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Project 2007 Training

Linking Project tasks

Course contents
• Overview: Save time as you manage your project

• Lesson 1: Dependency links

• Lesson 2: Create task dependency links

• Lesson 3: Create lag time and lead time

Two of the three lessons include a list of suggested tasks;

all include a set of test questions.

Linking Project tasks

Overview: Save time as you manage your project
After you define your project’s tasks
and estimate how long they’ll take,
you’re ready to link them.

Linking tasks creates a plan based on

sequence and dependencies,
regardless of specific dates. If the start
date, duration, or finish date of one
task changes, Project automatically
reschedules all related tasks.

Linking makes your plan more flexible

and more reliable.

Linking Project tasks

Course goals
• Apply any of the four task dependency types.

• Know when to use each of the task dependencies.

• Know when and how to use lead and lag time.

Linking Project tasks

 Lesson 1

Dependency links
Dependency links
You can use four
types of task
dependencies (or
links) to define the
relationships between
tasks in your Project
plan.

If you link tasks, Project will automatically adjust your

schedule when any part of your plan changes.

If instead you enter specific start and finish dates for

tasks, you override that automatic adjustment. So you
see the advantage to understanding how Project
dependency types are used to link tasks.

Linking Project tasks

Linking tasks 101
After you define your
plan’s tasks and
estimate how long it
will take to complete
them, you’re ready to
schedule the tasks by
creating task
dependency links.

By default, Project schedules all tasks to begin on the

project’s start date and calculates the project’s finish
date based on the last task to finish.

When you enter task dependencies, Project adjusts the

schedule to assign more accurate dates to each task.

Linking Project tasks

Linking tasks 101
The picture illustrates
the concepts.

1 All tasks in a Project plan start at the project start date

unless you specify otherwise.
2 With no task dependencies or constraints applied, the
project finish date is the same as the longest task’s finish
date.

Linking Project tasks

Linking tasks 101
The picture illustrates
the concepts.

3 Task dependencies, such as the Finish-to-Start

dependency between the first and second tasks (shown
here), can change the project’s scheduled finish date.

Linking Project tasks

Predecessor tasks and successor tasks
The four dependency
types shown in the
picture can help you
schedule your real-
world situation.

A predecessor is a task whose start or finish date

determines the start or finish date of its successor task.

A successor is a task whose start or finish date is

driven by its predecessor task.

Linking Project tasks

Predecessor tasks and successor tasks
The four dependency
types shown in the
picture can help you
schedule your real-
world situation.

The type of relationship between a predecessor task and

a successor task determines the type of task
dependency to use.

Linking Project tasks

Finish-to-Start dependencies
When the work of
Task 2 can start only
after all the work of
Task 1 is finished, the
tasks have a Finish-
to-Start (FS)
dependency.

The FS dependency is created by default when you link

two tasks in Project. The order in which you select the
tasks treats the first as the predecessor, the second as
the successor.

Task 1 is the predecessor of Task 2, and Task 2 is the

successor of Task 1.

Linking Project tasks

Start-to-Start dependencies
When the work of
Task 2 cannot start
until Task 1 starts, the
tasks have a Start-to-
Start (SS)
dependency.

In the real world, SS dependencies generally occur

because you want the work of two tasks to overlap.

For example, “Level concrete” (Task 2) can’t begin until

“Pour foundation” (Task 1) begins.

Linking Project tasks

Start-to-Start dependencies
Overlapping work also
helps to reduce the
overall duration of a
project.

If Task 1 will take 10 days to complete, and Task 2 will

take 5 days to complete, and you set an FS dependency,
the overall duration of the two tasks is 15 days.

If you set an SS dependency, the overall duration of the

two tasks is only 10 days (the time required by Task 1).

Linking Project tasks

Finish-to-Finish dependencies
When the finish date
of Task 1 determines
the finish date of Task
2, they have a Finish-
to-Finish (FF)
dependency.

For example, “Inspect electrical” (Task 2) can’t finish

until “Add wiring” (Task 1) finishes.

Linking Project tasks

Finish-to-Finish dependencies
Like SS
dependencies, FF
dependencies reduce
the overall amount of
time it takes to
complete work on two
tasks, if the work can
overlap or be done in
parallel.

If Task 1 will take 10 days to complete, and Task 2 will

take 5 days to complete, and you set an FS dependency,
the overall duration of the two tasks is 15 days.

If you set an FF dependency, the overall duration of the

two tasks is only 10 days (the time required by Task 1).

Linking Project tasks

Start-to-Finish dependencies
When the start date of
Task 1 determines the
finish date of Task 2,
the tasks have a
Start-to-Finish (SF)
dependency. This is
how you create just-in-
time scheduling.

Say a related task needs to finish before a milestone or project

finish date, but it doesn’t matter when and you don’t want a late
finish to affect the just-in-time task.

Create an SF dependency between the task you want scheduled

just in time (the predecessor) and its related task (the successor).

Linking Project tasks

Test 1, question 1
If you’re not certain how the work of Task A relates to the
work of Task B, which dependency type should you create?
(Pick one answer.)

