1. Administrator's Guide
  2. Managing Tasks
  3. Setting Task Predecessors

Setting Task Predecessors

The Predecessors tab enables you to set predecessors for the current task. For template tasks, you can choose a predecessor from another template, and for schedule tasks, you can choose a predecessor from another schedule. You must assign a condition to the predecessor/successor relationship.

A task does not need predecessor tasks as long as a start date and time is specified. If both are specified, the task begins when the predecessor tasks are started or complete (for Finish-to-Start) and the start date and time is reached.

You can set these conditions under which the predecessor relationship is established:

Note:

Event Monitoring tasks can not have predecessors; however they can be predecessors to other types of tasks.

Table 8-1 Predecessor Conditions

Condition Description

Finish to Start

Default. The task starts as soon as the predecessor task completes or finishes with warning.

Finish Error to Start

The task starts as soon as the predecessor task completes, even it is in error.

Finish Error to Finish

The task completes as soon as the predecessor task completes, even it is in error.

Finish to Finish

The task cannot be marked as Complete until the predecessor task is marked as complete. This is primarily used for user tasks. For example, a user can start a document summary, but cannot mark it complete until the consolidated data is final.

To set task predecessors:

  1. From the New Task dialog box, select the Predecessors tab.
  2. Click Add.
  3. To search for a Predecessor:
    1. Click Basic.
    2. To refine the search, click Add Fields and select search fields; for example: Execution Type, Start Date, End Date.
    3. From each of the Condition lists, select a condition.
    4. Click OK.
  4. Select a predecessor task(s) and click OK.
  5. See also: