How to Add/Remove Task Dependency In ZilicusPM : ZilicusPM

Add/Remove Task Dependency

Additional Note

What is a Task Dependency?

In practice, for any project plan, not all tasks can be started, executed & completed independently, what it means is – you will have some tasks which would be dependent on some other tasks. In theory, there are four types of task dependencies possible.

a) Finish To Start (FS)

b) Finish To Finish (FF)

c) Start To Start (SS)

d) Start To Finish (SF)

Finish-to-start (FS) is considered as the most "natural dependency" whereas all the other types of dependencies are implied because of constraints imposed by the scheduler to reflect resource constraints or some other preferences. Start-To-Finish (FS) type of dependency is rarely used.

There are three kinds of dependencies attributed to the reasons for the creation of dependency:

1. Logical , 2. Resource constraints 3. Discretionary

(Ref: Wiki)

Note: ZilicusPM, at the moment, supports all four types of dependency. Also, you will be able to add lead/ lag for any given dependency.

Add Dependency:

You can add inter dependency among tasks. In a given dependency relationship (one to many or many to one), there will be a predecessor task & successor task. The dependency between Successor task and the Predecessor task can be described using dependency.

Navigate Projects> Select Project > Workspace > Tasks tab in left panel > Select a Task in Task List Panel > Click on 'Task Dependency' tab in the lower panel in the workspace > Click on 'Add Dependency'

1. As you click on Add Dependency in the lower most panel, 'Add Predecessor Task' box will be shown. You can click through the task(s) on which you wish to make current task to dependent on.

2. Click on Save

3. You can see, a given task has now predecessor Tasks. It can be seen in 'Task Dependency' tab as well as in the Gantt Chart.

Note: However, there are certain validations done to ensure project schedule remain as a valid schedule – as follows

· Newly added predecessor task(s), automatically change the start date of current task if any of its predecessor task's due date is after start date of currently selected task

· If there are already some tasks dependent on current task, the above change may impact these dependent tasks too. If automatically extending current tasks due date is falling beyond any a its dependent task's start date, applicable task(s)' schedule is automatically changed to retain estimated effort & duration

· If user wishes to modify ‘the system-changed-schedule’, he/she can change it by changing individual task's schedule details.

Add Inter-project Dependency:

Navigate Projects> Select Project > Workspace > Tasks tab in left panel > Select a Task in Task List Panel > Click on 'Task Dependency' tab in the lower panel in the workspace > Click on 'Add/Update Dependency' > Click on Add Tasks from Other Projects >

You can add dependency among tasks of different projects. In real world, we need to work with other departments & project teams. ZilicusPM facilitates such inter-dependency between projects' schedule. One can set inter-dependence between tasks belonging to different projects. Project planner can also check dependent successor as well as predecessor tasks.

Following screenshots illustrate step-by-step approach to set inter-project dependencies

1. Click on ‘Add Tasks from Other Project’

2. Select desired project where predecessor task belong

3. Select desired tasks from the predecessor project

4. And this is how it will look like

Delete/Remove Task Dependency:

Deleting Tasks Dependency is essentially removes interdependent relationship between given tasks.

Navigate Projects> Select Project > Workspace > Tasks tab in left panel > Select a Task in Task List Panel > Click on 'Task Dependency' tab in the lower panel in the workspace > c;ocl on ‘Add/Remove Dependency’ link > uncheck specified dependency in the pop up window