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Finish-to-Start Dependency

A task dependency type in Zoho Projects where a successor task cannot begin until the predecessor task has been completed.

What Is Finish-to-Start Dependency?

Finish-to-Start (FS) is the most common task dependency type in Zoho Projects. It means the successor task (B) cannot start until the predecessor task (A) is finished. For example, you cannot start User Acceptance Testing until Development is complete.

Lag Time in FS Dependencies

You can add lag time to an FS dependency to represent a mandatory waiting period between the end of the predecessor and the start of the successor. For example, a curing process that takes 24 hours after a step is finished before the next step can begin.

Why It Matters

Correctly defining FS dependencies prevents tasks from being scheduled before their prerequisites are met, making the project plan a reliable guide rather than a wishful thinking document. Zoho Projects enforces FS dependencies in the Gantt view and flags scheduling conflicts.

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