Links
======

.. index:: Links

**Goal:** you check and edit cross-project links, resolving time
conflicts between linked projects.

|image0|

Cross-project links differ from normal links in two ways:

- The successor project is not shifted automatically if the predecessor project's finish date moves. Instead, a delay (negative or positive) is set.
- In addition to the delay, a cross-project link has a time reserve: after linking two projects, a time difference between the end of the predecessor and the start of the successor is considered not only as a delay but also as a reserve.

Here you can check and edit the cross-project links.

|image1|

You can set a time frame or enter a search term in the **Filter** field
for the **Project/Activity** columns.

Functions
------------

|image2|

- **Status accepted** (|image3|)
- **Conflict message** (|image7|)
- **Shift successor** (|image4|)
- **Correct delay by reserve** (|image6|)
- **Revision history** (|image5|)

**Status:** the **Status** column shows whether time changes related to
the start or end of the cross-project links occurred, or whether
conflicts arose.

Example: resolve a time conflict
-------------------------------------

1. You created a link between two planned projects with a negative
   delay, because the second project starts earlier than the first
   project ends.

   |image8|

2. A time shift occurs in the first project: the predecessor ends 7
   days later than originally planned.

   |image10|

   The value in the **Reserve** column shows by how many days the
   original plan has changed. **Red** indicates a growing time deficit,
   **green** indicates a gained time reserve.

3. Via the **Shift successor** icon button (|image4|), the dates of the
   successor project are shifted by the value of the reserve.

   |image12|

   The next time the portfolio is opened in Rillsoft Project, you get a
   message about the date changes in the successor project.

Further functions
---------------------

**Revision history:** use the icon button (|image5|) to see the
history of the link.

|image9|

**Correct delay by reserve:** use the icon button (|image6|) to
recalculate the delay based on the reserve.

Check the result
-----------------

After resolving a time conflict, the **Status** column shows that the
link is accepted again, and the date change is visible in the
successor project.

Related topics
--------------

- :doc:`project`
- :doc:`portfolio`
- :doc:`02-task-oriented-help/share-projects-and-portfolios/index`

.. |image0| image:: ../images/link.png
            :alt: Open the "Links" menu item
.. |image1| image:: ../images/link_filter.png
            :alt: Selection criteria and filter for the links list
.. |image2| image:: ../images/link_action.png
            :alt: Overview of functions for cross-project links
.. |image3| image:: ../images/link_status.png
            :alt: "Status accepted" symbol
.. |image4| image:: ../images/link_project_move.png
            :alt: "Shift successor" icon button
.. |image5| image:: ../images/id_project_version.png
            :alt: "Revision history" icon button
.. |image6| image:: ../images/link_reserve_save.png
            :alt: "Correct delay by reserve" icon button
.. |image7| image:: ../images/link_conflict.png
            :alt: "Conflict message" symbol
.. |image8| image:: ../images/link_delay_1.png
            :alt: Cross-project link with negative delay
.. |image9| image:: ../images/link_revision.png
            :alt: Revision history of a link
.. |image10| image:: ../images/link_delay_2.png
             :alt: Time shift in the predecessor project with a reserve value
.. |image12| image:: ../images/link_delay_4.png
             :alt: Shifted dates in the successor project after reserve compensation