Prior to Microsoft Project 2016, setting these task dependencies would have required a number of steps, either by typing multiple task ID numbers, or by selecting tasks and clicking the Link the Selected Task button multiple times. In this project, I need to designate four milestone tasks (Carpentry Complete, Electrical Complete, Plumbing Complete, and Telecommunications Complete) as predecessors to the Construction Complete milestone task.
However, were you aware that you can still manually type task ID numbers in the Predecessors or Successors column to set task dependencies? And more importantly, are you aware that Microsoft introduced new functionality in Microsoft Project 2016 that will allow you to set task dependencies using a new pick list menu in either the Predecessors or Successors column? This new functionality makes it very easy to use the Predecessors column to quickly select multiple predecessors for a single task.įor example, consider the project shown in Figure 1. I suspect that most of us use the second of the two previous methods for setting task dependencies because it is so much faster.
In the Windows versions of Microsoft Project, however, we have also had the option to link tasks by selecting two or more tasks, and then clicking the Link the Selected Tasks button in the Task ribbon. He is a Certified Accountant and a PMP (Project Manager Professional) and a PMI-RMP (Risk Manager Professional), MCP, MCT, and Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist - Microsoft Project 2010.Many years ago, in Microsoft Project for DOS, the only way to set task dependencies was to manually type task ID numbers into either the Predecessors or Successors column for each task in the project. He is also a regular lecturer in the MS Community. Shares first place as the best lecturer of KulenDays 20 and PMI Conference 2009 in Zagreb. that a successor activity cannot begin before its predecessor has started. In addition, he was in TOP 10 lecturers at the MS SINERGY 2009 and MS VISIA 2009, 2010. with if you are working within projects and using Microsoft Project or. He was named the best lecturer of WINDAYS 2008 while his lecture was also voted as the best. He is a regular lecturer for Project Management in MS Innovation Center in Varaždin, Logosoft Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina and SEAVUS GROUP in Skopje Macedonia.
Today he works as a business consultant, adn Project Manager in PERPETUUM MOBILE d.o.o. He has got a lot of experience working with people in different business processes and also possesses great knowledge in information technologies and financial services. After completing his college he started working on projects in different business areas (banking, manufacturing, automotive industry, distribution, oil companies, etc.) developing and implementing ERP systems into different companies. Interests: Project Management and MS PROJECT It is very powerful, and I strongly recommend it. And if you give to your Tasks meaningful names you will know exactly what do you have in relationship, how, why, and of course, what to change if you need to change something. In the picture above you can see, for example, for Task 9, all Predecessors and Successors with ID and their name. Instead of that, much better is to use Task Form: But when you have a large Project Successors and Predecessors ID is more or less – worthless, and this is not going to be of much help. Please do not look if this Schedule has or has not sense):Īs you can see at the picture above, there are two columns: Predecessors and Successors where you can see them. Here is first solution (I am showing you example of complicated Project.
Let me show you how to see those in a best way. And, of course to change something you need to se every single Successor and Predecessor for every single Task. Maybe relations within Tasks, maybe your timeline is too long, or something like this. And then, suddenly you have to change something. Multiple predecessors separated by a comma, or a semi-colon wont always be recognised. except when trying to paste multiple predecessors (e.g. How often do you have a large Project with lot of Tasks? Hundreds of them. MS Project supports the 1st task selected driving the 2nd task selected with link command.