Using predecessors to dictate duration

Sam T

Hello,

I have a line in a sheet that I would like to start when another line starts and end when a different line ends. For example, I have 4 lines in a sheet: Line A, Line B, Line C, Line D. I want Line A to begin when Line B begins and end when Line D ends. I want the duration to be malleable and change automatically if the other dates change. 

When I try to set this up in Smartsheet using predecessors, the dates always populate based on the duration. The duration seems to be taking precedence over the predecessors. If I don't enter a duration, it automatically populates as 1 day and will end Line A when Line D ends, but won't start when Line B starts. Due to missing dates in other lines in the real project, I can't the lines to have the dates automatically roll up to Line A. Does anyone know a fix for this?

Thanks!

 

 

Mike Wilday

The instructions in Smart Sheet are not very clear and it looks like they removed some key functionality of editing predecesssors more intentionally, but you can use SS to indicate Start at the same time as it predecessor 

3SS will give you row 3 as a predecessor and start the task at the same time. 

Sam T

Thanks for commenting. The problem I'm having is that when I try to also use 5FF along with 3SS, it won't pick up both predecessors. Line 1 will start at the same time as line 3 OR end at the same time as 5, but it doesn't seem to work with both.

 

Mike Wilday

Yes, we have that same issue. Seems to be programmed to function with only one or another. You can't have squishy items like that where the FINISH is dependent on one task and the start is dependent on another. We set up a flag for those items to ensure that the finish doesn't extend past the project finish. Then we created custom formatting to indicate that the flag has fired.