Dependencies

A dependency is a link between two project items that encodes a scheduling rule: “this item cannot start (or finish) until that item reaches a certain state.”

The design is generic — a dependency can connect any two project items, whether they are tasks, milestones, segments, or other schedule elements.

What a dependency records

Field	What it means
Predecessor	The item that must happen first
Successor	The item that depends on the predecessor
Type	The kind of scheduling relationship (e.g. finish-to-start, start-to-start)

The type field is the most important part. It defines the exact rule:

Type	Meaning
Finish to Start	Successor cannot start until predecessor finishes (most common)
Start to Start	Successor cannot start until predecessor starts
Finish to Finish	Successor cannot finish until predecessor finishes
Start to Finish	Successor cannot finish until predecessor starts

Why dependencies matter

Without dependencies, every task on the schedule is independent. Dependencies let GreenVee understand the chain of work — which tasks are on the critical path, what gets delayed if one item slips, and what can run in parallel.

When a predecessor is delayed, any successors that depend on it are also flagged, giving project managers early warning rather than a last-minute surprise.

Note

Dependencies are visible on the Gantt chart as connecting lines between items. The visual chain makes it easy to see which items are linked and where bottlenecks might form.

For Project Managers

Model your most important scheduling rules as dependencies early in the Planning phase. Even a small number of well-placed dependencies — “electrical work can’t start until civils finish” — gives the Gantt chart real scheduling intelligence.