Why doesn't Workfront auto-honour predecessors?

[JamieHi]

Let's say I create Task A and Task B in a plan. For both of these - because I'm quickly doing a draft of a plan - I enter the Start Date and a Duration. Later, I realise there is a dependency here, and so in the predecessors column against Task B I put the ID of Task A. However! The task doesn't honour the predecessor I've just told it about & the finish date stays the same. I then manually go into the task and edit it to e.g. As Soon As Possible, and the task date shifts. My question is - if I've got this right - why does Workfront think a predecessor typed-in right now is still not as important as a start/finish date typed in earlier? I understand putting a Start Date will, for example, set a constraint of Must Start On -- but why doesn't entering a predecessor amend this constraint accordingly? Jamie Hill JLL

[Doug_Den_Hoed__AtAppStore]

Hi Jamie, The answer lies in the (automatically defaulted for your convenience) Task Constraints. By initially providing a manually entered Start Date, you also silently informed Workfront that the task Must Start On (MSO) that date - the Task Constraint, and rarely-viewed-but-still-in-play Constraint Date. When you then add the predecessor to the mix, the Constraint Date is still in place and takes precedence from an As Designed perspective: Workfront's rationale being that Human's Know Better. The Projected Start Date, mind you, will consider both, for those who are aware of and use them. To obtain the Planned Start Date behavior that you expected, you can simply change the Task Constraint on the dependent Task to As Soon As Possible (ASAP), thereby removing the Constraint Date and allowing tge Predecessor relationship to drive the Planned Start Date.

[JamieHi]

Hi Doug, Thanks, your explanation makes sense. Speaking to our PMs this problem happens frequently so I'll tell them that their adding of a predecessor will most likely be a 2-step process: 1) add task ID 2) change/make sure task's constraint set to ASAP Although, I would still prefer it to work without the second step even if it's MSO ;) Jamie Hill JLL

[VicAl]

Or you can have them not enter the date on the subsequent tasks so it doesn't auto change to a fixed date. If that doesn't work, you can have them just enter their tasks and then do a bulk edit on the Task Constraint. Saves a lot of time. I also created a view that displays the Task Constraint so I can easily see when it's messing with my dates. This also allows me to change it right inline on the view without having to open each task. Just FYI. Vic Alejandro, PMP, CSM | IT | Sr. IT Project Manager Denver Water | t: (303-628-7262) | c: (303-319-6473) "http://www.denverwater.org/"> http://www.denverwater.org INTEGRITY | VISION | PASSION | EXCELLENCE | RESPECT

[EricLu2]

Hi: Doug is right, look at your task constraints. Predecessors are only used when you use ASAP or ALAP. Every other option is a forced date and predecessors are ignored. Eric