A Dependencies List allows you to manage and analyze dependencies between items/portfolios, regardless of their grouping. You can set the Dependencies List to display items/portfolios that an item depends on, and items/portfolios that the item supports.
Dependencies Lists support your decision-making process, as you are able to consider the impact actions in your portfolio will have on other portfolios.
A dependency has the following properties:
- 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., software/hardware/ firmware; or, mandatory / optional. 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 portfolio. Weight is a user-definable attribute of a 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.
You can drill down to the Dependencies List from the Scorecard (refer to Scorecard Module Overview), Investor Map (refer to Investor Module Overview), or from a dependency item in another Dependencies List in the Workbook (refer to Workbook Module Overview).
The Dependencies List shows a list of items which have a dependency relationships with the selected item. Every row in the Dependencies List represents a dependency item.
If you have Edit permission on the item, you can add, edit, and remove items/portfolios in the Dependencies List.
The Dependencies list is always filtered by Direction and Type. When setting up the tab, the configurator selects the Direction filter, and defines the ability of the user to change the Type filter.
The listed items are described in two types of columns: Dependency Properties, and Item Properties. By default the Dependency columns include Type, Weight, Cost and Annotation. These columns are used to describe the dependency relationship. The Item Properties describe the listed item itself.
A Dependencies List set in a form displays the following information:
- Dependencies List Header: Shows the Dependencies List's Label, its Direction and the dependency Type.
- Direction: Defines the direction of the Dependencies List as defined by the configurator. The direction can be defined as either Depends On, or Supports.
- Type: The dependency type(s). 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.
When the Dependencies List type is defined in advance, there is no drop-list and the type is simply stated in the heading.
- Dependencies list: Includes various columns grouped under Dependency Properties and Item Properties. To sort the table, click the column heading. The columns are:
- Item Name: Displays a numbered list of items/portfolios:
An item is preceded by
A candidate item is preceded by
A portfolio is preceded by
A portfolio of portfolios is preceded by
- Item Name: Displays a numbered list of items/portfolios:
- Dependency Properties columns: These columns are used to describe the dependency relationship.
- Type: The dependency type(s) as defined in by the user.
- Weight: The overall importance of the dependency and its contribution to the portfolio.
- Cost: The quantitative measure of the dependency.
- Annotation: If there is an annotation associated with the dependency an annotation icon
appears in this column.
- (Default) Item Properties columns: The Item Properties describe the listed item itself.
- 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 by selecting a different scorecard for the item properties.
- Annotation Box: If there is an annotation for the selected dependency, it is displayed in this box.