Managing Dependencies Between Project Tasks

If you want a project task to be dependent on another project task, you can add a link, or dependency, between the task bars in the Gantt chart.

A task in a dependency relationship that comes before another is known as the predecessor, and the task that comes after is known as the successor. There are several types of dependency relationships that you can create between two tasks, for example Start to Finish (SF) or Finish to Finish (FF). For more information on dependency types, see Creating Dependencies from the Gantt Grid.

When you create a dependency between two tasks, the successor task's details are recalculated according to the type of dependency. The predecessor task does not move unless you manually change its details or move it. When there are more than two tasks in a dependency, the predecessor task's details are recalculated appropriately if it is also a successor to another predecessor task.

You can add dependencies between tasks, or between parent tasks and another parent's children. You cannot add dependencies between a parent task and its own children.

Note:

To create a task dependency relationship A relationship between two tasks. If a task is completed early or late, this has an effect on the start and end date of the task that succeeds it. between project tasks:

• An administrator must not have disabled editing for Gantt on a project record.
• You must have the relevant permissions and sharing access for the project task records. To obtain permissions and sharing access, contact your administrator.

Creating Dependencies from the Gantt Chart

To create a dependency between project tasks from the Gantt chart:

1. Click the relevant relationship handle at the start or end of the project task that you want to create the dependency from, for example
2. Drag the relationship handle on to a handle on another project task. A popup box indicates whether the dependency you are creating is valid. There are several types of dependency relationships that you can apply between two tasks, such as Start to Finish (SF) or Finish to Finish (FF). For more information on dependency types, see Creating Dependencies from the Gantt Grid.
3. Release the relationship handle. An arrow is displayed pointing from one project task to the other, indicating the dependency.
4. Click Save.

Creating Dependencies from the Gantt Grid

To create dependencies between project tasks using the Predecessor and Successor columns in the Gantt grid:

1. Double-click a cell in the Predecessor or Successor column for a task you want to create a dependency on.
2. Click to view a list of the tasks available on the project.
3. [Optional] Click in the Filter field and start typing the name of another project task in the dependency to narrow down the list of tasks.
4. Select a project task from the list displayed. The default dependency type of Finish to Start (FS) A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task is complete. is preselected on the boxes beside the project task. If this dependency type applies, the characters indicating the dependency type are not displayed after the WBS number in the relevant cell.
5. [Optional] To change the dependency type, click a box and the dot that looks similar to the relationship handles on the bars in the Gantt chart switches to the opposite side of the box. This example shows the Start to Start (SS) A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task starts. dependency type . The WBS number of the task selected at Step 4 followed by letters indicating the dependency type are displayed in the relevant cell in the Predecessor column. For details of the different dependency types, see the table below.
6. [Optional] View the task selected at Step 4 in the Gantt grid. The WBS number of the project task selected at Step 1 is automatically displayed in the Predecessor or Successor column, as appropriate.
7. Click Save.

Alternatively, you can create dependencies between project tasks by typing WBS numbers and characters indicating dependency types into the Gantt grid:

1. Double-click a cell in the Predecessor or Successor column for a task you want to create a dependency on.
2. Type in details of the dependency and dependency type using the syntax in the following table and press Enter.
3. [Optional] Click another cell in the grid and repeat Step 2 to create another dependency.
4. Click Save.

Syntax for Dependencies

Syntax	Description		Example
WBS Work Breakdown Structure Number	The Work Breakdown Structure number as displayed in the WBS column. Identifies the hierarchy of the project tasks within a project and is generated automatically from the existing project hierarchy. The number is updated automatically if you change the hierarchy.		3.2.2
; (semicolon)	The separator between WBS numbers when a project task has multiple dependencies.		3.2;3.3;3.4
Dependency Type	Finish to Start (FS) A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task is complete.	The successor project task cannot start until the predecessor project task is complete. If this dependency type applies, FS is not displayed after the WBS number in the relevant cell. Dependencies are this type by default.	3.3
	Start to Start (SS) A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task starts.	The successor project task cannot start until the predecessor project task starts.	3.4SS
	Finish to Finish (FF) A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to finish dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot finish until the first project task is complete.	The successor project task cannot finish until the predecessor project task is complete.	3.4FF
	Start to Finish (SF) A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to finish dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot finish before the first project task starts.	The successor project task cannot finish until the predecessor project task starts.	3.3SF

Updating a Dependency

To update an existing dependency:

1. In the Gantt grid, find the row that relates to the relevant project task.
2. Double-click the relevant cell in the Predecessor or Successor column.
3. Overtype the existing dependency details with the new details and press Enter. For information on the syntax to use, see Creating Dependencies from the Gantt Grid.
4. [Optional] Click other cells in the Predecessor or Successor columns and repeat Step 3 to update the dependency.
5. Click Save.

Removing a Dependency

To remove a dependency:

1. In the Gantt grid, find the row that relates to the relevant project task.
2. Double-click the relevant cell in the Predecessor or Successor column.
3. Press Backspace or Delete on your keyboard and then press Enter to delete the WBS number and any associated dependency type from the cell. The details are automatically deleted from the Predecessor or Successor columns for other tasks involved in the dependency relationship.
4. [Optional] Click other cells in the Predecessor or Successor columns and repeat Step 3 to remove the dependency details.
5. Click Save.