Why when you set predecessor and move second task further, the predecessor is broken

rbarlotti

When I have one task, and I have a sub-sequent milestone attached to it via a predecessor. So the dependency created is FS.

If I have a fixed future date for this Milestone (like a deadline), and I move the milestone date in the future, in theory this is still obeying the FS policy, but SmartSheet breaks the dependency and remove it.

WHY?

rbarlotti

EDIT: This is not the behavior when you are using MS Project. It allows you to move the second task in the future as the previous one can be finished in the past. And the good thing is that if the first task delays, and you increase the duration, it "carries" the milestone when both dates (End of 1st one and Start of 2nd one match).

John_Foster

Hi @rbarlotti,

The think the way to handle this in Smartsheet is to add a lag to the predecessor link, that way the second task will have the gap between and still be linked. Clicking on the link in the predecessor cell will give you the ability to do this.

John

rbarlotti

But doing this I remove the organic dynamics of the process. Imagine I have 2 tasks, with FS dependency, but between them, I have some interval due to any reason (seasonal, whatever...), so my slack time to the first task is this interval, which will be consumed if this first task delays. If the delay is bigger than the slack time, I invade the timeline of the second task. (if I dont have the dependency, if will really overlap and surpass the second task)

In MS project, when I have this situation, when I start to invade this space, the first task starts carrying away the second task, assuming the precedence, which makes sense. It only works this way if you have them tightly close since the beginning, without the slack time.

With your suggestion, I will always carry the fixed lag time forward. Makes sense?