Concepts

Tasks

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Creating Scheduling Dependencies for Tasks on a Standard Job

When a work order is created from a standard job, the system can either create the standard Finish-to-start dependencies between each task, or it can use dependencies that you define on the job’s tasks. You can do this by entering the predecessor information for each task.

Relationship Types

Four relationship types are available:

Relationship Type	Description	Example
Finish-to-start (FS)	The successor task cannot start until the predecessor is finished. This is the default relationship type for tasks on a work order.
Start-to-start (SS)	The successor task cannot start until the predecessor starts.
Finish-to-finish (FF)	The successor task finishes at the same time as the predecessor.
Start-to-finish (SF)	The successor task finishes at the same time as the predecessor starts.

Lags and Overlaps

For each task relationship, you can enter a lag time. You can use lags to offset the start or completion date of two linked tasks. For example, if two tasks have a finish-to-start relationship with a four-hour lag, task B will start four hours after the completion time of task A.

You can also use lag time to overlap two tasks by entering a negative lag time. For example, to set task B to start four hours before task A is completed, link the tasks with a finish-to-start relationship, and enter a lag of “-4” hours.

To Enter Predecessors for a Job’s Tasks

1.	Open the standard job.

2.	Make sure that editing is enabled.

3.	From the Properties view, select the Dependencies tab.

4.	To create specific dependencies for the tasks, select the option Create task links based on the dependencies defined on the job’s tasks.

5.	Select the Tasks tab. This tab shows the tasks for this job.

6.	Double-click on a task for which you need to create a dependency. The Standard Job Task dialog appears.

7.	Select the Dependencies tab. Any existing predecessors and successors for the task are listed.

8.	To add a new relationship, click New. The Predecessor Details dialog appears.

9.	Enter the predecessor information on the Predecessor tab:

Setting Name

Description

Standard job task

Select the task that is the predecessor to this task. For example, if you are creating a relationship from task 3 (successor) to task 2 (predecessor), select task 2 in the list. You can select any task on the current job. You cannot select a task that is already dependent on the current task, or that would create a relationship that would result in a circular dependency. For example, if task 2 is dependent on task 1, and task 3 dependent on task 2, you cannot make task 1 dependent on task 3.

Type

Select the type of predecessor relationship: • Finish-to-start (FS): The successor task cannot start until the predecessor is finished • Start-to-start (SS): The successor task cannot start until the predecessor starts • Finish-to-finish (FF): The successor task finishes at the same time as the predecessor • Start-to-finish (SF): The successor task finishes at the same time as the predecessor starts

Lag

Enter any required lag time for the relationship. You can use lags to offset the start or completion time of two linked tasks. For example, if two tasks have a finish-to-start relationship with a four-hour lag, task B will start four hours after the completion time of task A. To overlap tasks, enter a negative lag time. Using the same example, entering “-2” hours sets task two to start 2 hours before the completion time of task one.

Note	Notes about this predecessor relationship.

10.	Select the Successor tab. On this tab you can review the successor information.

11.	To save the relationship, click OK.

12.	To add more relationships, repeat steps 8 to 11.

13.	When you are finished, click OK to save the standard job task.

14.	To add relationships for other tasks, repeat steps 6 to 13.