Automation solution for task templates that have dependencies.

[JulianSoriaga]

Hi there, 

This might be something someone has already figured out in this community, however, I was unable to find anything - so it might be impossible with out some sort of script?

To start this off I use Airtable for project and task management for my agency.

BACKGROUND:

To keep it simple I have these tables; Transactions, Tasks, Task Templates.

In automations I use a Find Records > Repeating Group > Create Records. This is used to get the Task Templates to create task-records in my Tasks table that are linked to my transactions. Each transaction has tasks.

My transactions all have the same tasks and I need them to all be dependent on the same tasks. (Parent & child tasks)

I already understand how to automate task creation using the automation above however, it does not support a very crucial part of my task management. Automated dependencies.

WHAT I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH:

I want these Task-records to be dependent on another Task-record within the automation.

I understand this can be achieved in the Task table it self by manually referencing a linked record from the same table like below:

(Task table linked to itself in column 3 with "Task -" referencing "Task 2-", I named column 3 "Parent Task")

For example if I had created Test Transaction 2 I would want to see the same Task 1 referencing Task 2 automatically.

Is this even possible in automations? 

If not what are some other ways I can automate Parent & Child Tasks in a task template?

[TheTimeSavingCo]

You could try:
1. Creating another field in the "Tasks" table that would contain the name of the task that this task would be linked to called "Child task name" or something, and get your automation to put the name of the child task in there
2. Having an automation that would trigger if this field was not empty AND the linked field for the child task was empty, and the automation would:
  - Do a "Find Record" action to look for a task within the same project and has the correct name, e.g. Task 2 from Transaction A
  - Update the triggering record by linking it to the found record