How do I delete all links in MS Project?

To effectively "delete all links" in MS Project, you need to distinguish between two key actions: visually hiding link lines on the Gantt chart and removing actual task dependencies that govern your project's schedule. While the former only changes the display, the latter fundamentally alters your project's logic and timeline.

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Visually Hiding Link Lines on the Gantt Chart

If your goal is to simply remove the visual lines connecting tasks on the Gantt chart without altering the project's scheduling logic, MS Project provides a layout option for this. This is useful for decluttering the view for presentations or specific analyses.

Here's how to hide the link lines:

1. Right-click anywhere in the white space of the Gantt chart pane (not on a task bar).
2. From the context menu, select the Layout command icon. This will open the Layout dialog box.
3. In the Layout dialog box, under the "Links" section, you'll see various options for how links are displayed.
4. Box select the first option which typically shows no link between the bars (often depicted as a blank or disconnected bar icon).
5. Click OK to apply the change.

Important Note: This action only affects the visual representation. The underlying task dependencies (predecessors and successors) still exist and will continue to influence your project's schedule. To revert, simply repeat the steps and choose a different link display option.

Removing Task Dependencies (Actual Links)

If you need to genuinely delete the logical relationships between tasks, thereby changing how tasks are scheduled and potentially affecting critical paths, you must remove the task dependencies. There isn't a single "delete all links" button for the entire project, as removing dependencies is usually a deliberate action taken for specific tasks or a group of tasks.

Here are common methods to remove task dependencies:

Method 1: Removing Dependencies Using the Predecessors Column

This is often the quickest way to remove specific links directly from the Gantt chart view.

1. Navigate to the Gantt Chart view.
2. Ensure the Predecessors column is visible. If not, right-click on any column header, select "Insert Column," and choose "Predecessors."
3. For the task whose link you want to remove, click directly into its cell in the Predecessors column.
4. Delete the task ID(s) and link type(s) listed in the cell (e.g., if it says "2FS," delete "2FS" to make the cell blank). If there are multiple predecessors, you can delete specific ones or all of them.
5. Press Enter. MS Project will recalculate the schedule.

Method 2: Removing Dependencies Using the Task Information Dialog Box

This method provides a more detailed interface for managing a task's dependencies.

1. In the Gantt Chart view, double-click on the specific task for which you want to remove dependencies. This will open the Task Information dialog box.
2. Go to the Predecessors tab. Here you will see a list of all tasks that precede the selected task.
3. To remove a specific link, select the entire row corresponding to the predecessor you wish to delete.
4. Click the Delete Row button (often represented by a small 'X' or a trash can icon, or simply press the Delete key).
5. Repeat for any other predecessors you want to remove.
6. Click OK to close the Task Information dialog box and apply the changes. MS Project will reschedule the tasks.

Method 3: Removing Dependencies for Multiple Selected Tasks

While there's no "remove all links" for the whole project with one click, you can efficiently remove links for a selection of tasks.

1. Select multiple tasks in the Gantt Chart view (use Ctrl+Click for non-contiguous tasks or Shift+Click for a block).
2. Navigate to the Task tab on the Ribbon.
3. In the "Schedule" group, click the Unlink Tasks button. This will remove all dependencies between the selected tasks and any external dependencies for those tasks.
   • Caution: This action can have a significant impact on your schedule. Always save your project before performing mass dependency removals.

Method 4: Advanced Removal (Using VBA for All Project Links)

For large projects where you genuinely need to remove all dependencies for every task (a rare but sometimes necessary action, e.g., when starting fresh with scheduling), you would typically use a VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) macro. This involves writing a short script that iterates through all tasks and clears their predecessor information. This method requires a deeper understanding of MS Project's object model and is generally for advanced users.

Summary of Actions: Hide vs. Delete

The following table summarizes the key differences between visually hiding links and actually deleting task dependencies:

Feature	Visually Hiding Link Lines	Removing Task Dependencies
Purpose	Declutter Gantt chart, improve readability	Alter project schedule logic, change task order
Effect	Link lines disappear from view, schedule unchanged	Link lines disappear, schedule recalculates
Method	Layout command (Right-click Gantt chart)	Delete from Predecessors column or Task Info
Reversibility	Easily reversible by changing layout option	Undo command (Ctrl+Z) or manually re-linking
Impact	Aesthetic only	Fundamental change to project plan

Understanding the distinction between these two actions is crucial for managing your MS Project schedules effectively.