Task Dependencies

Manage tasks in a specific order and prevent bottlenecks along the way with the task dependency feature.

Updated over a week ago

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The Task Dependencies feature lets you easily see which tasks are linked to another or which ones are blocking and waiting on other tasks.
The feature is available only in the Premium pricing plan.

This article will teach you how to set up and manage task dependencies.

Setting up task dependencies

To set up this feature, go to the Tasks or Project module and select any task. Click on Add dependencies to create the first task dependency.

There is no limit on the number of dependencies that can be added to a task. Also, note that subtasks can have dependencies, too.

There are three types of dependencies:

  1. Linked to - a task that is not dependable but relates to another. This allows one to go from one task to another and shows an overview of related tasks for everyone working on tasks.

  2. Waiting on - a task waiting for another task to be finished. This allows you to keep track of the task flow and solve tasks in the correct order. The task that is the one waiting for has the dependency status Blocking.

  3. Blocking - a task that is blocking the start of another task. This allows focusing on priority tasks first. The task that is the one being blocked has the dependency status Waiting.

Managing dependencies

Closing a task

If you close a task, dependencies will be shown as completed.

The task, dependent on a closed task that was blocking it, will now have a completed dependency as well.

Moving tasks

Moving tasks to another project will delete the dependencies previously created.

πŸš€ The task dependency feature currently has no automation linked to it. But we are currently working on this, so stay tuned!

Fields and Filters

The Dependency field will show the strongest "dependency" a task contains, as follows: Waiting on, Blocking, and Linked.
The rest of the dependencies are shown when hovering over a task.

When using the Dependency filter, it is highly recommended to use the "contains" operator to get the list of tasks that:

  • are blocking other tasks

  • are waiting on other tasks

  • are linked to other tasks

When using the "equals" operator instead of "contains", only tasks that will be shown are the ones with that particular type of dependencies, e.g. tasks that are "blocking" other tasks (but are not "waiting on" other tasks):


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Dependency loop

A dependency loop is an impossible situation in which two tasks block each other simultaneously. For example, the last task in the row blocks the first one.
Note that you will get a warning when trying to create a loop, but Productive won't prevent you from creating one.

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