A pipeline is a way to create a structure for complex tasks that require multiple, dependent steps to complete. Pipelines are made up of pipeline tasks, which are connected to represent their dependencies, enabling a wide variety of possible pipelines that can have both sequential and parallel chains.
The following image shows a pipeline with sequential and parallel work:
You can then apply a pipeline to tasks in the project schedule, which creates sub-items to match the project tasks. Any item that can be worked on will be indicated, and appear in the To Do List of the users who the pipeline tasks have been assigned to.
At this point, pipeline tasks behave much like regular tasks with a few exceptions, such as the inability to set priority as everything in the pipeline will have the same priority. Completing a pipeline task will progress the pipeline, activating dependent tasks.
Pipelines can be set up with default behaviors for assignment, work estimates, and restrictions for whether tasks can be broken down into further sub-tasks.
Pipeline tasks
Pipeline references
In a pipeline you can make a reference to another pipeline, enabling you to create more complex pipeline structures.
In the screenshot above pipeline "Level" is a reference in pipeline "Cutscene". This is reflected when selecting pipeline "Cutscene" in the Planning section:
Pipeline "Level" can also be used as a standalone pipeline (board view):
A powerful visualization of and a way of working with pipelines is through the board view. If you go back to the "Pipelines and workflows" window you go can go to the board view directly:
Exporting and importing pipelines
Under the More menu you can export and import your pipelines as XML. This is useful when transferring pipelines between projects or databases.
Pipeline settings
In the More menu, under Pipeline settings, you can decide on settings affecting the whole pipeline (but not pipeline references).
Here you can decide if the pipeline must be completed in sequential order or not.
If a pipeline must be completed in sequential order team members will not be able to change item status before it can start.
