[[[a]]]Project Planning. Introducing the Gantt chart.

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[[[b]]]In this video, we are going to learn to create links[[[c]]] between tasks in Cerebro, to replicate subtask structures[[[d]]] based on a template, and to use task references.[[[e]]]

As an example, let us use the creation[[[f]]] of an advertising booklet for the marketing department.[[[g]]] Once we have created a subtask structure[[[h]]] for various stages of the work, our next step[[[i]]] is to set up links between them to allow the Cerebro system[[[j]]] to automatically arrange them on the time line.[[[k]]] A link between tasks in Cerebro assumes that they are[[[l]]] completed sequentially, one after the other.[[[m]]] For example, in simple cases, you can link several tasks into a chain.[[[n]]]

If we look at the Gantt chart,[[[o]]] which is in its own tab in Cerebro’s main window,[[[p]]] right now, it will show how all the tasks are arranged.[[[q]]] In other words, it shows their planned start and finish times.[[[r]]] Because, by default, a subtask’s start time[[[s]]] is the same as the start time of its parent,[[[t]]] all the stages of booklet design are lined up to be started[[[u]]] simultaneously from the same starting point.[[[v]]]

To link them into a chain, let us select all the subtasks[[[w]]] and trigger the appropriate command[[[x]]] from the right mouse button menu or from the toolbox pane.[[[y]]] Once we confirm the order of tasks, links are created,[[[z]]] and the tasks on the Gantt chart are rearranged so that they look like the steps of a ladder.[[[a]]] Accordingly, the parent task has stretched, [[[b]]] as it needs to cover the range from the start[[[c]]] of the first subtask to the finish of the last one.[[[d]]]

You can manually edit links between tasks[[[e]]] if you need to set up more complex dependency relations.[[[f]]] To unlink, right click on the task line,[[[g]]] and when the menu pops up,[[[h]]] choose the command to break one of the links.[[[i]]] To create a new link, drag the circle marker[[[j]]] on a task line toward another task.[[[k]]] This will result in an automatic recalculation of start time[[[l]]] for all of the tasks that depend on this predecessor.[[[m]]]

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Copying and Replicating Tasks[[[n]]]

As you use Cerebro for project planning,[[[o]]] you often encounter situations when subtask structures[[[p]]] and links between them are fully or partially repeated.[[[q]]] To save yourself the repetitive work,[[[r]]] you can use tasks that already exist as a model[[[s]]] for new tasks, and even create templates[[[t]]] for typical structures in a separate project.[[[u]]]

The easiest way to replicate a structure of tasks[[[v]]] is by using copy and paste commands.[[[w]]] Let us pick the container task and copy it[[[x]]] using the right mouse button menu or the shortcut keys,[[[y]]] and then move the cursor onto the new parent task[[[z]]] and paste the copied tasks there.[[[a]]]

You can easily make sure that the copy you have created[[[b]]] has the same subtask structure,[[[c]]] all the way to the links between tasks.[[[d]]]

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When you need to create multiple[[[e]]] identical structures based on the same template,[[[f]]] use the task replication feature.[[[g]]] Suppose you need to create a series of booklets.[[[h]]] To do this, let us use the top-level task as a template[[[i]]] and pick “Replicate task” from the right mouse button menu.[[[j]]]

In the window that comes up, you need to specify the pattern[[[k]]] for generating names for the new tasks.[[[l]]] To make things easier, let us simply add a sequence number to the task name.[[[m]]] In our template, let us use the name of the original task[[[n]]] and add a counter value separated by a space.[[[o]]] To the right of the name template, there are settings[[[p]]] for the counter: start and end values,[[[q]]] step size, and the number of digits.[[[r]]]

In the rightmost section of the window, you may specify[[[s]]] the attributes of the original task[[[t]]] that should be replicated in each copy.[[[u]]] By default, the software will copy the subtask structure[[[v]]] with links between tasks, allocated users,[[[w]]] and the task definition text.[[[x]]]

