This article discusses the following topics related to dependencies:
- Creating a Dependency
- Modifying Dependency Settings
- Deleting Dependencies
- About the Dependency Manager Role
- Approving or Rejecting a Dependency
Creating a Dependency
Note: Before creating a dependency, ensure that the Dependency workflow has been configured and enabled. Ideally, the user managing the dependency in the predecessor project should possess the Dependency Manager role. A Dependency Item within Amplify allows you to capture important information such as the contributing project and task, dependant project, dependency action plan, dependency manager, and the dependency review date. When you have identified the dependency, begin capturing the above characteristics by using the add RAID item form or on a dependent task in your project's Gantt chart. You can modify the dependency settings at a later point of time if required.
To create an inter-project dependency:
- Navigate to your project/initiative then select New RAID Item from the Quick Create Menu. Alternatively, you can edit the dependent task on the Gantt chart.
- Specify the following details in the New RAID Item form that displays:
- A short description of the nature of dependency in the Name field. Note: Ensure that Item Classification is Dependency.
- The name of the contributing project name in the Predecessor Initiative field.
- The name of the specific task in the contributing project schedule, in the Predecessor Task field. Note: If you do not have accesses to the external project schedule, the Predecessor Task field may be left blank. This can be filled by the dependency manager or owner of the other project when they review the dependency settings.
- The name of the dependent task in your project in the Successor Initiative field.
- The date by which you want to review and close the dependency in the Review Date field.
- The name of the user who is accountable for monitoring the progress in the Dependency Owner field.
- When a dependency is operational, choose the status Open. If it is no longer valid, select the status as Closed.
- Click on the Save button to save the dependency.
The Dependency workflow gets triggered once you save the dependency item. The dependency manager or the project owner of the other team will see the approval notification on their Home tab. They can fill the Predecessor Task field after reviewing the dependency setting. This is a good time to add the Action Plan on the Dependency Item form so that all approvers can view it via workflow notifications.
When all details are added, to verify if your dependency is saved correctly in Amplify, go to the Gantt chart of a parent initiative, common to both initiatives that are part of the dependency. Now if you scroll down to the initiatives where dependent tasks live, you can see the dependency depicted on the time bar.
Inter-project dependencies are shown by dotted lines on the Gantt chart.
You can easily identify the participating tasks because the Gantt shows an indicator next to such tasks.
Inter-project dependencies are not copied if you upload or download schedules using external systems or Microsoft excel files. In such cases, you would have to create the dependencies by double-clicking on the relevant task.
Next step would be to prompt the stakeholders to approve the dependency workflow.
Modifying Dependency Settings
If you want to close a dependency or alter the dependency setting, there are three interfaces within Amplify that allow you to do this:
- Dependency Dashboard- The Edit button on the Dependency Dashboard can be used to modify any setting associated with a task dependency.
- RAID register - Locate the dependency that you want to edit on the register and click on its name. You will be directed to the Dependency Dashboard.
- Dependency table - Navigate to the Dependency table from RAID sub-menu on the initiative dashboard. Locate the dependency that you want to edit on the Dependency table and click on the edit "pen" icon at the end of the row to open the Edit Form. If you click on,you will be directed to the Dependency Dashboard.
Change the settings on the Edit form as per your requirements. To close a dependency, select Closed in the Status field and add comments in the Closing Comments field. Click Save to save your changes.
Deleting Dependencies
A cross-project dependency that you want to get rid of, can be removed from the Gantt or from the task table by archiving it.
The easiest way to remove dependency among tasks within an initiative is by double-clicking on the arrows on the Gantt and clicking OK on the delete confirmation message that pops up.
Archiving is the first step to deleting a dependency. If you are on the Dependency Dashboard, click on the hamburger menu and select Archive.
An archived dependency will not display on the RAID register, Dependency table, or on the Gantt. You can restore or delete it. If you restore the dependency, it will display on your Gantt chart.
About the Dependency Manager Role
Amplify has an inbuilt role that is designed exclusively to manage dependencies. The Dependency Manager can act as the mediator between the project teams that are on either side. The project teams, in collaboration with the Dependency Manager, can identify, monitor, and manage dependencies via regular communication. This role has access to the Dependency Dashboard at all times. We recommend adding a user with the Dependency Manager role in both teams.
The user with this role can view the progress of the dependent task, add a mitigation plan, modify the task completion date etc. A Dependency Manager role can also be configured as a default approver in the Dependency workflow.
If you want a user with another role to be monitoring dependencies, ensure that the following conditions are valid:
- This user is the team member of an initiative above both participating initiatives in the enterprise hierarchy.
- Dependency is a selected item in the Enable Local RAID items settings for that initiative classification.
- The role assigned to this team member has the write permission as well as Cascade Permissions on all objects.
- This role is added as a mandatory approver in the Dependency workflow settings.
- Roles held by the schedule owners of both participating initiatives are added as mandatory approvers in the Dependency workflow settings.
To add a dependency manager to your project:
-
Navigate to the Team tab in your project.
- Ensure that you have selected the team of the initiative in the Teams field.
- Click on the Add Team Member button.
- Use the Search for an Amplify User field to search for the user or type the username into the field.
- Use the Available Roles select the Dependency Manager role.
- Click Save.
The user is now part of the team and has the dependency manager role.
A user can hold multiple roles in a team.
Approving or Rejecting a Dependency
If you are nominated as an approver, you will see the approval notification on your Personal (Home) Dashboard. For each notification, you can see the name of the associated workflow, name of the item, the name of the initiator (hover over the greyed callout symbol) and a down arrow button. Note: Clicking on the Dependency name will display the Dependency Dashboard.
To approve a dependency item:
- On the approval notifications panel, click on the down arrow button for the dependency item you'd like to approve.
- This will reveal a panel showing you information including the predecessor task, successor task, task owners, action plan, requestor name and requested date.
- Review the information in the expanded panel.
- In the text area, add comments or feedback that you want the initiator or the dependency manager to see.
- Click Approve.
Dependency Dashboard will show the updated status. A dependency item can have Pending, Approved, or Rejected status. When a proposed dependency plan is rejected, the Dependency Dashboard will show a button that will allow you to resubmit the workflow.
You may then use the Edit button on the Dependency Dashboard to make the necessary modifications in the dependency definition and submit it for approval again.
Note: If workflow settings were modified after creating a dependency item, you must either resubmit the item for approval or delete the item and create an identical item so that modified workflow settings take effect.