Dependencies

Introduction

Dependencies specify the relationships between tasks, milestones, and other items which can be presented on the timeline and can be displayed on the Gantt module. By defining dependencies, you can not only automate task scheduling but also highlight relations between tasks without impacting the schedule.

Let’s use BigPicture PPM for monday.com to enable cross-project management for dependencies among items from different monday Boards. Below you will find the most important information to synchronize the dependencies between both platforms in a more efficient way and manage your dependencies smoothly.

Dependency settings

monday.com

As soon as you add your dependency column, a window will pop up, prompting you to choose the mode in which your dependencies will work, as well as the time column on which your items will be dependent.

The dependency mode on monday.com that is selected here will affect how items will automatically move when any changes are made to the items that they are dependent on.

When it comes to the dependency mode setting, you have the option to choose between Flexible, Strict, or No action:

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• Flexible: Ensures no overlap between the dates of items that are dependent on another

• Strict: Adjusts an item's dates to reflect the exact time changes made based on the item that it is dependent on

• No action: Items will not shift automatically; they will solely display dependency relationships without making any changes, even if there is a dependency clash

The dependency mode that is selected here will affect how items will automatically move when any changes are made to the items that they are dependent on.

BigPicture

• Soft dependencies

In BigPicture, No action dependencies are called Soft dependencies and are used to mark relationships between tasks without changing their dates (indicating that tasks are thematically related).
You can also create dependencies between items from different monday Boards.

Soft dependencies are marked on the Gantt chart with a dashed line.

• Strong dependencies

In BigPicture, Strict and Flexible dependencies are called Strong dependencies and they can cause task date changes, as they are mainly used for scheduling.

BigPicture provides great possibilities for defining four types of dependencies, setting them in ASAP or non-ASAP mode as well as adding a time interval between tasks (called “lag time”).
You can also create dependencies between items from different monday boards.

Strong dependencies are marked on the Gantt chart with a solid line.

• Lag time

It is the time period calculated in days by dividing the linked tasks. Lag time has the highest priority over other dependency properties. In both ASAP and non-ASAP modes the lag time will be respected and applied regardless of other circumstances. The type of dependency determines which date (Start or End) of the source task the lag time will be added to.

• ASAP mode

Always schedules the target task to take place “as soon as possible”, according to dependency type. This renders the target task strictly dependent on the source. Therefore, it will be impossible to drag and drop it, neither to the future nor the past. The target task will always revert to its position previously calculated by scheduling.

Create dependencies

You can create a dependency in the following ways:

• Click on the dot next to the taskbar and drag&drop it on the target task, or drop to the dependency dot of the target task. When you hover over a dependency dot or a taskbar of the target task, both dot and half of a taskbar pulsate. 

• Click the dot next to the taskbar when you hover over the task with the mouse.

• Right-click on a task and choose "Create dependency".

• Mark a task and click on three dots (make sure that the "Editor Slider" is enabled under the "View" menu). Next, choose "Create dependency".

Example 1

1. Click on the dot next to a taskbar.
   
   

   Open

   

2. Drag and drop it on the target task, or drop it to the dependency dot of the target task.

The video presents creating a dependency by dragging and dropping.

Example 2

1. Create the task dependency by clicking the dot.
   
   

2. The "Source task" field is automatically filled in.

3. Provide the "Target task".

4. Choose the “Dependency type” (hover over a camera icon to see an explanation of each dependency type).
   
   

5. Define a lag time.

6. If needed, enable the ASAP mode.

7. Optionally, provide a description.

8. When ready, click Save.
   
   

Example 3

1. Right-click on a task.

2. Choose "Create dependency".

3.  Follow the same steps as presented earlier.
   
   

Example 4

1. Mark a task and click on three dots (make sure that the "Editor Slider" is enabled under the "View" menu).

2. Choose "Create dependency" and follow the steps presented earlier.
   
   

Edit dependencies

Click on one of the dependencies to edit or delete it. 

When editing, you can change the following attributes:

• Dependency type

• Target task

• Lag time

• ASAP mode

• Description

Scheduling mode

Scheduling mode is a parameter in BigPicture that determines if tasks are to be moved on a timeline based on dependencies or to ignore them. More about the Scheduling mode you will find here.

Dependencies in monday.com vs. BigPicture

Dependencies existing on monday side as well as on the BigPicture side will run parallel scheduling mechanisms affecting task dates. If monday board has a column with Strict or Flexible dependencies, this means that dependencies in BigPicture should not then affect tasks. Otherwise, various scheduling mechanisms would lead to setting incorrect dates on tasks.

• If you add monday Board to BigPicture (and the Board has the dependency column set to Strict or Flexible),

• or if you add tasks to monday Board (and the Board has the dependency column set to Strict or Flexible),

• or if you add tasks in BigPicture (and the Board to which the tasks were added has the dependency column set to Strict or Flexible),

then BigPicture will automatically switch tasks to Manual mode (as no automation works on tasks on the BigPicture side in this mode).

Dependency synchronization between monday.com and BigPicture

BigPicture will automatically synchronize dependencies between monday Board and BigPicture Box.

Add monday Board to BigPicture

If you add monday Board to BigPicture Box, dependencies from monday are transferred to BigPicture:

1. Adding a Board with a dependency column set to No action will create Soft dependencies between tasks in BigPicture (based on existing dependencies in the dependency column).

2. Adding a Board with a dependency column set to Flexible or Strict will create Strong dependencies (End-to-Start, non-ASAP, no lag time) dependencies between tasks in BigPicture (based on existing dependencies in the dependency column).

Operations on dependency column on monday.com

1. If a dependency column was added to the Board, BigPicture will create appropriate dependencies in a dependency column in monday Board (sync from BigPicture to monday.com).

2. If a dependency column type was changed from No action to Strict or Flexible, dependencies in BigPicture will be converted from Soft to Strong (End-to-Start, non-ASAP, no lag time).

3. If a dependency column type was changed from Strict or Flexible to No action, dependencies in BigPicture will remain in Strong type.

4. If a dependency column was deleted from the Board, dependencies in BigPicture will NOT be deleted.

Operations on dependencies on monday.com

If you create or delete dependency on monday Board, changes will be made in BigPicture too.

1. If No action dependency was added, it creates a Soft dependency in BigPicture.

2. If Flexible or Strict dependency was added, it creates a Strong dependency in BigPicture
   (End-to-Start, non-ASAP, no lag time).

3. If a dependency was removed, it also deletes it in BigPicture.

4. If a dependency was modified (e.g. lag time was changed), it does NOT change dependency in BigPicture.

Operations on dependencies in BigPicture

If you create or edit or delete dependency in BigPicture Box, changes will be made in monday too.

1. If a dependency was added in BigPicture, it also adds a dependency in a dependency column in monday Board.

2. If a dependency was deleted in BigPicture, it also removes a dependency in a dependency column in monday Board.

3. If a dependency was modified in BigPicture (e.g. lag time was changed or dependency type was changed), it does NOT change dependency in a dependency column in monday Board.

Affects

Scheduling mode

If a dependency column is set to Strict or Flexible type, BigPicture changes the scheduling mode of all tasks from this board to auto basic mode.