Blocked — a task that cannot yet be actioned because a predecessor task is not Done
Blocking — a task that is holding up one or more other tasks
Template dependency — configured once in Settings; applies automatically to all recurring tasks
Manual dependency — set on-the-fly between any two active tasks for the same client
Task dependencies allow practices to model sequential workflows, ensuring one task is completed before another can be actioned. This removes the need for manual workarounds such as "notify senior" reminder subtasks or duplicated templates.
There are two types of dependency:
Template dependency — for recurring work that follows a predictable sequence for every client (e.g. Bank Reconciliation must be Done before Accounts Review). Configured once in Settings and applies automatically to all future tasks.
Manual dependency — for one-off or ad hoc tasks where the sequence isn't driven by a template. Set directly on the task.
When a task is blocked by an incomplete predecessor, a Blocked badge appears on the task row across all work views. When a task is holding up others, a Blocking X tasks indicator appears on the predecessor task.
The Blocked badge is informational only — it does not prevent any user from actioning or completing a task. Enforcement (which prevents a task from being marked In Progress while blocked) will be available in a future update.
Permissions by role:
Workspace Admin — configure template dependencies in Settings; remove any manual dependency
Manager / Practice Manager — add and remove manual dependencies on tasks
Team Member — view Blocked and Blocking indicators; navigate to blocking tasks
Workspace Admin only
Before you begin: you need Workspace Admin access to edit task templates, and the predecessor templates must already exist in the workspace.
Go to Settings › Task Templates
Open the successor template — the one that should only be actioned after another task is complete
Scroll to the Dependencies section
Click into the Add dependency field and search for the template that must be completed first
Select the predecessor template. You can add more than one — the task will remain Blocked until ALL predecessors are Done
Save the template
Once a template has at least one dependency configured, a “X Predecessors” note appears on the template list row for quick visibility.
When onboarding customers: dependencies are configured once by a Workspace Admin. Every new recurring task created for a client from that template will automatically show as Blocked if the predecessor isn't finished yet.
Note: The Blocked badge is informational — team members can still open and work on the task.
Workspace Admin only
Go to Settings › Task Templates and open the successor template
In the Dependencies section, existing predecessors are listed with an option to deselect next to each
To add another predecessor, use the Add dependency field and select another template
Note: removing a template dependency does not retroactively change tasks that are already created. Tasks already showing as Blocked due to this dependency will need to be manually updated, or the Blocked badge will clear naturally once the predecessor task is marked Done.
If a predecessor template is deleted from the workspace, the dependency relationship is automatically removed and any Blocked indicators tied to it are cleared — no manual clean-up needed.
Each time a recurring task is created from a successor template for a given client, Pixie checks whether the predecessor template's current task for that same client is Done:
Predecessor task is Done — new task is created normally, no Blocked badge
Predecessor task exists but is not Done — new task is created with the Blocked badge applied automatically
Predecessor task does not yet exist for this client — new task is created without the Blocked badge; the dependency will apply once the predecessor task exists. This may be due to scheduled dates not aligning — ideally prerequisite tasks should be scheduled to start before their successors
The Blocked badge appears on the task row across all views. Clicking the badge shows a tooltip:
If the blocking task is assigned to the same user — predecessor task name as a clickable link
If the blocking task is assigned to a different user — predecessor task name and assignee name as read-only text, no navigation link
Multiple predecessors — each listed separately with the applicable treatment above
The Blocking X tasks indicator appears on a predecessor task when it is holding up others. The count updates in real time. Hovering shows the names of the blocked tasks.
Where you'll see dependency indicators:
My Day / Work queue — Blocking indicator on predecessor rows; Blocked badge on successor rows
Team › Work Report — both indicators shown across all team tasks
Task detail view — Dependencies section listing predecessors and successors; Blocked banner at top when blocked
Kanban view — small badge on blocked cards with tooltip
Client › Open Tasks tab — Blocked and Blocking indicators in the Dependencies column
Cross-user visibility: team members in My Day only see tasks assigned to themselves. If a blocking task belongs to a colleague, the tooltip shows the predecessor task name and assignee name as read-only text — no link. Managers should use Team › Work Report for the full cross-team dependency picture.
All team members
Manual dependencies can only be set between active/in progress tasks for the same client.
Go to the client record and open the Open Tasks tab
Find the successor task — the one that should be blocked until another is done
Click the three-dot menu (⋯) on that task row
Select Add dependency
Search for and select the predecessor task from the dropdown — filtered to active tasks for the same client only, showing task name, status, and due date
Confirm your selection — the Blocked badge appears immediately if the predecessor is not yet Done
On the task detail view, the Dependencies section labels each entry as either Template or Manual. Template dependency entries can only be removed via Settings › Task Templates. Manual dependency entries have a remove action visible.
The Dependencies column on the Open Tasks tab shows:
A Blocked badge if the task has one or more incomplete predecessors
A Blocking X tasks amber indicator if the task is holding up others — count covers both template-based and manual successors; hover to see names
You can filter tasks by blocked status across My Day, Work Report, and Client › Tasks:
Show all (default)
Show only blocked — useful for identifying tasks waiting on a predecessor
Hide blocked — focus the team on what's actionable
An optional Blocked column is also available in grid views via column settings (off by default).
Indicators resolve automatically — they are not manually toggled.
When a predecessor task is marked Done, Pixie re-evaluates all dependent tasks. If all predecessors are now Done, the Blocked badge clears automatically with no action needed on the blocked task.
Scenario
Result
Single predecessor marked Done | Blocked badge clears immediately |
Multiple predecessors — one marked Done | Successor remains Blocked until ALL are Done |
Predecessor moved back from Done to active | Blocked badge reappears automatically |
Predecessor task deleted | Dependency removed; Blocked badge clears |
The Blocking X tasks indicator clears once all successor tasks are either Done or have had their dependency removed.
If a customer reports a Blocked badge that won't clear: check for multiple predecessors (all must be Done), check whether a predecessor was moved back from Done, ask the customer to refresh the page, and if it still persists after all of the above, raise a case with the Support team.
Blocked badge isn't appearing when expected Check whether the template dependency is saved (Settings › Task Templates › successor template › Dependencies section). Check whether the predecessor task exists yet for that client — if scheduled dates don't align, the successor will be created without a Blocked badge. Check whether the predecessor was already Done when the successor was created — if so, no badge is correct behaviour.
A team member can't see the link to the blocking task Expected behaviour. In My Day, team members only see tasks assigned to themselves. If the blocking task belongs to a colleague, the tooltip shows the name and assignee as read-only text — no link. Direct the manager to Team › Work Report for the full dependency picture with clickable links.
Can't find the 'Add dependency' option on a task The option only appears on active (non-Done, non-Cancelled) tasks. It is also only available to Managers and Workspace Admins — Team Members cannot add or remove task template dependencies.
Tried to add a dependency between tasks for different clients Not supported. Manual dependencies are same-client only. The predecessor dropdown is pre-filtered so cross-client dependencies cannot be created.
'Circular dependency' error when saving Occurs when the relationship would create a loop (e.g. A depends on B, and B already depends on A). Ask the customer to review their dependency chain and remove the conflicting relationship before saving.
Does the Blocked badge prevent a task from being marked Done? No — the Blocked badge is informational only. Users can still update and complete blocked tasks. A future update will allow customers to opt in to enforcement, which will prevent tasks from progressing until dependencies are resolved. Please record and share any specific customer requirements if this is requested.
Where should a manager go to see the full dependency picture across their team? Team › Work Report — all team tasks are visible, dependency badges shown on all rows, and all blocking task links are clickable regardless of who is assigned.