1. Start-to-Start (SS).

2. Finish-to-Start (FS).

3. Finish-to-Finish (FF).

4. Start to Finish (SF).

Linking Project tasks

Test 1, question 1: Answer
Finish-to-Start (FS).

By using the FS dependency type, you avoid introducing scheduling

conflicts and can take advantage of Project’s ability to update the plan
automatically when changes occur.

Linking Project tasks

Test 1, question 2
After “Lay the Carpet” and “Install the Lights” are both finished,
“Paint the Walls” should start immediately. To put these task
relationships in your plan, which dependency types should you
create? (Pick one answer.)

1. “Lay the Carpet” Finish-to-Start with “Install the Lights,” and

“Install the Lights” Finish-to-Start with “Paint the Walls.”

2. “Lay the Carpet” Start-to-Start with “Install the Lights,” and

“Paint the Walls” Finish-to-Start with “Lay the Carpet.”

3. “Lay the Carpet” Finish-to-Finish with “Install the Lights,” and

“Paint the Walls” Finish-to-Start with “Lay the Carpet.”

Linking Project tasks

Test 1, question 2: Answer
“Lay the Carpet” Finish-to-Finish with “Install the Lights,” and “Paint the
Walls” Finish-to-Start with “Lay the Carpet.”

The minute that both “Lay the Carpet” and “Install the Lights” are
finished, you can start on “Paint the Walls.”

Linking Project tasks

Test 1, question 3
It will take a writer 12 days to write a manual and an editor 6
days to edit it. Which type of dependency will get the work
completed in the shortest possible time? (Pick one answer.)

1. FS — finish writing and then start editing.

2. SS — start writing and start editing at the same time.

3. FF — finish editing at the same time as finish writing.

Linking Project tasks

Test 1, question 3: Answer
FF — finish editing at the same time as finish writing.

Editing will finish when the writing finishes. And because the two tasks
overlap, the overall duration is 12 days.

Linking Project tasks

 Lesson 2

Create task dependency links

Create task dependency links
It’s time to learn how
to create links
between tasks and
after that, to think
about when to link
them.

If you move a task or insert a new task, Project

automatically links it in the same way as the tasks
around it.

By getting all of your tasks in order first, you make

sure that the link you like stays just the way you want
it.

Linking Project tasks

Create an FS dependency
After you’ve identified
two tasks that will be
dependent on each
other, identify one task
as the predecessor.

Then select the

predecessor task by
clicking its ID number.

Next, press the CTRL key and select the task that will be
the successor of the task that you have already
selected.

Then, click Link Tasks on the Standard toolbar.

Linking Project tasks

Create an FS dependency
After you’ve identified
two tasks that will be
dependent on each
other, identify one task
as the predecessor.

Then select the

predecessor task by
clicking its ID number.

If you need to remove a dependency link:

1. Select the linked tasks. The order of selection does

not matter.

2. Click Unlink on the Standard toolbar.

Linking Project tasks

Type dependencies in the Predecessors column
What if you need to
set dependencies
between tasks that are
quite far apart in the
Project plan?

Project provides a simple solution, as shown in Figure 1:

1 You can create dependency links by typing directly in the

Predecessors column.

Linking Project tasks

Type dependencies in the Predecessors column
What if you need to
set dependencies
between tasks that are
quite far apart in the
Project plan?

First, note the predecessor task’s ID number. Then,

scroll to the task that will become its successor.

In the Predecessors field of the successor task, type the

predecessor task’s ID number and the appropriate dependency
abbreviation: SS, FF, FS, or SF.

Linking Project tasks

Type dependencies in the Predecessors column
What if you need to
set dependencies
between tasks that are
quite far apart in the
Project plan?

To remove a dependency link from the Predecessors

column, select the ID number of the predecessor task,
and then press the DELETE key.

Linking Project tasks

Suggestions for practice
1. Create an FS dependency by using the Link Tasks button.

2. With a single button click, create multiple FS dependencies.

3. Create an FS dependency by typing in the Predecessors column.

4. Change an FS dependency to an SS dependency.

5. Change a task duration.

Online practice (requires Project 2007)

Linking Project tasks

Test 2, question 1
What method can you use to make a task that appears lower in the
task list (with a higher task ID number) the predecessor of a task that
is higher in the list (with a lower task ID number)? (Pick one answer.)

1. Use your mouse to drag across the tasks from top to bottom,
and then click Link Tasks.

2. Hold the CTRL key, click the lower task, click the task that
appears higher in the task list, and then click Link Tasks.

3. Hold the Shift key while clicking each task, and then click Link
Tasks.

Linking Project tasks

Test 2, question 1: Answer
Hold the CTRL key, click the lower task, click the task that appears
higher in the task list, and then click Link Tasks.

Tasks are linked in the order in which you selected them when you use
the CTRL key.

Linking Project tasks

Test 2, question 2
The duration of your current Project plan is 11 days, and it has a Finish-to-Start
dependency between all four tasks. Task 1 is two days; Task 2 is three days; Task 3 is
four days; and Task 4 is two days. Which of the following changes will create a Project
plan with the shortest overall duration — without changing the project’s start date?
(Pick one answer.)

