📋 Using Group Dependencies to Control Job Visibility and Workflow Order
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Choose whether task groups run in sequence or in parallel — and control exactly who sees what on the Jobs Dashboard.
Group dependencies give you the flexibility to decide whether team members must complete their work in a specific order, or whether multiple people can work on the same job at the same time. This setting directly controls who sees the job on their Jobs Dashboard.
Before setting up a job with multiple task groups, it helps to think about which category each group falls into:
- Work that can start right away — no one needs to wait for someone else to finish first
- Work that needs to wait — one person must complete their tasks before the next person can begin
Getting this right from the start ensures your team sees the correct jobs on their dashboard and receives notifications at the right time.
👥 What's New: Owners Instead of Assignee
Jobs with multiple task groups now display an Owners field at the top of the job, showing all team members assigned to any group within that job — not just the person currently responsible.
🔒 Blocked Groups (Sequential Workflow)
When a group is blocked, it is dependent on the group before it being completed first.
- The team member assigned to a blocked group will not see the job on their Jobs Dashboard until their group is unblocked
- The active group owner completes their tasks and is prompted to reassign the job to the next group
- Reassigning the job unblocks the next group, and it will appear on that team member's dashboard
Example: Judy completes her group. She reassigns the job to Brenda. Brenda's group is now unblocked and the job appears on her dashboard.
🔓 Unblocked Groups (Parallel Workflow)
When a group is unblocked, it does not need to wait for the previous group to finish.
- Both team members see the job on their Jobs Dashboard at the same time
- Both can check off their tasks independently and simultaneously
Example: Judy and Brenda are both assigned to separate groups with no dependency. The job appears on both of their dashboards right away, and both can work at the same time.
🔔 Dependencies and Notifications
Notifications in Client Hub are tied directly to dependency behavior — and this is by design.
- When a blocked group is unblocked (because the prior group was completed and the job was reassigned), the next group owner receives a notification letting them know their work is ready to begin
- When groups are unblocked (parallel workflow), no handoff notification is sent — because both owners already have access to the job and can begin their tasks at any time
This means if your team expects a notification when it's their turn to act, the dependency needs to be set. If someone finishes their group and the next person isn't being notified, check whether that group's dependency is enabled.
Example: If a preparer needs to finish before a reviewer begins, set the reviewer's group as blocked. When the preparer reassigns the job, the reviewer will be notified that their work is ready.
⚙️ How to Set or Change a Group Dependency
- Open or create a job in the client's Internal Workspace
- Locate the task group you want to adjust
- Click the link icon next to the group name
- Toggle the dependency on or off
- Click Save
A group showing a Blocked indicator is waiting on a prior group to be completed. Removing the dependency unblocks it immediately.
🧩 Mixing Both in the Same Job
You are not limited to one approach. Within a single job, you can:
- Have two groups running in parallel (both unblocked)
- Add a third group that is blocked until one or both of the earlier groups are done
This makes it easy to build workflows that reflect how your team actually works.
🧠 Tips
- Use blocked dependencies for any work that involves a true handoff — where one person must finish before the next can begin (for example, a preparer finishing before a reviewer starts)
- Use unblocked groups when team members can divide and conquer sections of the same engagement at the same time
- If a team member is not receiving a notification when it's their turn, verify that their group's dependency is enabled
- The Owners field at the top of the job gives you a quick summary of everyone involved, regardless of dependency status
- If a team member cannot check off tasks and sees a blocked indicator, this is by design — their group is waiting on a prior group to be completed