Syntax
SUCCESSORS(value)
- value—The evaluated value is the result of a formula returned in a single cell reference.
Sample usage
= JOIN(SUCCESSORS(Column@row),”,”)
Usage notes
- You must activate dependencies to use this formula, or you’ll see an #INVALID COLUMN VALUE error.
- A successor is a task that cannot start or finish until a preceding task (the predecessor) has been completed.
- Predecessors create date-based dependencies between tasks. A specific date-driven event for one task must have occurred before the next task can begin.
- You can’t exclude child row information from the successor function if the successor is a parent row. You can write a helper column formula to remove any child row successors whose predecessor wasn't explicitly listed to work around this.
- This function automatically lists tasks dependent on the current task. This is useful for tracking dependencies and clarifying project timelines and task relationships.
- Tasks can have multiple immediate predecessors defined.
- To reference successor values in another formula, such as collecting a list of task names or statuses, you need to use a Row # helper formula. For example, (MATCH(Unique@row, Unique:Unique, 0), where Unique is any column in the sheet that is always populated and is unique for every row. You can also use an auto-number.
Examples
Example 1
=JOIN(SUCCESSORS(column@row),CHAR(10))
Combined with the JOIN function in a multi-select dropdown column, this formula calculates a task's direct successors. It returns a collection of task row numbers that occur due to the referenced task.
Example 2
=COUNT(SUCCESSORS(column@row))
Determines the number of direct tasks reliant on the current task.
Example 3
=COUNTIFS(Successors:Successors, HAS(@cell, [Row #]@row))
=COUNTIFS(Successors:Successors, HAS(@cell,
[Row #]@row), [% Complete]:[% Complete], 1)
If all predecessor tasks are 100% complete, check a box indicating that the current task can be started. This solution requires a Row Number helper column and another with the above JOIN/SUCCESSORS formula.
Set up automation rules to notify assignees when they can start working on their tasks.
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