Dependwell documentation
Dependwell draws a map of work item dependencies in Jira Cloud from any JQL query, with warnings for circular, late and blocked work, the critical chain, saved views, a dashboard widget and PNG/SVG downloads. It runs entirely on Atlassian's Forge platform.
Get started
- Open Apps > Dependwell (or Dependency map in a project's sidebar, which starts with that project's JQL).
- Type a JQL query, for example
project in (WEB, MOB) AND statusCategory != Done. - Under Link types and their order, keep Blocks ticked (and any of your own types such as "depends on").
- Click Draw map (or press Ctrl/Cmd+Enter in the JQL box).
Reading the map
- Each card is a work item: key, summary and status. The colored bar on the left follows Color by.
- An arrow points from the work item that has to finish first to the one that waits on it.
- Dashed card border: linked from outside your JQL (any project).
- Orange: the critical chain. Red: a circular dependency. Amber dashed line: a late dependency. Grey dashed line: a link type set to "No order". Dotted line: parent to child.
- A badge on a card means it has a warning: ! for waiting or late, ↻ for circular.
- Drag the background to move around, use -, Fit and + to zoom (or Ctrl/Cmd and the mouse wheel). Click a card for details; double-click to open the work item.
Link types and their order
Jira link types have two phrases, for example "blocks" and "is blocked by". For each type you tick, choose:
- A blocks B: A comes first (most "blocks", "precedes", "is required by" types),
- A depends on B: B comes first (most "depends on", "requires", "follows" types), or
- No order (just draw the line) for types like "relates to", which never count as blockers.
Dependwell guesses the order from the phrases; Jira admins can set the default for every new map in Jira settings > Apps > Dependwell.
Warnings
| Warning | When it shows |
|---|---|
| Circular dependencies | Work items wait on each other in a loop, so none can finish first. |
| Late dependencies | A work item's blocker is planned to finish after it. Planned finish is the due date, else the end of its open sprint, else its release date. |
| Waiting on unfinished work | A work item that is not done waits on one that is not done. Open these in search lists them in Jira's search. |
| Done before what it depends on | A work item is done although something it depends on is not. |
Critical chain
The longest chain of unfinished, dependent work through the ordered link types, ignoring circular parts. Count it in work items, or add up story points (work items without points count 0). Click the Critical chain link above the map to jump to its start.
Colors and swimlanes
Color by status category, status, team, sprint, release (fix version), project, assignee or work type. Swimlanes by sprint, release, team, project or assignee. A work item in several sprints uses its open sprint; with several fix versions, the earliest unreleased one.
Include
- Parent and child lines: epic to story, story to subtask, when both are on the map.
- Linked work items outside the JQL: one step out, in any project.
- Hide work items without lines and Hide done work items (done items still count for warnings).
Drag to link
Drag the dot on the right edge of a card onto another card. Pick the link type, use Swap to change the direction, and click Create link. The link is created in Jira as you, so Jira's Link work items permission applies and the link shows in both work items' history.
Saved views
Save view keeps the JQL, link types and their order, what to include, colors and swimlanes. Choose Only me or Everyone on this site. Each person who opens a shared view sees only the work items they can browse. Only the owner can change a view; the owner or a Jira admin can delete it.
Dashboard widget
On a Jira dashboard, add Dependency map (Dependwell), pick a saved view and choose whether to highlight the critical chain. Share the view with everyone so other dashboard viewers can see it.
PNG and SVG downloads
Download PNG and Download SVG make a file with the view name, the JQL, counts, the date and the color legend, in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Limits
Up to 1,000 work items from the JQL (in the JQL's order) and 300 linked work items from outside it per map, and 5,000 lines. On a slow site Dependwell stops reading after about 17 seconds. In every case the map says what was left out.
For admins
Jira settings > Apps > Dependwell has the Get started steps, the default order for each link type, and every saved view on the site (with Delete).
Moving from Data Center
Links and link types migrate with your work items. Put the JQL of your old map or board filter into Dependwell, tick the same link types, check their order, and save it as a view.
Data and privacy
Dependwell runs on Atlassian (Forge) and sends nothing to any outside server. It stores only saved views and the admin defaults; work item data is read as you, for the map you are looking at, and never stored. See the privacy policy.
Support
hello@greatwork.company or the Great Work help desk. We answer within one business day.