Let us remove the flag to prevent changes to the task used as the template.[[[y]]] At the bottom of the window, you can immediately see future results[[[z]]] as a set of names. By the way, any of the names in this list[[[a]]] can be edited manually.[[[b]]] Once you have completed the set-up, click “Replicate”.[[[c]]] The replication window will close,[[[d]]] and task copies with desired names will appear.[[[e]]] Feel free to verify that each copy contains[[[f]]] the same task structure, including the links between tasks.[[[g]]]

Instead of using the counter to assign task numbers,[[[h]]] you can prepare a list of task names ahead of time[[[i]]] and use the clipboard to pass it to Cerebro.[[[j]]] Let us use the multi-rename feature[[[k]]] to demonstrate this.[[[l]]] This feature is a lot like task replication.[[[m]]]

Once again, let us choose a group of tasks.[[[n]]] From the right mouse button menu, let us pick “Multi-rename tasks”.[[[o]]] A window pops up, which looks very much like the one we saw before.[[[p]]] Once again, we need to specify a template for names.[[[q]]] We are going to copy names from a spreadsheet[[[r]]] we have created ahead of time into the clipboard[[[s]]] and go back to the multi-rename window.[[[t]]] Simply use the text from the clipboard in the name template,[[[u]]] and the resulting table immediately shows[[[v]]] the tasks’ new names.[[[w]]] Once you click “Apply”, the selected tasks[[[x]]] will be renamed according to the pattern you have specified.[[[y]]]

Note that all the structures in the Gantt chart[[[z]]] have once again lined up[[[a]]] with the same start time, and their times overlap.[[[b]]] To put them in the correct order, we will[[[c]]] once again use the linking command.[[[d]]] First, we must pick only the top-level tasks from the table.[[[e]]] We can collapse them all to make it easier.[[[f]]] Now, we launch the command from the context menu.[[[g]]] The structures become linked at the top level,[[[h]]] and the system arranges them on the time line.[[[i]]]

As an additional demonstration, we can rearrange[[[j]]] tasks within a project. In other words,[[[k]]] let us create another branch for all booklets, calling it “Booklets”,[[[l]]] and place all the tasks we have created inside it.[[[m]]] Simply collapse the tasks, highlight them,[[[n]]] and drag them into the new container with the mouse.[[[o]]]

Task References[[[p]]]

In addition to regular tasks that you encounter in Cerebro projects,[[[q]]] you may also come across references to other tasks.[[[r]]] For example, you can create task references[[[s]]] when you need to place the same task[[[t]]] in different places within a project[[[u]]], or you can even place the same task into different projects.[[[v]]]

As an example, let us create a special section[[[w]]] in our advertising booklet design branch, in which we will collect[[[x]]] references to all image-rendering tasks.[[[y]]]

Let us create a new container task called “Renders”.[[[z]]] Use multiple selection to highlight “Render” tasks[[[a]]] in each of the booklets, and use the right mouse button menu[[[b]]] to launch the “Copy task as reference” command.[[[c]]] Now, go to the “Renders” section[[[d]]] and invoke the command to paste from clipboard.[[[e]]] Once it is completed, we see[[[f]]] the collection of task references that we need within the section.[[[g]]]

An important characteristic of a reference[[[h]]] is that it displays the current values[[[i]]] for all of the original task’s attributes. In addition, you can[[[j]]] edit these attributes, and doing so will affect the actual task[[[k]]] and every other reference to it in Cerebro.[[[l]]] One exception to this rule is the task name:[[[m]]] each reference can have its own name.[[[n]]]

In the case of the rendering task set, it makes sense[[[o]]] to change reference names in the interest of clarity.[[[p]]] This way, we are able to tell which reference refers to which booklet.[[[q]]] Let us do this with the help of the multi-rename command,[[[r]]] adding the name of the corresponding container task[[[s]]] to the name of each reference.[[[t]]] Once again, the ability to copy[[[u]]] a list of names through the clipboard comes in handy.[[[v]]]

Anytime the “Go to task” menu item is accessible by right-clicking[[[w]]], it can quickly bring us[[[x]]] to the original task in Cerebro.[[[y]]]