How to Get a Project Status Updated Based on Subitems Nested Under Sub-Projects

I have been trying to build a workflow that is cross-functional and so I have multiple phases to my project. I can get quite a bit of automation working, but the ONE thing I can't figure out is how to pass statuses based on what's happening under sub-projects to the main project. I've tried using custom items, and a myriad of other things. The limitations where only one automation rule will fire, and folders break the sub-item relationship, and so on have made it impossible to structure my project with subprojects/folders and pass those statuses back up to the main project. I'm freaking pulling my hair out right now! It seems like this should be simple but I cannot figure this out. How does one accomplish this?

Here is what my project looks like.

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Pietro Poli

Hi!
Have you tried yo use automations? I think it can be done in this way

Merri Hicken

Hello Pietro,

Yes, I have used those automation rules, and it works for a very basic setup with one project and all tasks sitting underneath the project. Where the solution you suggested breaks down is when I try to separate my larger project into phases using either folders or sub-projects and also to initiate more robust automation that would include using custom items to initiate a subproject, status update of the item, etc. I can't do that AND send the status up ... or at least I haven't figured out how. But I think this is a major limitation of Wrike.

If you look at the project I posted above, I have a project sitting at the top, with a few sub-projects underneath and their various tasks. The solution you suggested above will look at DIRECT subitems only. So if I want to update the main project status based on a task status, but I used an automation to change the task status in the first place (for example, based on a predecessor status), I can't ALSO update the project status.

My goal is to make this project as automated as possible in sending each phase to the various teams that will complete the tasks AND to also keep the main project updated with the most recent task update so that the Project Owner can at a glance of a dashboard, see where each project sits in the workflow. I have tried various different setups, and the one thing I can't do is update the main project status consistently throughout.

Thanks!

Ped Watt

@Merri Hicken, Unfortunately with the way the automation model is is currently design is it considers one item type at a time and doesn't allow trigger chaining. Meaning one automation can't trigger another automation aka the grandchildren (task) triggering the children(sub projects for the phases) can't then trigger the parent to update it's status based on being triggered by the children's status change.

"Automation rules won't be triggered in case the changes to tasks or projects are made by another automation rule."

Automation in Wrike – Wrike Help Center

Juan Muttoni

Thank you for helping up here, @Ped Watt! 👏

Merri Hicken

Thank you everyone for responding on this thread. Yes, the limitations to the automation rules in Wrike have been a disappointment for me. I understand that Wrike does not want looping and so has these limitations in place, but it makes using the automation rules very rigid, and creates more difficulty than I think is necessary for the user. It seems like there would be ways for Wrike to identify if looping would occur before the rule is started and create a warning message.

To me, it seems like many customers would want downstream project statuses to reflect on the main project upstream so that on a dashboard, project owners can see at a glance where all their projects are at in a workflow. I've wasted countless hours trying to get this to work with folders and/or subprojects. But the only way that I can get this to work is if I have ONE project with multiple tasks underneath. I can't use sub-projects or folders. Therefore, my project setup isn't very visual in terms of the various phases a project has or teams that would support a particular part of a project.

I'm disappointed with Wrike's automation rules since it seems like this would be a very obvious ask — downstream statuses reflected upstream easily even with subprojects or folders. I'm open to learning of a better way to use the tool or create my projects, maybe I'm missing something here. Are there any deminars out there that are particularly helpful?

Ped Watt

@Merri Hicken I have been drafting up a product feedback post requesting a controlled multiple effect automation

The concept I am working through requesting is basically: you would do your automation rule like normal, then under where you add the action you would click something like "add resultant automation", and then to could add a second "What to apply it to", Condition and Actions to apply to the new "What to apply it to". This would help prevent looping but give us users the ability to do this. I have a very similar use case to yours but it is subtask into task into the project.

Let me know your thoughts, the stronger I can make the argument the more votes we will get..

Merri Hicken

@Ped Watt YES! That is exactly what I am wanting. Your explanation is spot on, and I want it to apply from tasks up into projects, but just the projects in the direct upline from the task. So maybe if it could apply to specific custom items (multiple of them) or just a general all projects direct and indirect above the task if that makes sense.

So for example, let's say I have a main project, and then subprojects with tasks underneath each subproject. I wouldn't want downstream projects from the tasks to be updated with the status, just upstream projects. So going from task to direct upstream project, and then the main project so that on a dashboard, project owners can easily see at a glance where the project is at in the workflow.

Ped Watt

@Merri Hicken

I have submitted a Product Feedback on that forum, please review it, give feedback and if you agree with it vote on it /hc/en-us/community/posts/21521513600919-Automation-Controlled-Resultant-Automation

Kristy Schaan

Hi Ped,

Thanks for adding this to Product Feedback. I'm wondering if there is an update on this as this is exactly what I am working on now and we have a lot of new AI possibilities for automation.

Kristy

Elizaveta Bogdanova

We've shared this feedback with our Automation team @Kristy Schaan 👍

Merri Hicken

@Elizaveta Bogdanova Thank you so much for sharing the feedback. I really hope that something can be done because this is one thing that really holds us back from being able to fully automate projects and get the most out of Wrike.

Elizaveta Bogdanova

Of course @Merri Hicken! We'll let you know if we have any updates!

Kristy Schaan

Thanks Lisa!