Linking a Principal Item to Subtasks

For more advanced actions between items, you can establish a principal/subtask relationship. A principal/subtask relationship is not only a way to link items, but it also creates a special relationship between the linked items that involves the status of the linked items. A principal/subtask relationship can create a situation in which the principal item can only transition when its linked tasks are in a completed or closed status. You can create a principal/subtask relationship with existing items by selecting Link to Principal or Link Subtasks; however, the workflow design that designates when the principal item is transitioned and what determines a subtask's status is designed by your administrator. To create new subtasks, you must invoke a transition that is configured by your administrator to create a new subtask.

The Link to Principal dialog box enables you to establish a principal/subtask relationship among existing primary items by linking a principal item to a subtask item. The item you create the link from becomes the subtask; the item you link to becomes the principal task. This option is available only if you have been granted appropriate privileges by your administrator.

Once you've established a principal/subtask relationship, the items may be transitioned according to actions established by your administrator. For information about how principal/subtask relationships function in your workflow, contact your administrator.

To link a subtask to a principal item:

  1. Locate the item that you want to be a subtask item.
  2. From the Actions drop-down list on that item, select Link to Principal. The Link to Principal dialog box opens.
    Note: If the item you are creating the link from is already a subtask, the Link to Principal option is not available in the Actions drop-down list.
  3. Complete fields on the Link to Principal dialog box as needed.
    Field Description
    ID/Keywords Type the ID number or keywrods for the principal item that you want to link to the subtask item. Click Link to Principal to perform the search.
    Search in Table Select the table that contains the principal item that you want to link to the subtask item. The default table selection is the preferred application specified in your user profile, but all applications for which you have view privileges are listed.
    Link Type Select one of the following options to add an item link to the principal task, subtask, or both. The item link will be added to the attachment section of the applicable item.
    Note:   Triggers are available only for on-premise customers. They are set up by your administrator. You can specify a link type that triggers items, but triggers fire only if they are configured for your workflow.
    • None – No item link created. This is the default setting.

    • One Way, no triggers – Creates a one-way link from the subtask item to the principal item without Transition Triggers.

    • One Way, current item triggers linked item – Creates a one-way link from the subtask item to the principal item. When the subtask item transitions, it may also trigger the principal item to transition.

    • Two Way, no triggers – Creates a two-way link between the subtask item and the principal item without Transition Triggers.

    • Two Way, current item triggers linked item – Creates a two-way link between the subtask item and the principal item. When the subtask item transitions, it also triggers the principal item to transition.

    • Two Way, linked item triggers current item - Creates a two-way link between the subtask item and the principal item. When the principal item transitions, it also triggers the subtask item to transition.

    • Two Way, both items trigger each other - Creates a two-way link between the subtask item and the principal item. When either item transitions, it also triggers the linked item to transition.

    Unrestricted If you chose to add an item link to the principal or subtask item, you can select this check box to make the item link visible to all users who can view the item it is attached to. Clear the check box to restrict the item link to users who have privileges to view the item and its item links. These privileges are set by your administrator. The Unrestricted check box is disabled if you do not have privileges to set attachments as unrestricted.
    Note: If you are creating a two-way item link, the unrestricted/restricted status of the item link in the destination project is the same as the source item link if you have privileges to set this status in the receiving project. If you do not have privileges to set this status, the status of the item link in the destination project is determined by default settings specified by your administrator.
    On success, automatically close this window Select this check box to close the dialog box when the relationship is established.
    Link to Principal Click the Link to Principal button to search for a principal item to link to the subtask item. The search results appear on the bottom of the dialog box. Items that are subtasks of the item that you are linking from are not returned by the search.

    From the list of items that appears, select the item or items to which you want to link, and then click Link to Principal again.

    Note: If the search results are greater than 50 items, you must limit your query to return fewer items.
  4. The Close This Window button appears after the items are linked. Click this button to close the Link to Principal dialog box.

Related Topics

Linking Subtasks to a Principal Item

Unlinking a Principal Item From Its Subtasks