Overview
Dependencies and durations work together to automate project scheduling in GUIDEcx 2.0.
By configuring task dependencies, you can control when project team members — both internal and external — receive task assignment notifications. Durations determine how long a task should take and help GUIDEcx calculate due dates and forecast project completion.
When dependencies and durations are used together:
Tasks automatically shift if earlier tasks are completed late or ahead of schedule
Assigned durations remain intact
Project timelines stay aligned
Forecasted End Dates become more accurate
This helps teams maintain realistic timelines while improving customer visibility and confidence in the onboarding process.
Permissions: Who can do what with dependencies?
Admin and Managers can create, edit, and remove dependencies on templates and projects.
Guides can create, edit, and remove dependencies on projects they are invited to.
Task Owners can create, edit, and remove dependencies for regular tasks within existing milestones.
Understanding Dependencies
Dependencies determine when a task can begin based on the completion of another task.
For example:
Task B cannot start until Task A is completed
Once Task A is marked complete, Task B becomes available and assignment notifications are triggered
Dependencies help ensure work happens in the correct order and prevents tasks from being started too early.
How to Set Up Dependencies
1. Determine Which Tasks Need Dependencies
Review your project workflow and identify:
Tasks that must happen sequentially
Approval steps
Handoffs between teams
Customer actions that block future work
2. Add Dependencies
Dependencies can be added in both:
Templates
Active projects
When editing a task, select the task that must be completed before the current task can begin.
3. Review Dependency Logic
After building your project plan:
Verify task order
Confirm there are no unnecessary blockers
Ensure assignment timing aligns with your onboarding process
Understanding Durations
A task duration is the number of weekdays a task should take to complete.
Weekends are not counted in duration calculations.
GUIDEcx uses durations to calculate task due dates based on:
The task start date
The completion date of the dependent task
The overall project schedule
How Due Dates Are Calculated
Tasks Without Dependencies
If a task has no dependency:
The task start date is based on the project start date
The due date is calculated using the task duration
Tasks With Dependencies
If a task has a dependency:
The task start date is based on the due date or completion date of the dependent task
GUIDEcx then applies the duration to calculate the due date
Manual Start Dates
If a task does not have a dependency:
The start date can be manually adjusted
Duration Availability
Durations are configured at the template level.
At the project level:
Duration is reflected through the task’s calculated start and due dates
Completed tasks use the done date instead of the due date
Forecasted End Dates
A Forecasted End Date is automatically calculated using:
Task durations
Dependencies
Due dates
Task completion progress
This forecast helps predict when a project is expected to finish.
Why Forecasted End Dates Matter
Forecasted End Dates help:
Set customer expectations
Improve project transparency
Increase customer confidence and trust
Identify timeline risks earlier
Where Forecasted End Dates Appear
Forecasted End Dates are visible in:
Project Overview
Plan View
Weekly Project Overview Emails
Best Practices
Use Template Analysis Reports
Review Template Analysis reports regularly to identify:
Tasks consistently completed early
Tasks frequently overdue
Duration estimates that may need adjustment
Example:
If a task is often completed several days late, consider increasing the duration in the template.
Remember That Weekends Are Excluded
Task durations only count weekdays.
Example:
A 1-day task starting on Friday will be due on Monday, not Saturday.
Test Your Templates
After configuring durations and dependencies:
Create a test project from the template
Review the generated dates
Confirm dependencies behave as expected
Testing helps identify scheduling issues before templates are used in live projects.
FAQs
Can I set a task due date to a weekend?
No. Regular task due dates cannot be scheduled on weekends.
However, Event Tasks can be scheduled to occur on weekends.
Can a task depend on more than one task?
Yes. This can be accomplished using task groups.
Does GUIDEcx support backward dependencies?
Not currently, but this functionality is on the product roadmap.
Can I see a task dependency without opening the task?
Yes.
You can:
Hover over the dependency icon on the task card to view dependency details
View dependencies directly from the Tasks tab in the left panel
What happens if a task is marked “Not Applicable”?
When a task is marked as Not Applicable:
Its dependency is removed
If the task is later moved back to Not Started:
The dependency must be manually re-added again