Calculate Due Date based on dependencies | Voters

Calculate Due Date based on dependencies

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Linnea Deeds

There have been nice updates on due dates, but I'd like to be able to set them and automatically update them by dependency. For example, once Task 1 occurs, Task 2 is due within 48 business hours.

So, when I mark Task 1 complete, I'd like the due date on Task 2 to update to 48 business hours later. This allows the template to automatically update.

September 21, 2020

Kim Hoang (BF)

Juan Grandas
It would be great if your team could also 
Integrate AI Smart Scheduling for Due Date Calculation
Linnea's request focuses on a rule-based automation: "Once Task 1 occurs, Task 2 is due within 48 business hours." AI can take this a step further by introducing intelligence and adaptability to the scheduling.
Here's how AI can be integrated:
1. Dynamic "Business Hours" and Calendars:
AI Enhancement:
 Instead of a static "48 business hours," AI can learn and adapt to actual team working patterns, even within defined business hours. For instance, it can recognize if a team consistently starts late on Mondays or takes longer lunches on Fridays, and adjust the "effective" business hours accordingly for more realistic due dates.
PM Benefit:
 PMs get more accurate due date predictions that reflect real-world team behavior, not just rigid policy. This reduces over-optimistic scheduling and potential burnout.
2. Predictive Due Date Adjustments (Beyond Simple Completion):
AI Enhancement:
 When Task 1 is marked complete, AI doesn't just add 48 hours. It can analyze:
Historical performance:
 How long did similar tasks (Task 2 in previous projects, or similar tasks with similar dependencies) actually take?
Team capacity/workload:
 Is the team member assigned to Task 2 currently overloaded? AI can predict if they can realistically meet the 48-hour deadline given their other commitments and suggest adjusting the due date (e.g., to 72 hours) or flag a potential delay.
Complexity of Task 2:
 If AI has learned from past data that certain types of tasks are inherently more complex or prone to delays, it can factor this in.
Risk assessment:
 AI can identify potential risks (e.g., key resource unavailability, upcoming holidays, historically problematic dependencies) that could impact Task 2's completion and proactively adjust the due date or alert the PM.
PM Benefit:
 Proactive risk identification and mitigation. Instead of reacting to missed deadlines, PMs are alerted before a task is at risk, allowing them to intervene (reassign, re-prioritize, adjust expectations).

Kim Hoang (BF)

3. Self-Optimizing Dependency Logic:
AI Enhancement:
 While Linnea explicitly states "Task 2 is due within 48 business hours after Task 1 occurs," AI can learn and suggest optimal time buffers between tasks. If historical data shows that Task 2 always takes 60 business hours regardless of the 48-hour rule, AI can flag this and suggest updating the template's dependency logic for more realistic planning.
PM Benefit:
 Continuous improvement of project templates and processes. AI helps refine the "rules" themselves, leading to more accurate planning over time.
4. Resource-Aware Scheduling:
AI Enhancement:
 The "48 business hours" is only truly meaningful if the necessary resources (people, tools, data) are available. AI can analyze resource availability and allocation in real-time. If the person assigned to Task 2 is on vacation, AI can't just add 48 hours; it needs to factor in the vacation time or suggest alternative resources/due dates.
PM Benefit:
 Prevents bottlenecks due to resource conflicts. AI can suggest the best resource for a task based on skills, availability, and workload, optimizing overall project flow.
5. What-If Scenario Planning:
AI Enhancement:
 PMs could ask "What if Task 1 is delayed by two days?" or "What if we assign an additional person to Task 2?" AI can instantly simulate the ripple effect across all dependent tasks, showing the revised due dates and potential impacts on the overall project timeline, all while respecting business hours and resource constraints.
PM Benefit:
 Empowers PMs to make informed decisions quickly. They can test different strategies to mitigate risks or accelerate projects without manually recalculating everything.

Kim Hoang (BF)

6. Automated Communication and Alerts:
AI Enhancement:
 Beyond just updating the due date, AI can automatically notify relevant stakeholders (the person assigned to Task 2, the project sponsor) about the updated due date, any potential risks, or suggested actions. It can even summarize the impact of the change.
PM Benefit:
 Reduces manual communication overhead and ensures everyone is always informed, improving transparency and collaboration.
How AI Helps PMs with This Feature
Reduces Manual Overhead Significantly:
 Automates complex calculations and updates that would otherwise consume a large amount of PM time, especially in large projects with many dependencies.
Improves Accuracy and Realism of Schedules:
 Moves beyond static rules to dynamic, data-driven predictions that reflect real-world conditions, leading to more achievable deadlines.
Enables Proactive Risk Management:
 Identifies potential delays and bottlenecks before they become critical issues, allowing PMs to intervene early.
Optimizes Resource Utilization:
 Helps PMs make smarter decisions about who works on what and when, preventing burnout and maximizing productivity.
Facilitates Better Decision-Making:
 Provides data-backed insights and allows for rapid "what-if" scenario testing, empowering PMs to make strategic choices.
Enhances Adaptability and Agility:
 Projects are rarely static. AI-powered scheduling allows the project plan to dynamically adjust to changes, keeping the PM informed and the project on track.
Boosts Team Morale:
 Realistic deadlines and reduced fire-fighting lead to a less stressed and more productive team.
In summary, while Linnea's request provides a solid foundation for automated dependency-based due date calculations, integrating AI transforms it into an intelligent, predictive, and self-optimizing scheduling system that truly empowers project managers to lead with greater foresight and efficiency.

Erica Young

Are you able to give an estimate of when this will implemented? Not being able to set due dates based on duration when automating task creation and due dates landing on weekends is a causing huge problems.

poupet

I am looking for exactly the same functionality! in addition to a second which is: on task 1 I have 2 sub-tasks A and B. If is started then B must no longer be operational and no longer be considered as task. To better visualize: task1 check a plan. Under task A to validate the plan, under task B to send comments to the designer... Impossible to find an answer and no feedback from the technical service

Nick Donovan

Hello, any update? Much needed. Thank you.

Jean-Claude Dulac

First, we should not have to enter the start date when we have dependencies as it is computable), and end dates would be computed by, entering duration. Then, the schedule is changed automatically when durations of every dependencies task are updated.

Emma Johnson

Any updates on this - it has been in progress for over 6 months now??!?

Edmund O'Neill

Adding another +1 to this. I'd really like to be able to auto-calculate Task B's end date based on its dependency on Task A, where B is due on (A due date + B duration)

Hannah Rosser

Please please update on this! All of my projects largely rely on this feature and it’s frustrating to have to manually add all due dates every single time.

Evandro Araujo

Any updates on this ? It’s been in progress for months

Bernard Kelleher

This is such a fundamental requirement to keeping track of expected delivery dates and assessing critical paths that I find it hard to believe the product can be useful without it. The lack of this feature is the reason I cannot currently use this product to manage my projects.

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