Create task dependencies between different projects

Copper Contributor

Hello, 

I am fairly new to Microsoft Project and would love to create dependencies between tasks from different projects. 

For example: Phase 2- subtask 4 of the Project B cannot start until  Task 5 of the Project A is completed.

I cannot find a  way to do this from any of the views of a project, and in Roadmap I cannot create dependencies. 

Does anyone have a workaround?

Thank you in advance!

 

 

4 Replies
ChiaraChiara --

When you say "Microsoft Project", I assume you are using the Microsoft Project desktop application and not the web-based Project for the Web. Assuming that you ARE using the Microsoft Project desktop application, here is how to create cross-project dependencies:

1. Open each of the projects in which you want to create a cross-project dependency.
2. Click the View tab to display the View ribbon.
3. In the Window section of the View ribbon, click the New Window button.
4. In the New Window dialog, select each of the projects in which you want to create a cross-project dependency, select the Gantt Chart view, and then click the OK button.

Microsoft Project will create a TEMPORARY master project in which you can set the task dependencies between projects.

5. Select a task in one project, press and hold the Control, select a task in another project, then release the Control key.
6. Set the task dependency between the two tasks.
7. Continue setting task dependencies using the two previous steps.
8. When finished, close the temporary master project and DO NOT save the changes.
9. Save and close each of the open projects.

The reason you do not save the temporary master project is because the actual cross-project links are stored in each of the individual projects and not in the temporary master project. Hope this helps.
Hi Dale Howard,
Thank you kindly for your response, and yes, it does help!
I was hoping there was a way to do it just using the web based one, and avoid managing a project over 3 interfaces to get the full features package.
I will definitely follow your guide, and thanks again for taking the time to reply.

Can we do this on P4W yet? @Dale_HowardMVP 

 

Malki15 --

No, this feature is not available yet in Project for the Web. I have no idea if or when this feature might become available since Microsoft does not mention anything about this on their product Roadmap for Project for the Web. Hope this helps.