Dependencies (App Configuration)

Table of contents

In this section, you can specify which Jira links will be used to visualize the task dependencies. When links are synchronized with dependency types, you can visualize and create dependencies using the Board or Gantt modules. To manage the mapping, go to the Dependencies section and adjust the settings.

You can also turn off the synchronization of links, in which case adding a new dependency in the app will not create one in Jira—all dependencies created will be stored by the App only.

You can use each link only one time.

Jira Server/Data Center: If you cannot see a newly created link, refresh the page.

Jira Cloud: If you cannot see a newly created link, click the 'Refresh cache' button.

 

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Security and access

  • Only Jira administrators can access this page.

  • Click the "wrench" icon at the top right and select "General" from the drop-down list. Next, go to the Dependencies tab.

Dependencies

There are two kinds of dependencies the Gantt and Board modules can display:

  • Strong dependenciesdependencies with a scheduling impact. For example, when in Auto mode, moving one linked task might update the position of the other linked tasks.

  • Soft dependenciesdependencies with no scheduling impact. Moving one of the linked tasks does not affect the position of the linked issue.

By default, soft dependencies are not synchronized.

The Gantt module allows you to synchronize and display all dependency types. In Auto mode, such dependencies have a scheduling impact. For Example, moving a linked task might update its successor's or predecessor's position on the timeline.

Dependencies cannot be synchronized and used as structure builders simultaneously.

ASAP Mode

The ASAP mode is a scheduling mechanism that minimizes the gap between dependent tasks. It applies to strong dependencies only.

The ASAP mode is disabled by default on the App Configuration page. It means that all the strong dependencies you create will have the ASAP mode turned off.

Activate ASAP mode 

To activate the ASAP mode:

  1. Go to App Configuration > General

  2. Go to Dependencies

  3. Set the 'Default ASAP mode' toggle to active

If you leave the ASAP mode disabled by default, you can still enable this mode for the individual dependencies.

In the Gantt or Board module, click on the dependency you want to edit. On the Dependency details screen, toggle on the ASAP mode.

Default Dependency Configuration

The app creates custom dependencies that are most suitable for working with Gantt tasks:

Dependency

Outward description

Inward description

Dependency

Outward description

Inward description

Gantt: End to End dependency

has to be finished together with → 

has to be finished together with

Gantt: End to Start dependency

has to be done before → 

has to be done after

Gantt: Start to End dependency

the earliest end is the start of → 

the start is the earliest end of

Gantt: Start to Start dependency

has to be started together with → 

has to be started together with

Soft dependencies

Soft links field → you can add multiple Jira link types into the box. All added link types will be visualized in BigPicture as soft dependencies. This field works unidirectionally (all added link types are visualized in BigPicture as soft links). 

Default soft link → when you create a new soft link in BigPicture (for example, in the Board module), a corresponding link is created in Jira. For example, if the "Blocks" link type is selected, each time you make a soft dependency in BigPicture, a "Blocks" Jira link is added for the relevant issues.

The two Auto period modes (Auto Top-Down/ Auto Bottom-Up) available in the App work best with default custom links added by the App. If you decide to change the default links, switch to the manual period mode to avoid unintended rescheduling of the tasks.

To learn more, go to the Dependencies page.

Scope cloning

You can decide which Jira link has to be created to link issues while cloning the tasks in BigPicture. By default, a 'Cloners' link is used.

Use the drop-down menu to change the link setup or turn it off.

The cloned issue will have a link:

The original issue will have a link: