Thanks for your suggestion! We don't currently have any plans to introduce task dependencies, as we have several ways to organize tasks (tags, lists, and Smart Lists) and we're not pursuing a project management focus with Remember The Milk at this time.

I have been using RTM for project management. It´s quicker and cleaner than other systems/other list sites..........

In this case, you could use the tagging to put dependent_milk dependent_sugar

Even better would be a RTM box or categorization to hold these types of (dependency) tags.


Dependency functionality for little effort!!

Actually what would help is to allow a wildcard in the tag search or a partial word search.

Then any serch for sugar would also turn up dependency_sugar.

I will post this as a new idea

I'd like to see dependencies implemented too! :)

Is there any hope to see dependencies implemented in RTM?

I'd immediately subscribe for a pro account if that was present, because I really like having dependencies, since for my work, FLOSS contributions and even daily life tasks I end up needing to do A to be able to do B.

Alternatively it would be nice to have sub-tasks before ocmpleting a given task...

I would like to see this as well.

Yes, I would like to see something along these lines as well. It's very difficult to determine if RTM plans on implementing any sort of project management in the near future. I sure hope they do. Until then I will remain on a free account (which is amazing as we all know). Still, I would think RTM will be compelled to introduce some project management support as their revenue would increase greatly from all the business oriented people using the site.

I, too, would really like task dependencies. As a scientific researcher, I can not do some things (like write a paper), until I have some results. I use RTM to brainstorm on all of the things I need to do in order to finish a paper and it would be nice if RTM made it so that I can only see the tasks which can possibly be done right now. That is, if C depends on both A and B being completed, it would be ideal if you did not see task C because there is nothing I can do about it until A and B are completed.

Very important feature. We need this.

I'd love to see this as well.

Add me to the I-want-dependencies list, too. Here's one possible way to implement it...

Allow the Due Date field to accept more than just days. For instance, accept Due="#123" to set a task to be due the day after task 123; or, Due="#123+3d" to be due 3 days after 123 is due/completed. ("#" would differentiate between other possible values, like "Tue," "1/1," or "3 days".)

Admittedly, this is a more complicated syntax; but let's face it, this will be for more advanced users.

FYI - I originally posted this to http://www.rememberthemilk.com/forums/ideas/6440

Yes, I need it too.

What if we had the ability to sort by tag (descending alphabetical/numerical)?

If that were the case, we could create a new list for a project (or group of projects), tag the item Proj1-1, Proj1-2, Proj1-3, and so on. Proj1-0 would be the title item for that Project...

What would be even more valuable would be a "top" command in culmination with an "EveryList" or "All" command, for example:

top:1 list:All

Would return the first item in each list. Each time you completed it, the next task behind it would populate the list.

-Nick

For all sorts of links to years' of great sorting suggestions and ideas, see this thread:
http://www.rememberthemilk.com/forums/ideas/6289/

hiveminder has this feature (I'm a pro member there). The only complication that it adds to the UI as far as I can see is that each task needs a unique identifier (they use short ids like AB12).

+1 for dependencies. Would be really useful to me.

Cheers.

Rolo.

Dependencies would be a fantastic feature and would allow me to switch many more of my project management "to dos" over to RTM. It would also definitely cause me to renew my pro membership in the face of the free Google Tasks (and their iPhone support).

I would also love to use this feature, but I think I agree with Emily at the beginning of the post, project management is not for RTM (despite the fact that it can already be used really well with it).

If you really want to, you can use the priorities to shuffle tasks in order of the dependencies. You could also name your tasks by beginning the name with numbers like (eg from the original post)

1 Buy Coffe
2 Buy Milk
3 Buy Sugar

I like flanakin's idea of how to implement dependencies. Using tags and sorting to handle dependencies might work in some cases but it is always only a "crutch" for the real thing. And I don't think it is very hard to implement!

Include me as wanting dependencies. Or some form of "next action" feature. I want to have smart lists where I don't see tasks that can't be done until other tasks have been completed.

Bonsai's "Parent of Next Actions" is a great model.

I'm new to RTM and I'll go Pro for this feature.

Add me to the people that want this feature added

Must have dependencies!
I understand that RTM is not a PM product. I start using it for that purpose but realized it wasn't effective. Had to switch to LiquidPlanner for work because it was much better.
I still want to use RTM for personal stuff, but the dependencies are still important for reasons explained above. At least, have sub-tasks.
But a combination of both is preferred.

yes, mee too.
Some simple dependency function would be nice to have, do not really need all the power of liquidplanner or such in most cases.

+1

Please add subtasks / tasks dependencies to RTM

After using RTM quite happily for personal and work use, I've just been asked to present my 'work' tasksin hierarchical/dependency form.
I can understand the request, but it's a nightmare job to do. Dependencies in RTM would be a life (and productivity) saver.
If it doesn't come soon, I can see more people switching to Google Tasks...

I've been using google tasks in recent days, so i remember reading about RTM so i open an account, but, there's no task dependecies! in google talks there's indentation, that at least works visually. why haven't you implemented dependencies!!!!

Please count my vote for too. All tasks should have SS, SF, FS, FF dependencies with a PM's perspective. The best planning approach to follow is M/S Project which accounts for resources also.

As a Pro user I just want to add my vote to Dependencies / Sub-tasks. I could really use a way to filer to my next action. Like using rtm for GTD

This would be most useful for me. I really hope you guys do implement this; would definitely renew my subscription in December. (I'll probably do that anyway)

+1

I'll would pay another $15 per year for this feature

I would go pro for this.

I would also go Pro for this.

+1, I would pay

+1, would pay also

+1, i would pay as well

I vote for this as well

+1

I'd pay for this feature. As it were, I'm trying to determine if I would be happy with HiveMinder but I like the one liner add notation so much.

+1

+1 would be a great feature

+1 would be so useful

+1 please make this work

+1, I would pay for task dependencies.

+1
I'm going to try out some of the workarounds above, but dependencies aren't a feature I can live without. If I can't get them somehow, I can't entrust my task-planning to RTM

+1; I'm attempting to figure out how to maintain projects (in the GTD sense) with lists, but I have enough projects that the number of lists I need spiral out of control.

All I really need for this feature is a way to hide tasks until a specific condition is met -- a tickler would be implemented by hiding until a date. Dependencies would be implemented by hiding until prerequisites are fulfilled, and so on.

+1

I thought a nice way to do this might be with a GUI to make the setup easier. I mocked up a few graphics to give an idea of what it could look like.

+1

To me, the value of dependencies is in aided sorting.
Dependants shouln't come on top of the list.
Dependencies should reflect to some degree the urgency/priority of their dependants.

Sorting, priorizing, is crutial to time management, and we do it all the time with our lists, sometimes too manualy.

+1

+1
I like how Dreamweaver allows users to create links: drag a target icon from one item to another, boom, A is now linked to B.

I would love this in RTM to create a dependency

+1

+1

+1

+1
Subtasks/dependencies: If don't do A, don't need to get started on B, no matter how important it is. I'd need to see on A what comes afterwards and on B what comes before.

+1 subtasks/dependencies...

subtasks would definitely be an excellent feature. The recommended option with tags is a poor workaround.

+1

Could some one from RTM development team at least comment on this topic. The last response was more then 4 years ago.

+1

+1

+1

+1

Ok, I see lots of +1s so I'll try to add something.

1. You are right: don't make RTM into a project management package even though its awesomeness as a to-do list will result in that use.

2. Supporting basic dependencies isn't PM software. Tons and tons of my personal to-do items have two or three tasks that need to be completed in order. RTM doesn't really support this.
Lists: don't help. The three related items etc are usually the same list (in this, remodel).

Tags: don't help with dependencies. I want tags to be useful in the cloud. If I use hackery like dependency_sugar, my tag cloud gets overwhelmed. Tags for me are for things like: "errand" "online" "bizhrs". These help me identify unrelated tasks that might be completed together.

However, I can see that it might be a major chore for you to implement subtasks well.

One version of the sweetness: DDL becomes DnDable. Dragging a task onto another automatically turns the dragged task into a subtask of the master item. Drag onto a subtask of a master? Chained dependencies.

Why would this be sweet?
Instead of three chores for redoing my staircase (a contrived but relevant example), I could have one related stack.

So instead of:
- discuss cable vs rod railing with Jill
- order stair parts
- install stair parts

mixed into a list of other remodel chores, perhaps with arbitrary deadlines to keep the tasks in order (yeah I could tag "stairs" but that still doesn't show dependencies and pollutes the tag cloud), I could

- redo stair railing
- discuss cable vs rod railing with Jill
- order stair parts
- install stair parts

collapsible of course...

Oh, the forum ate my formatting. That last bit was supposed to be indented to show the dependency nesting.

- redo stair railing
--- discuss cable vs rod railing with Jill
----- order stair parts
------- install stair parts

It seems like a lot of people would really appreciate this, Keithhoffman does a great job of explaining the reasons why.

Would it be possible to get a staff member update on this?

Thanks,

French