Clarity

Hi All, 

My client is interested in creating dependencies between projects.

I'm currently analysing the different options that we have in CA PPM (subprojects, hierarchy, dependencies to external task, project dependancies etc...) and I was wandering how the functionality "project dependencies" can be used and exploited in terms of data analysis (project > properties >  dependencies).  

Indeed, I ran some tests and when I'm creating a dependency with project A and project B, I can see that this link works fine in the the two ways by changing the mode : 

• Project A dependencies view : mode = "Investments that depend on this one" ==> Project B
• Project B dependencies view : mode ="Investments this one depends on" ==> Project A

My questions would be then :

How this information is exploited in CA PPM ? When I shift to the tab "hierarchy" I do not find this relationship. How the relationship is defined and what would be the module that exploit this info ? If defining such a relationship between projects,  what would be the impacts on their respective planning/budget... in case of delay of the "parent" project ?

Could you please help to figure this out ? 

Indeed, I'm quite puzzled as I could not find a lot of documentation on this function so far...  - below what is mentioned in docops.

Define Project Dependencies

Dependency relationships can exist between one investment and another in your portfolio. Use the Properties: Dependencies page for the investment to identify this relationship. Dependencies can occur between the start and completion of conflicting work effort, or from budget overruns. From this page, you can do the following tasks:

• Add investments with dependency constraints.
• Indicate if these investments are dependent on your investment or if your investment is dependent on them.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the project.
2. Open the Properties menu, and from Properties, click Dependencies.
3. Select a mode to view or add the following:
   • Investments that depend on this one.
   • Investments this one depends on.
4. Click Add to add more dependencies to your investment.
5. Select an investment type from the Type drop-down, select an investment, and click Add.

Thanks in advance for your help !

With kind regards, 

Simone 

Think its only used in portfolio management? (not sure tho)

No David. You are allowed to use this functionality for Project Management also. 

Fair enough ; I was recalling on old discussion I think (rather than having tried to use it in the past for any out-of-the-box functionality) 

EDIT : This one ; Subproject and dependency 

But might want to check ; Project Dependencies for a Project 

Project Level Dependencies 

I think what David remembers is that once one sets a project dependency, the effects are seen in Portfolio Management.

Suggest looking at things like:

•   In Portfolio Management,

•   you may not be allowed to shift a project’s start date before it’s predecessor’s finish

•   if predecessor is shifted, might expect successor to shift, too

•   In Project Properties,

•   When initially setting up projects, is Start Date of successor set to Finish Date of predecessor?

•   In Project Hierarchies –

•   these project dependencies have never shown

•   the Hierarchy page is for rolling up hours, costs from related projects – also enabled opening related projects in MSP/OWB/Gantt chart

•   Project dependencies, on the other hand, don’t necessarily share hours, costs (e.g. I may have two projects dependent on a shared resources, but the projects themselves have nothing in common, share no costs or hours, don’t want them shown in a common hierarchy)

Have never used this feature – don’t know anyone that has.  Before starting to use it, may want to see if this is carried forward into New UX or not.  Of course, classic UX isn’t disappearing soon, but if CA has decided to not carry this forward, you may not want to build up and implement a process around it.

Hi there ! 

Thank you all for your responses

I will review these extra documentation and run additional tests ! Coming back to you if I figure out the mystery !

Cheers, 

Simone

I just checked in one of my 15.4.1 test machine and replicated the same. 

I think, Simone, you are confusing the Hierarchy with the Project Dependency. It is true that a Parent Project is dependent on its Child Projects, but that is not the same thing that you added in the Dependencies subpage. They are not related together like you are expecting.