A question asked occasionally in the Microsoft Project and Project Online user forums is this: “How can I link a task in one project with a task in another project?” The heart of this question is that the project manager needs to know how to create cross-project dependencies. This question is relevant to almost all Microsoft Project users, regardless of whether you’re managing standalone projects using only the Project desktop client, or whether you’re using Project with a PPM tool, such as Project Server or Project Online.
In fact, I recently answered this exact question for a user in the Project Server forum for administrators. Because the answer to this question requires a “trick,” I thought I would share the answer with you so that you can apply this knowledge in your own project management environment.
Following are the steps to take to create cross-project links between two or more projects:
- In Microsoft Project, open each of the projects that you want to link. If you’re using Project Server or Project Online, you must open each of your enterprise projects and check them out for editing in Project (you can’t perform this operation in PWA). If you’re using the Project desktop application only, simply open each of your MPP files in Microsoft Project.
- Click the View tab to display the View ribbon shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: The View ribbon New Window button
- In the Window section of the View ribbon, click the New Window button.
- In the New Window dialog shown in Figure 2, select each of the open projects, then click the View pick list and select the Gantt Chart view.
Figure 2: The New Window dialog
- In the New Window dialog, click OK to create a temporary master project with each of the selected projects inserted as subprojects. Notice in Figure 3 that Project automatically expands tasks in each of the subprojects in the temporary master project.
Figure 3: Temporary master project
- In the temporary master project, select a Predecessor task in one project, press and hold the Ctrl key, and then select a Successor task in another project.
- In the Schedule section of the Task ribbon, click the Link the Selected Tasks button to link the tasks. This will create a cross-project dependency (also known as a “cross-project link”) between the two projects.
- Repeat steps six and seven until you have created all the required cross-project links. For example, notice in Figure 4 that I linked the Design Module A, Design Module B and Design Module C tasks across three projects.
Figure 4: Cross-project links set
Warning: As of the date this is written, because of an unfixed bug in the Microsoft Project 2016 desktop application, the software doesn’t display the link lines for the cross-project dependencies you set.
- Click File | Close to close the temporary master project. When prompted in a warning dialog to save the changes, click the No button, as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Warning dialog to save changes to the master project
Your open projects will now contain the cross-project dependencies that you set in the temporary master project. Project will format the external Predecessors and external Successors as “ghost tasks” using gray text and gray Gantt bars, such as for the two external tasks shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: External tasks set
Remember that the external task dependencies aren’t stored in the master project; they’re stored in the individual subprojects. This is why the master project is temporary — meaning that you don’t need to save the changes when you close it. All you need to do at this point is to save and close each of your open projects to maintain the cross-project dependencies you set.
A version of this article originally appeared on the Sensei Project Solutions blog.
Jim Donovan, PMP
When I learned how to do cross project dependencies, I was taught to only use milestones. Is it ok now to use tasks?
Also, have you run across the following issue:
I create the cross project dependencies on my desktop, then post the individual schedules to SharePoint 2016. Once there, the link references are changed to reference SharePoint. The desktop reference is now lost. Along with that, is one of the linked schedules is opened in edit mode from SharePoint, the other schedule is locked for editing.
Thanks,
Jim
Kevin Stocker
Thanks for sharing this helpful tip! We use this with Project Server to create a Master Plan across several Global programs and associated projects with each program. It works very well and I think one of the keys is to review this with the PM’s to ensure there is an awareness of what is being linked cross-project (the grey “ghost tasks” help here) and keep it at the right level of detail. Generally, a few key tasks per project that would have the most impact across the program if they were to be finished late (or early).
Regarding Jims question on milestones, we do it both ways, sometimes we link to a milestone and in other cases we link directly to a specific task (as their may not be a milestone for every task that has a cross-project dependency).
Regards,
Kevin
David Abatangelo
Also see the option to check the box “Automatically accept new external data”. This is located as follows: File > Project Options > Advanced > Cross project linking options for this project > Automatically accept new external data.
If you use MS Project SharePoint project sites, you may also want to take a look at deliverables and dependencies (as shown in Dale’s book Managing Enterprise Projects).
Mary Land
Allyson shumate
What am I doing wrong? Do I need to have the files on my hard drive?
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated as I have been trying to figure this out for while.
Thank you!
Mick
I store my MS project files on a MS share point 2013 server. I have to check out the files to a temp folder on my laptop before I can work on the master to create joins or a programme overview Gantt. 🙂
Dale Howard
Allyson — As Mick just indicated, if you are storing your MPP files in a web site, such as a SharePoint site, then you will not be able to use the process I described in the article. The MPP files must be stored in a network folder or in your PC hard drive. The exception is if you have your project stored in the Microsoft PPM solution (Microsoft Project Server or Project Online). If you are using the Microsoft PPM solution, the process I describe in the article WILL work.
Hope this helps.
eDale
John Rosa
Thank you for posting this.
bob casteen
Can a subproject in the Master file also be a Master with 2 schedule.
Master
Subproject 1
Subproject 2
Subproject 2a
Subproject 2b
Subproject 3
Subproject 4
Is this feasible?
Thank,
Bob Casteen PMP
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD>
Project Planner
bob casteen
Here is the example again
Can a subproject in the Master file also be a Master with 2 schedule.
subproject 2a and 2b are subprojects of subproject 2
Master
Subproject 1
Subproject 2
Subproject 2a
Subproject 2b
Subproject 3
Subproject 4
Is this feasible?
Thanks,
Bob Casteen PMP
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD
Project Planner