I’ve been digging around the forums and help files and can’t seem to find a way to make todo tasks dependent on another user. Such as, I may have three things to do once Alice finishes her task. I don’t want my tasks clogging up my todo list until I have a reason to see them. Or if in my own todo list I have three or four tasks dependent on another item being completed (i.e. Once I finish item 2, items 2a, 2b, and 2c can now be started).

So, is there a way to make this work? Also can you change color of task items in a list?

And if this answer exists somewhere I didn’t find, I’m sorry.

Ross: Basecamp doesn’t support task dependencies or custom to-do colors (without using your own HTML to set colors).

Ross – we have a work around for this. I put the dependencies in the task name. For example. Lisa has to finish task A before Joe can start task B. Here is what task A would look like:

“xxx Task A / Assign Task B to Joe xxx”

(xxx for us is other information we include with tasks. A unique identifier number, due date, etc. )

We also use this work around if there are more than one task that need to be done at the same time. E.g. you are formatting the same screen with several changes from different to do lists. The task is listed and then in ( ) after the task we put (do in conjucture with Task C).

Finally, in addition to font color changes using HTML – you can also use chicklets http://forum.37signals.com/basecamp/forums/4/topics/2235. I just learned about this from bferris’s thread. Be warned that it appears the html mark-ups don’t work well in the overview page.

Thank you Laura. I had the feeling that was the work around.

FWIW, we use a way inspired by Dave Allen’s GTD where we set up different todo lists called:

1. Next actions… (holds no more than the 4-5 next actions)
2. Waiting for… (example: Enrique: from Carole: color corrections on photos XYZ)
3. Upcoming tasks… (or whatever you want to call them – several lists possible)
4. Someday maybe (tasks due further down the road)

We then easily drag and drop tasks to the Next Actions list while keeping track of who is waiting for what.