We have a project plan we are building where we are using a timeline that is dictated by the number we populate in the “duration” column. We also want to uses dependencies so that when we make a change to DURATION, it updates the timeline for that item but ALSO updates the timeline for any items that trickle down from that dependency.
Not all our items are dependent on the previous item, some have no dependencies, and some are dependent on an item in a different group.
We are really struggling to make what should be super easy, work. I have built project plans in MS Projects as well as Smartsheets and I cannot figure out what sequence of events I need to follow and there are no support documents that talk about how to use all three columns together for a plan that is easy to update and automatically shift timelines etc.
If anyone knows the magic answer, please, I am spending hours trying to make this work and it is taking value time away from other things.
Sorry you feel there is a lack of support surrounding our dependencies functionality - we are certainly happy to help!
To start, it would be great to see a screenshot of your set up for some visual context, just so we can get a better understanding of the roadblock and help point you in the right direction?
It sounds like it is the dependency piece that might need the most attention, as the duration/timeline combo works to automatically adjust the timeline, however it’s the dependency column that is responsible for shifting those timelines…
Here is a screenshot of how we have set up the board and the three columns. We have no subitems as those don’t work with dependencies, so we have broken out the overall project phases into groups. We will have some items that have NO dependencies, we will also have some items where we would like to assign a very specific date/date range, and then of course we have a bunch of items that will have a flow of dependencies.
Normally I would set up all my item lines, then add dependencies, then have a project start date (which we don’t seem to be able to do unless I create an item for that) and finally I would typically use the duration column to set number of days to complete an item and based on this set up my timeline would adjust accordingly. When I change a duration if needed it would reflect in the timeline as well.
I have set the dependency on this board to FLEXIBLE.
Some of our items seem to be sort of working, others will not follow the timeline even though dependency and duration is filled in…we are playing around with a variety of ways but I feel there must be an easy way and there is something I am missing. I have been building project plans for a number of years, but I cannot manage to do it in Monday in a quick or effective manner.
I completely understand your frustration with trying to manage dependencies.
I recommend you try SchedulerPro from marketplace. It is designed to simplify project planning and automate timeline adjustments based on dependencies and duration changes.
Here are some key features that can help you:
Dynamic Timeline: When you update the “Duration” column for a particular task, SPRO automatically adjusts the timeline for that item. But it doesn’t stop there.
Dependency Management: SPRO allows you to set dependencies and different dependency types (SS, FS , SF , FF) between tasks, whether they are sequential within the same group or across different groups.
Holidays/Working days: You can also specify your holidays and app will calculate the timelines in all project plans
I genuinely believe SPRO can solve your problem as it enables advanced dependency features similar to Smartsheets and MS Project.
Feel free to reach out, and we’ll be more than happy to help you get started and provide any support you need.
Hi @nhutcheon72 have you been able to get this to work?
@BiancaT Can you please provide some updated input on this? My team has recently switched to Monday.com and we’re discovering that some basic project management functions such as dependency-based timelines don’t work as expected.
Hello @ArtV no updates as far as I know, we gave up. Using the board the best we can, however it has not allowed us to replicate some standard PM tasks and is too much of a time consuming process to try and figure out any further. I am not sure if there are updates that have resolved this - I use Smartsheets when I need a quick and dirty project plan as it is much more inline with my needs.
My sincerest apologies for missing these updates - not sure what has happened here!
If your dependencies are not working as expected and all is setup accordingly, this indeed sounds strange. I have investigated internally and don’t believe we have any known bugs confirmed at this stage. Our technical team will need to investigate these issues on a case-by-case basis, depending on your format and the dependency type you’re utilising. If you haven’t already, I kindly request that you reach out to our support team via [Contact Support]. If (Contact support - Help Center) - you’re welcome to reference this thread. If you have already been in contact with our support team, you’re welcome to DM me your email so I can investigate this further
