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Task dependencies

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Dependencies are the relationships among tasks that determine the order in which activities need to be performed. With task dependencies, you can mark a task as blocking another task, or blocked by another task.

Teams with collaborative workflows can easily see what tasks they’re waiting on from others and know when to get started on their portion of work. When the first task is completed, it will notify the assignee of the next task that they can start on their task.

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Mark tasks as dependent on


To mark a task as dependent on:

  1. Click into the task and then click on Add dependencies in the sidebar



Next:

  1. Begin typing the name of the task you wish to be the precedent task
  2. Select the task in the typeahead that appears
  3. This task will now show what task it is Blocked by

The indication banner will only appear in the dependent task's details pane.

Split dependencies field in list view

The dependencies field has been split into two distinct fields: Blocked by and Blocking to provide a clearer visualization of task dependencies within list view. This split makes it easier to understand task relationships and manage work dependencies more effectively.

Benefits of split dependencies:

  • Clearer visualization of task dependencies in list view
  • Easier identification of which tasks are blocking progress
  • More accessible way to see extra-project dependencies
  • Improved understanding of task relationships

The split dependencies field separates dependency information into two distinct columns in list view:

  • Blocked by: Shows which tasks are preventing this task from starting or being completed.
  • Blocking: Shows which tasks cannot proceed until this task is completed.

To use the split dependency fields:

Split dependencies in list view

  1. Navigate to your project's list view
  2. Click the + Add field button in the column header
  3. Select either Blocked by or Blocking to add these columns to your view
  4. Use these columns to manage and visualize your task dependencies

Drawing dependencies on your timeline

You can set dependencies directly on your timeline by clicking the connector icon that appears when hovering over a task and then dragging it to another task.

Drawing Dependencies Gif

To draw dependencies on your timeline:

  • Click on the connector icon when hovering over a task.
  • Drag the connector over to the task you wish to mark as Dependent On.

Multiple dependencies

A single task can be dependent on multiple tasks, and multiple tasks can be dependent on a single task.

The precedent task will now show the tasks it is blocking, indicating other tasks are waiting on it to be completed. If a single task is dependent on multiple tasks, each precedent task will appear in the dependent task's details pane.

To remove a dependency, hover over an existing indication banner and click the X symbol that appears.

Notifications

The assignee of the dependent task will receive notifications for the following actions:

  • The precedent task is marked complete
  • The precedent task has its due date changed or removed

If a task is dependent on multiple tasks, you will only receive one notification when all precedent tasks have been completed.

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Task dependencies