Mastering Advanced Task Dependencies in Asana

Asana’s new advanced dependency types—Start-to-Start (SS), Finish-to-Finish (FF), Finish-to-Start (FS), and Start-to-Finish (SF)—improve task management by offering greater flexibility and precision in project scheduling. These features also eliminate unnecessary conflicts in dependencies, allowing Asana to better understand and align with the project team’s intentions.


Understand Each Dependency Type

  1. Start-to-Start (SS): Both tasks begin simultaneously. Useful for tasks that need to start together but can progress independently.
  2. Finish-to-Finish (FF): Both tasks finish at the same time. Ideal for tasks that need to be completed concurrently.
  3. Finish-to-Start (FS): One task begins only after another task finishes. Perfect for sequential tasks where the start of one task (Task B) depends on the completion of the previous task (Task A).
  4. Start-to-Finish (SF): One task finishes only after another task starts. Useful when the completion of one task (Task B) relies on the initiation of another task (Task A).


Leverage Their Power

Use Gantt and Timeline views to clearly visualize these dependencies. The new dependency lines show the relationships and timing between tasks at a glance.

Note: At this time, SS and FF dependency types visually showing as a conflict, appearing red, but are not.


Where to Find These Settings

Change dependency types via the task details pane. The default option is FS.
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Practical Example: Newsletter Development

Our team uses these dependency types to enhance our workflow for developing our newsletter:

  • Start-to-Start (SS): We use SS in the initial phase for content development. For example, blog writing and social media promotion development may begin at the same time.
  • Start-to-Finish (SF): The blog must be drafted before it is handed off to design for infographic development. SF ensures that the design team has the necessary information to create graphics that align with the post.
  • Finish-to-Start (FS): Social media promotions for the newsletter cannot start until the newsletter itself is delivered.


Other Practical Applications for Various Teams

Many projects will utilize a combination of these dependency types:

  • IT Teams: Use SS for system upgrades and subsequent testing to reduce downtime and address issues efficiently.
  • Operations Teams: Use FF for inventory audits and ordering new stock, ensuring orders are placed after the audit while deciding what to order during the audit.
  • Sales Teams: Use FS for training and product launches, ensuring training is complete before launching a new product.

By incorporating these advanced dependency types, teams across different departments can enhance coordination, reduce bottlenecks, and achieve project goals more efficiently. Explore these features in your projects and experience a new level of project management efficiency with Asana!

19 Likes

This is great! Is there any plans to include lead/lag times with these dependencies to cascade due dates?

10 Likes

This is exciting! Will make project templates so much simpler to setup and projects easier to manage!

Can we not create these dependencies at the rule level? So its applicable to all projects within a portfolio?

Hi @Christy_Bonds,

At this time, Asana does not release their product roadmap. I searched in the Forum for a found this product feedback request that you can upvote!

Christine

@Krati_Dixit,

This can be done between subtasks created by a trigger, but not by tasks created by a trigger.

Christine

Are there any plans to allow folks to change task due dates in the table view instead of the Gant Chart view and have the table view cascade those date changes for dependent tasks? At my company we have to use both Asana and MS Project because this feature is not enabled in Asana.

Hi @Mattie_Bossler,

This is already possible in Asana. Please check out this help article.

I’m so happy for these new dependency options. However, I notice that with the Start-to-Start dependency, it blocks you from completing your successor task until you have finished your predecessor task. That essentially turns the dependency automatically into a Finish-to-Finish dependency. The successor task should be able to run on its own timeline after you start the predecessor task.

Can the default option be changed from FS to FF?

To me, looks like this is intended to indicate conflicting though.

When testing the timeline view I found the following with dependency management options set to consume buffer:

  1. Starting situation: Starting date of blocked and blocking task are the same
    When dragging the blocking task to a later date, it doesn’t move the blocked task:
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  1. Starting situation: Starting date of blocking task is before the blocked task:

When dragging the blocking task to a later date, the blocked task ends up starting a day after the blocked task
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The same distance is maintained when moving the blocked task to an earlier date:
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This seems in line with the relationship of blocking and blocked, and the requirement of work on the blocking task needing to have started one day before one starts working on the blocked task.

This makes more sense to me than having a simultaneous start whilst still having a blocked/blocking relationship.

The same behaviour seems to apply for finish to finish:
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Moving blocking task to a later date:
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Moving blocked task to an earlier date:
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This seems to indicate the dependency requires to finish the blocking task one day before finishing the blocked task.

2 Likes

Hi!

I have some dependencies appearing in a dotted line. What does this mean?

1 Like