Creating dependencies

A dependency defines predecessor and successor relationships between project tasks. You can create Finish-to-Start dependencies where the start of one (successor) task depends on the completion of another (predecessor) task. For example, you can create a Finish-to-Start dependency between the “Create test plan” task and the “Verify test plan” task, where the verification task starts after the creation task is complete. Dependencies are indicated in the Gantt chart as arrows that connect one dependent task to another. You can create dependencies between tasks belonging to the same project or to different projects.

Before you begin

Use the Schedule Gantt or the WBS Details viewlet to perform this task. In the navigation bar, click Work, and click the Schedule tab, or the Details tab.

About this task

You can create dependencies between tasks only. Other WBS element types cannot be entered into dependency relationships.

A task can have multiple dependencies. For example, the start of Task A can be dependent on the completion of Tasks B, C, and D. Similarly, the completion of Task A can trigger the start of Tasks F, G, and H.

You cannot create circular dependencies. For example, if Task A is dependent on Task B, you cannot create a dependency that makes Task B dependent on Task A.

To create a dependency:

Procedure

Results

The two tasks are now linked with a dependency relationship and an arrow connects the predecessor to the successor in the Gantt chart view.

What to do next

After creating the dependencies for a project, resolve the dependencies for the project to adjust the task dates as per the dependency relationships. If you created dependencies between tasks in different projects, you must resolve the dependencies for each project separately. For more information about resolving dependencies, see Resolving dependencies.

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