Scheduling (projects) › Task Dependencies and Relationships › Create External Task Dependencies

Create External Task Dependencies

Use the following procedure to create and change dependencies between tasks in different projects.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the project and click Tasks.
2. Click the name of the task.
3. Open the Properties menu, and from Main, click Dependencies.

   The task dependencies page appears.

4. Click New.

   The select task page appears.

5. Click the button next to the task to create the external dependency, and click Next.

   The task dependency properties page appears.

6. Complete the following fields:

   Dependent Investment

   Displays the name of the project upon which the task depends.

   Dependent Task

   Displays the name of the task upon which the task depends.

   Relationship

   Defines the relationship between the current task and the task selected. To have the selected task precede the current task, select Predecessor. To have the selected task succeed the current task, select Successor.

   Values: Predecessor, Successor

   Default: Predecessor

   Type

   Defines the type of relationship to set between two tasks.

   Values:

   • Finish-Start. The predecessor task requires finishing before the successor task can start. This dependency is the most common dependency type.
   • Start-Start. The predecessor task requires starting before the successor task can start.
   • Start-Finish. The predecessor task requires starting before the successor task can finish.
   • Finish-Finish. The predecessor task requires finishing before the successor task can finish.

   Default: Finish-Start

   Example: If you select predecessor as the relationship and Finish-Start as the type, the predecessor task is scheduled to finish before the successor task starts. Alternatively, if you select successor as the relationship, and Finish-Finish as the type, the successor task can finish once the predecessor task finishes.

   Lag

   Identifies the lag period between the two tasks.

   Default: 0.00

   Example: For a Finish-Start type of relationship, create a lag period of five days between the finish date of the predecessor task and the start of the successor task.

   Lag Type

   Specifies the type of lag between two dependent tasks.

   Values: Daily or Percent

   Default: Daily

   Example: If you enter 5 as the lag and daily as the lag type, a lag period of five days between the tasks is created. Suppose, the duration specified is 100 days, 20 as the lag, and 20 percent as the lag type (20 percent of 100 days). A lag period of 20 days between the tasks is created. A lag time percent is based on the duration of the predecessor task.

7. Save the changes.