Setting Up the Waterfall Methodology in Bitrix24
A team works on a project—tasks are scattered across sprints, but there's no real sequence. A developer picks up a task from the third phase while the first is not yet finished. The tester sits idle because they don't know when their stage will start. The result: missed deadlines and chaos during delivery. We solve this problem by implementing Waterfall—a strict sequence of phases where each next one starts only after the previous is completed. Bitrix24 does not have a 'turn on Waterfall' button, but the tools allow us to build this methodology. Our experience shows that proper setup reduces delays by 30-40% and cuts coordination costs by 25%.
Why Waterfall in Bitrix24 Requires Configuration
Bitrix24's standard tools do not offer a ready-made Waterfall template. Without configuration, tasks can move between phases chaotically, dependencies are not controlled, and transitions are not blocked. We design the project architecture: break it into phases, set up dependencies, robots, and milestones. The result is a predictable process with transparent reporting. Waterfall in Bitrix24 outperforms chaotic management in schedule predictability by a factor of 2: according to our data, Waterfall projects are delivered with a deviation of no more than 10% from the plan, compared to 25% without a methodology.
How to Set Up Task Dependencies
The Gantt chart is the main tool for visualizing Waterfall. Dependencies are set in the task card (More → Dependencies). We use three types of links:
| Link Type | Description | Waterfall Example |
|---|---|---|
| Finish-to-Start (FS) | Task B starts only after task A finishes | Development starts after TOR approval |
| Start-to-Start (SS) | Tasks start simultaneously | Parallel documentation and code writing |
| Finish-to-Finish (FF) | Tasks finish simultaneously | Batch delivery of phase results |
On the Gantt, dependencies are shown as arrows; the critical path is visible. When one task's deadline shifts, all dependent tasks are recalculated automatically. The manager sees how a delay in the 'Design' phase shifts the entire 'Development' phase.
Step-by-step dependency setup:
- Open the task that should depend on another.
- Click 'More' → 'Dependencies'.
- Select the link type (FS, SS, FF) and specify the parent task.
- Save—an arrow will appear on the Gantt. Check that the chain is unbroken.
Milestones: Project Control Points
A milestone is a control point marking the end of a phase. In Bitrix24, milestones are created as zero-duration tasks. Best practice:
- Create a milestone task: 'Gate: TOR Approval', deadline = end of 'Initiation' phase.
- Attach dependencies to the milestone: all tasks of the 'Planning' phase have FS type from this milestone.
- The milestone is closed only after review and explicit confirmation from the manager.
- A robot on milestone closure sends a notification to the team: 'Phase N is finished, starting phase N+1.'
Example of a gate setup
Create a task 'Gate: Initiation' with a duration of 0 days. Attach all tasks of the second phase as FS. Set up a robot: when the gate closes, send a notification and change the group status. This ensures the next stage does not start ahead of time.This fixes the main Waterfall principle: no transition to the next stage without formal closure of the previous one.
Project Phases through Task Groups
Each Waterfall phase is designed as a group (stage) in the B24 project. A typical chain:
- Initiation—requirements gathering, TOR approval, defining project boundaries
- Planning—work decomposition, time estimation, assigning responsibilities
- Development/Execution—the main workload
- Testing/Control—result verification, acceptance
- Closure—delivery, documentation, retrospective
| Phase | Milestone Gate | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Initiation | TOR Approval | 3-7 days |
| Planning | Plan Approval | 2-5 days |
| Development | Ready for Testing | 2-4 weeks |
| Testing | Customer Acceptance | 1-2 weeks |
| Closure | Sign-off | 2-3 days |
Tasks within each phase are grouped via subgroups or tags. Transition between phases is a conscious action by the project manager, not automation.
Control and Reporting
For tracking Waterfall progress, we use:
- Gantt—visualization of current status, critical path, deviations from plan.
- Task counters—how many in a phase are completed, how many overdue.
- 'Efficiency' report—percentage of completed tasks per employee.
- Business process—automatic check: all tasks in a phase closed → notification about gate readiness.
How to Reduce Delays When Implementing Waterfall
Implementing Waterfall from scratch often stalls due to misunderstanding of the mechanics. We recommend starting small: choose one pilot project, set up 3-4 phases, and track metrics. Get a consultation—our engineers will help adapt the methodology to your business. Contact us to evaluate your project.
What Is Included in the Setup (Deliverables)
- Designing Waterfall phases for your project type (development, construction, implementation).
- Creating the structure in Bitrix24: working group, subgroups per phase, task templates.
- Setting up dependencies on the Gantt chart (FS, SS, FF).
- Creating milestone tasks tied to phase gates.
- Configuring robots: notifications on gate closures, blocking transition if tasks are incomplete.
- Training the project manager: working with Gantt, managing dependencies, controlling the critical path.
- Process documentation and support for 2 weeks.
Timelines and Cost
Setup time: from 2 to 5 business days depending on complexity and number of phases. Cost is calculated individually after an audit of your project. We guarantee the configured methodology will work smoothly—proven in 50+ implementations. Get a consultation—we will select the optimal solution.