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Bulk Edit Predecessors

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Employee
Hello, Is there away to bulk edit task Predecessors? Thank you -- Laurel
31 Replies

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Level 10
Perhaps, Laurel: are you using Templates, and if so, would you describe an example of such a bulk update of Task Predecessor(s)? Regards, Doug

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Employee

0690z000007ZkNNAA0.pngHello Doug,

I am attempting to close out 100s of projects with over 6500 tasks, which most of the tasks have predecessors. Which means I can't bulk update to complete together. I believe that templates were used to create the projects orginally.

As I am typing, I am thinking I can use the template task name to sort and close them in order. Hmmm I will try and see if this might work.

Any other ideas are welcome -- Laurel

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Level 7
Why can't you bulk edit the tasks to "complete"? I have tasks with predecessors and I can still bulk edit them to complete, even with an "enforced" predecessor.

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Employee
I would have to update the tasks in order - the system won't let me close (complete) a task with a predecessor not complete. I wish I could sort predecessor - that would make it easier.

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Level 7
What error are you getting? I'm saying you CAN bulk edit them to complete. Maybe there's some setting somewhere. I'll look for that.

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Employee
Below is the error I get when I bulk update all of the tasks. Bulk updates works if I update the tasks in predecessor order. [cid:image001.png@01D24A1B.075D8EB0]

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Level 7
Hmm, that's interesting Laurel. I don't know what the difference is, but you can see on this video that I can "complete" many tasks at once, even though they have predecessors on them. "http://screencast.com/t/1zdd3jQtE" http://screencast.com/t/1zdd3jQtE

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Level 5
Can you add a filter or grouping of the is ready field? On Tue, Nov 29, 2016 at 11:45 AM Greg Beck < globalforum@communitylists.workfront.com> wrote: > Hmm, that's interesting Laurel. I don't know what the difference is, but > you can see on this video that I can "complete" many tasks at once, even > though they have predecessors on them. > > http://screencast.com/t/1zdd3jQtE > > -----End Original Message----- >

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Level 10
Hi: If what you want to do is close a bunch of tasks across hundreds of projects, why not create a report of the tasks that: 1) Are associated with the projects of interest; 2) Have number_of_children=0; Then, run the report and mass edit all of the tasks. We do this all the time to bulk close tasks on projects. Does this help at all? Eric

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Employee
I am doing something very similar - I already have the number of children = 0 and I have added a prompt on Template Task Number - It allows me to complete the tasks in order.

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Level 10
Laurel - I think the thing we are struggling with is the fact that WorkFront doesn’t let you mass close tasks. It appears to you that you have to close them in order. A number of us are scratching our head on that, because WorkFront doesn’t make us close tasks in that order. Can you shoot a movie of you closing tasks, and it throwing an error because you aren’t closing them in predecessor order? Thanks, Eric

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Employee
Attached is a video - not sure if it will upload or not. I did upload a screen shot in a previous response.

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Level 10
Hi - Thanks so much for uploading that video. I have to say - Fascinating! - I've never seen WorkFront do that. I created the same report and mass edited tasks that have predecessors. I uploaded the video... I'd have WorkFront Tech Support help explain why you are getting those error messages and no one else (apparently) gets that kind of message. Thanks! Eric

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Employee
Gosh - I honestly don’t like being unique on this ☺ Thanks everyone - I will raise it with Workfront and see what they say.

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Level 7
Also, I might try deselecting that particular task (and it's predecessor) where you getting the error and try it again. There may be something special/unique about that task and its predecessor.

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Level 10
We need closure, Laurel. Please do reply and tell us what it turns out to be. Thanks! Eric

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Level 8
We haven’t heard back from Workfront yet, but since I’m impatient, what I ended up doing was adding a Task -> Task Number prompt to the report and then starting at 1, I did a bulk edit and set them to Complete status. By going in order, I eventually got through all 4000+ tasks (although there were still some weird errors along the way). Adina

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Level 10
Ugh. Sorry you had to brute force it. I’ll still be interested in what WorkFront says about closing tasks in predecessor order… Thanks for the update! Eric

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Employee
Workfront came back with that the children need to be closed first - well I had removed all parents, and still was getting the error. They so far have not had an answer as to why I couldn’t make the updates.