Dependencies

Projects Dependencies is a term used to denote a situation when two or more projects are related to each other in certain ways (they depend on each other somehow).

Projects Dependencies can be considered as a great risk for all projects that interact within a certain schema, because if one of them fails to deliver expected results appropriately, then all other projects in this schema will be affected too.

Here are some kinds of situations where two or more projects can be interdependent:

  • One Project cannot be started until the other is finished (or started), or until certain deliverables from that project are ready (one or more tasks in another project should be completed).

  • A Project is made up of sub-projects.

  • A Program is driven by several projects and products.

Source & Target

When creating a Dependency, there will always be:

  • A Source is the place where the data is coming from. The Source of the dependency will be either a Project object or a Task.

  • A Target is the place where the data is going to. The Target of the dependency will always be a Task.

Upon the dependency creation, a connection will be created automatically if the “Connection Creation with dependency Creation” option has been switched on by the Administrator and if the combination of Source objects and Target objects is one the following:

  • Target = Program’s task; Source = Program or Program’s task, Product or Product’s task, Project or Project’s task, Business Case or Business case’s task

  • Target = Product’s task; Source = Product or Product’s task, Project or Project’s task, Business Case or Business case’s task

  • Target = Project’s task; Source = Project or Project’s task, Business Case or Business case’s task

  • Target = Business Case’s task; Source = Business Case or Business case’s task

Warning

Dependencies will always be created from the Target object.

Settings

Defining if a Project or its Tasks might be used as Source is managed at the Project Level (Source Object field) in the Project Administration dialog box.

Dependency Types

Sciforma enables the creation of two Dependency Types:

Project_to_task.png

Project-To-Task

A Project-To-Task dependency exists when an entire Project (source of the dependency) is imported as a task in the Target project.

Task_to_task.png

Task-To-Task

A Task-To-Task dependency exists when a Task from a Project (source of the dependency) is imported as another Task in the Target Project.

Note

Dependencies have to be created at the Target level.

Mapping Types

Sciforma offers two Mapping Types:

  • Image – Information about the source (Project or Task) is displayed as symbols in the Gantt but have no interaction with the Target Task itself. This mapping type is used for informative purpose.

    Mapping_Image.png
  • Copy – The Target Task mirrors exactly the Source data. The Target task is overridden. Indeed, the Source (Project or Task) has a direct impact on the Target Task.

    Mapping_Copy.png

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