Dependencies determine the relationship between an item (or portfolio) and other items (or portfolios) independent of their grouping. Managing and analyzing dependencies is always done through the relevant dependencies list.
A dependency has several defining attributes:
- Direction: the direction of the dependency for the selected item. Is the item/portfolio dependent on another item / portfolio, or does it support another item/portfolio?
- Type: Classifies the dependency, e.g., mandatory or optional; or, software, hardware, or firmware. Type is a user-definable value list. For more information about value lists refer to Value Lists, in Configuring the System Components.
- Weight: Determines the overall importance of the dependency and its contribution to the item/portfolio. Weight is a configurator-definable value list. For more information about value lists refer to Value Lists, in Configuring the System Components.
- Cost: A quantitative measure of the dependency. For more information about Cost refer to The Defaults Tab, in Administration
- Annotation: An annotation is an explanatory note or comment about the dependency.
The Dependencies tab in the Workbook module displays a list of dependency relationships between the selected entry and the other entries listed. Every row in the list represents a dependency item.
If you have edit permission for the entry, you can add, edit, and remove dependency items directly within the list.
The list is always filtered. You can control the filtering by selecting the Direction and Type.
- Direction: The direction of the dependency.
- Depends on: The items/portfolios on which the item is dependent. This is the default list.
- Supports: The items/portfolios that the item supports.
- Type: The dependency type(s) as defined by the user. There are two special options: All shows all the dependency items without regard to type, and No Value shows only those dependencies that have not been classified by type.
The dependencies list includes various columns grouped under Dependency Properties and Item Properties.
To sort the table, click a column heading. The columns are:
- Item Name: Displays the names of the items/portfolios that have a dependency relationship with the workbook item. The names are preceded by line numbers and icons:
- An item is preceded by
. - A candidate item is preceded by
. - A portfolio is preceded by
. - A portfolio of portfolios is preceded by
.
- An item is preceded by
- Dependency Properties columns:
- Type: The dependency type(s) as defined in by the user.
- Weight: The overall importance of the item and its contribution to the portfolio.
- Cost: The quantitative measure of the item.
- Annotation: If there is an annotation associated with the dependency an annotation icon
appears in this column.
- Portfolio: Select the portfolio or super-portfolio that is to be displayed in the filter list of the Add button in Forms.
- (Default) Item Properties columns:
- Manager: Name of the manager responsible for the item/portfolio.
- Start Date: Item/portfolio start date.
- End Date: Item/portfolio end date.
- Life Cycle: Current state of the item/portfolio life cycle.
Note: you can change the default item properties columns shown by selecting a different scorecard as item properties. For more information, refer to Workbook Dependencies List in Working with Dependencies
- Annotation Box: If there is an annotation for the selected dependency, it is displayed in this box.