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DaleWh1
Level 3
June 4, 2021
Question

Accessing Predecessors and/or successors through Fusion

  • June 4, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 1113 views

Hello,

We are facing a challenge around the complexity of work and as we were working through this problem, I thought that asking the phenomenal brain power in this group could also shed some light or thoughts on this problem. It is also a good Friday-style thinking problem (maybe that is just me).

The problem statement is seemingly simple on the surface: Generate a list of tasks with cross-project predecessors and determine the impact of changes when one or more tasks change across projects.

Now, it does not appear that you can access the predecessor tables directly in fusion or in a custom API call as they are linked to tasks themselves. And when you are building a report in standard Workfront, this is a perfect use case for the EXISTS filter whereby you can at least get a list of tasks that have a cross-project predecessor relationship. The challenge with that is that EXISTS filters are not available in the API.

For clarification of thought, here is the textmode filter to get the data we are looking for:

EXISTS:a:$$OBJCODE=PRED

EXISTS:a:isCP=true

EXISTS:a:successorID=FIELD:ID

project:status=DED CLD

project:status_Mod=notin

status=CPL

status_Mod=notin

Does anyone have any thoughts on potential solutions to find these predecessor tasks?

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    3 replies

    Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore
    Community Advisor
    Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStoreCommunity Advisor
    Community Advisor
    June 4, 2021

    Hi Dale,

    This slope gets even slipperier if you have multiple projects with multiple cross project predecessors, as one of our clients in the Biotech industry challenged us with a few years ago.

    That lead us to develop our Timeline solution, which visualizes such complex relationships and sensitivities in a graphical format, real time, within Workfront. I've attached the glossy below to illustrate how it works.

    If you’d like more details and a demo, you are welcome to email me at doug.denhoed@atappstore.com

    Regards,

    Doug

    cc @Dale Whitchurch‚ now with image (and corrected typos...ehm...and the fact that we did indeed release it to the public already; so we officially now have too many solutions for me to keep track of them all...)

    D
    darin_patterson
    Level 4
    June 8, 2021

    Hi Dale,

    Thanks for the great question that really gave me a run for my money. It took me a bit, but I finally figured it out.

    I *knew* that I had seen Workfront API calls that successfully employed the "EXISTS" concept that you see in many advanced reporting scenarios in Workfront. You did the hard work in providing the text mode syntax ...and then I was able to use that in a Custom API Call in Workfront Fusion. But...there was a trick.

    I don't know why this is the case, but the use of "EXISTS" only works with the "Internal API" Version. So, to accomplish what you are trying to do, use a Workfront Custom API module, select Advanced options, and select the Internal API version. Then use the following syntax to get a list of all tasks that have cross-project predecessors. (I've including a screenshot).

    Unfortunately, I struggled with the multiple values for the "notin" comparison. Unfortunately, I can't figure out a good way for this module to deal with multiple values to compare for notin on project:status. The workaround is to do an OR group....but that is bothering me. See work around below.

    I hope this gets you to what you are looking for. I've attached a blueprint you can use as well.

      Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore
      Community Advisor
      Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStoreCommunity Advisor
      Community Advisor
      July 29, 2021

      Rediscovered this in a pinch tonight -- thanks again, @Darin Patterson - inactive‚

      Regards,

      Doug

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