1. Create a Start-to-Finish dependency between Task 1 and

Task 2.

2. Create a Start-to-Finish dependency between Task 2 and

Task 3.

3. Create a Start-to-Finish dependency between Task 3 and

Task 4.

Linking Project tasks

Test 2, question 2: Answer
Create a Start-to-Finish dependency between Task 3 and Task 4.

This shortens the overall duration to 9 days without affecting the start
date of the Project plan.

Linking Project tasks

 Lesson 3

Create lag time and lead time

Create lag time and lead time
Life can be
complicated.

What if your plan

needs to include
complex task
relationships?

In Project, you can build in a delay between the finish of one task and the start of
another. Or you can make one task overlap with another.

Linking Project tasks

Create lag time and lead time
The picture illustrates
each approach.

1 For delay, use lag time. This accounts for something that
must happen between two tasks, such as waiting for a
shipment of supplies to arrive.
2 For overlap, use lead time. If a task can start a week
before the previous one is finished, a lead time of seven
days gets that second ball rolling.

Linking Project tasks

Lag time
Lag time is a delay
between dependent
tasks.

For example, suppose you plan to start editing a manual three

days after writing starts.

For the “Edit Manual” task, you’d enter 3 in the Lag field on the
Predecessors tab in the Task Information dialog box, and then
click OK.

Linking Project tasks

Lag time
Lag time is a delay
between dependent
tasks.

You can also enter lag time directly in the Predecessors

column of the successor task in the chart portion of the
Gantt Chart view.

If “Write Manual” is Task 1 and “Edit Manual” is Task 2, in the

Predecessors column of Task 2, you could type 1SS3.

Linking Project tasks

Lead time
Lead time is overlap
between dependent
tasks.

For example, if the “Prepare Binders” task can start two

days before its predecessor task “Print Manual” is finished,
you can create a lead time of two days, and work on the
tasks will overlap, proceeding at the same time.

Linking Project tasks

Lead time
Lead time is overlap
between dependent
tasks.

Lead time is entered as a negative value in the Lag field

on the Predecessors tab in the Task Information
dialog box.

For this example, you’d double-click “Prepare Binders” to

open the dialog box, select the Predecessors tab, then
type -2 in the Lag field. Finally, you’d click OK.

Linking Project tasks

Suggestions for practice
1. Create lag time between tasks.

2. Create lead time between tasks.

3. Add a task.

Online practice (requires Project 2007)

Linking Project tasks

Test 3, question 1
Suppose the task “Paint the Walls” cannot start until after the
task “Lay the Carpet” has started. The tasks are both ten days
long, and work on them can overlap. Which dependency type
and lag time or lead time will get the work completed in the
correct sequence and in the shortest possible time? (Pick one
answer.)

1. “Lay the Carpet” Start-to-Start to “Paint the Walls” with a lead time
of three days.

2. “Lay the Carpet” Start-to-Finish to “Paint the Walls” with a lag time
of three days.

3. “Lay the Carpet” Start-to-Start to “Paint the Walls” with a lag time of
three days.

Linking Project tasks

Test 3, question 1: Answer
“Lay the Carpet” Start-to-Start to “Paint the Walls” with a lag time of three
days.

This schedules “Lay the Carpet” to start first and “Paint the Walls” to
start three days later.

Linking Project tasks

Test 3, question 2
The task “Select Pictures” must be completed at least one week
before the task “Presentation” finishes. Which dependency type and
lag time or lead time will get all the work done in the shortest
possible time? (Pick one answer.)

1. “Select Pictures” Finish-to-Finish to “Presentation” with a lead

time of one week.

2. “Select Pictures” Start-to-Finish to “Presentation” with a lead

time of one week.

3. “Select Pictures” Finish-to-Finish to “Presentation” with a lag

time of one week.

Linking Project tasks

Test 3, question 2: Answer
“Select Pictures” Finish-to-Finish to “Presentation” with a lead time of
one week.

The tasks are linked by their finish dates, but “Select Pictures” will finish
one week before “Presentation” does.

Linking Project tasks

Test 3, question 3
The task “Write Manual” will take 15 days, and the task “Edit
Manual” will take 12 days. Which dependency type and lag time or
lead time will get all of the work done in 18 days? (Pick one answer.)

1. Assign the editing task a Start-to-Start dependency type with a

lead time of 6 days.

2. Assign the editing a Start-to-Start dependency type with a lag

time of 6 days.

3. Assign the editing an Finish-to-Start dependency type with a

lead time of 6 days.

Linking Project tasks

Test 3, question 3: Answer
Assign the editing a Start-to-Start dependency type with a lag time of 6
days.

Editing will start 6 days after the start of writing. Writing and editing will
overlap for 9 days and then editing will continue for another 3 days,
making the overall duration 18 days. Well planned!

Linking Project tasks

Quick Reference Card
For a summary of the tasks covered in this course, view the
Quick Reference Card.

Linking Project tasks