Can the outline / rolled up task automatically follow sub-task dates

In Smartsheet, if I have an activity with subtasks, the parent duration will automatically expand / contract to fit the subtasks.

In RM, it seems that I have to set the phase date ranges - and also the sub-task (work item) dates?

E..g., let's say I have a Phase that I set as Start 1st Feb and End 1st March.

If I then create a Work Item under the phase and set it as start 1st Jan and End 1st June, the Phase Start / End won't reflect this.

Am I misunderstanding this - or missing something?

Thanks.

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Accepted answers

Genevieve P.

Hey @delberto

You're correct in the first instance - thinking of phases more of a properties function is a better way to look at it!

In regards to hierarchies in Smartsheet, you're also correct about this. Resource Management reviews the rows on a row-by-row basis as isolated tasks without being connected to a Parent row. If you want to bring Parent information in, you could use the Primary column in Smartsheet to create more of a descriptive Task Name with the Parent/Child context combined (through a formula).

I hope that helps!

Genevieve

All comments

Genevieve P.

Hey @delberto

You're correct: Phases do not have to be concurrent and have no assumed dependencies, which means that they won't automatically adjust if a work item is outside of the range.

Here's more information:

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2481191-use-phases-for-projects

Cheers,

Genevieve

delberto

Thanks Genevieve.

I'm not sure I understand the logic... If a phase contains work items with specific dates, then don't they ultimately set the duration of the phase?

Reading that section though, I'm thinking that phases aren't a timing kind of function - more a properties function e.g, billing rates for the work items. So, me thinking of them as equivalent of rolled up tasks is wrong.

Related question - How do rolled up tasks in Smartsheet come across to RM? It seems they don't, which means we lose the task hierarchy and end up with isolated tasks rather than a structured list?

Thanks again for the help.

Genevieve P.

Hey @delberto

You're correct in the first instance - thinking of phases more of a properties function is a better way to look at it!

I hope that helps!

Genevieve

delberto

Hi @Genevieve P. , re phases - understood thanks.

I think the mapping from Smartsheet to Resource Management is problematic. Typically, the hierarchy is essential. E.g., we'd have several rolled up tasks in Smartsheet - with lots of tasks within them.

Without the hierarchy of rolled up tasks, it'd be very difficult to make sense of the project in Resource Management. Again, maybe a mind shift is required and we have to treat RM as half of the picture - and Smartsheet gives us that structured view.

That does help - thanks!

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