a circle. Click on the circle and drag a connection from it to a circle next to another task. You can also connect circles on tasks representing different dependency types. For example, to establish a Start-To-Start dependency relationship between two tasks, hover over the left (start) edge (dot) of the first task and drag the arrow to the left (start) edge (dot) of the second task.

Add Dependencies Through Task Details

Establishing a dependency relationship through Task Details can be done by accessing the Predecessors tab on a task and adding a new predecessor to it.

Additionally, the Predecessors tab is a place where you can view all dependent predecessor tasks on the selected task.

To add a new predecessor to a task, follow the steps below:

Locate the task that you want as the successor in the dependency relationship and open its Task Details.
Under the Details tab, click on the Predecessors sub-tab.
Click on Add Predecessor Task.
This will open a window to enter predecessor task information. Click into the Predecessor Task field and search for a task that you want as the dependent predecessor in the relationship.
Select Dependency Type.
Enter Lag.
Click Save.

Editing Dependencies

Generally, dependencies will be automatically updated every time you reschedule tasks in a dependency relationship. For example, if you reschedule one of the tasks in a dependency relationship, the Lag on the associated dependency connection will be automatically updated to reflect the new task schedule.

Dependency Menu

Another way that you can edit a dependency is through the Dependency menu. This menu can be accessed in Plan View by clicking on a dependency arrow that you want to edit. From here, you can edit the Dependency Type and Lag, as well as delete the dependency. Once you make a change on the dependency, click Save.

Predecessors Sub-Tab

Another way that you can edit existing dependencies is through the Predecessors sub-tab on a successor task. The Predecessors sub-tab is also a great place to view all dependent predecessor tasks and their information on a selected task.

Locate the task on which you want to edit a predecessor (dependency) and open its Task Details.
Under the Details tab, click on the Predecessors sub-tab.
You will see a list of all dependent predecessors on the task. From here, you can edit information, such as Dependency Type and Lag by hovering over the cells in the table and clicking on the Edit pencil icon that appears. Additionally, you can remove a predecessor from the list (and thus delete the associated dependency) by clicking on the X in the row.

Rescheduling Tasks in Dependency Relationships

Tasks that are in dependency relationships can be rescheduled either by moving the task directly to an earlier or later date in Plan View or by clicking on the task and editing the date in the Task Details.

When a task in a dependency relationship is moved, all of the dependent successor tasks will also be rescheduled accordingly.

Locked Milestones and Tasks

If your project contains tasks or milestones that are date-driven, it is possible to lock dates on those, so that they are not affected by dependent predecessor schedule updates. If you reschedule tasks in a chain of dependencies that includes locked tasks or milestones, it is possible that you could encounter a schedule conflict, which will be indicated by a red dependency arrow. A schedule conflict occurs when a predecessor task's dates overlap with a locked successor task/milestone according to specific criteria depending on the dependency type. You can read more details on locking dates on tasks and milestones, as well as schedule conflicts in this article.

Removing Dependencies

There are a couple of different ways that you can remove dependency relationships.

Remove Dependencies in Plan View

The easiest and quickest way to delete a dependency is through Plan View.

On the Plan View timeline, locate the dependency that you want to remove. Click on the dependency arrow to select it.
From here, you can either hit Delete on your keyboard or click on the Delete button in the Dependency dropdown menu that appears.

Remove Dependencies in Predecessors Tab

Another way that you can delete a dependency is through the Predecessors tab under Task Details.

Locate the successor task that is in a dependency relationship that you want to remove and open its Task Details.
Under the Details tab, click on the Predecessors sub-tab.
You will see a list of all dependent predecessors on the task. From here, you can remove a predecessor from the list (and thus delete the associated dependency) by clicking on the X in the row.