Dependencies describe relationships between project tasks and inform how they need to be sequenced and scheduled. Each dependency involves a successor task and predecessor task, the former of which is reliant on the latter in some way.
Think about making an omelet as a series of three steps: (1) crack the eggs, (2) cook the omelet, (3) plate the omelet. There is only one order in which these tasks can be completed – you can’t cook your eggs before you’ve opened them, and you can’t plate your omelet before it's cooked. Each of these tasks is dependent on its predecessor.
Not every task in a project has a dependency. For example, you need to get out a knife and fork to eat your omelet, but it doesn’t matter if you do this before, during, or after the eggs are cooking.
Once you’ve created a Gantt view in your project workbook, you can establish dependencies between your tasks to help schedule and manage your project. On the Gantt chart portion of your Gantt view, dependencies are represented by arrows leading from one task to another.
Spreadsheet.com supports four different types of dependencies: Finish-to-Start (FS), Start-to-Start (SS), Start-to-Finish (SF), and Finish-to-Finish (FS). Learn more about each in our Help Center.
Gantt views with dependencies enabled contain a Predecessor column with the Related row data type. To create a new dependency, enter the name of the predecessor task in the successor task’s Predecessor column. Or, you can create dependencies directly on the Gantt chart. Hover over a successor task and click-and-drag one of the taskbar’s drag handles to its predecessor task.
Once you’ve created a dependency, you can edit its type and lag duration, or the amount of time between a predecessor and successor task. From the Predecessor column, select the cell of the dependency which you would like to edit, and click the dependency icon on the right side of the cell.
This opens the Predecessors dialog, where you can edit the Predecessor Type and Lag.
Dependencies are just one of the many powerful project management features available in Spreadsheet.com. Use constraints in your workbook to automatically schedule project tasks and introduce complex scheduling logic into your Gantt charts, or combine Gantt views with automations to notify team members of upcoming or overdue tasks without lifting a finger.
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