How to view the dependencies between activities in your schedule?

How to view the dependencies between activities in your schedule?

In this post, you would find an important view provided by Microsoft Project to view dependencies between activities in your schedule.

Network Diagram: To evaluate the execution of tasks in your project and to check their dependencies choose View > Network Diagram.

Observation:

1. Each node in the network diagram represents a task of the project and contains task id, task name, duration and the resources assigned, if any.
2. Thickness and color of each node indicates, whether it is a critical task or not
· Red colored node is a critical task
· Blue colored node is a non-critical task
3. Shape of each node indicates what type of task it is.
· Rectangle shaped node is a normal task
· Parallelogram shaped node is a summary task
· Diamond shaped node is a milestone
4. Lines between nodes represent its dependencies.
· Successor task appears on the right of a task
· Predecessor task appears on the left of a task

Customize:

Change view to Network Diagram and to …

1. Filter tasks
· Choose Project > Filtered for and select the appropriate filter
2. Group tasks
· Choose Project > Group to see the list of groups available
3. Show task dependency type and link arrows
· Choose Format > Layout
· Under Link style, select Show arrows and Show link labels checkboxes
4. Hide summary tasks
· Choose Format > Layout
· Clear "Keep tasks with their summaries" checkbox
5. Change link style
· Choose Format > Layout
· Under Link style, click Rectilinear or Straight

What to know more?
1. Use mouse shortcuts in the Network Diagram view, click here
2. Adjust page breaks in Network diagram view, click here

Next Post: How to optimize your schedule by crashing activities?

Quote: "When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt." - Henry J. Kaiser