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What is a chain?

A chain is a group of linked tasks that belong together — a sequence of steps, a multi-phase project, or any set of tasks that have a natural order. When you link two tasks, Tandem detects the connected cluster and treats it as a chain. Chains give you a single place to track progress, manage deadlines, collaborate with others, and analyze where time tends to slip.

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Creating a chain

You don’t create a chain explicitly — it forms automatically when you link tasks. To link two tasks, open either task and use the Link button to connect it to another task. Choose a link type:
  • Blocks — this task must be done before the other can start
  • Before — this task comes before the other (softer ordering)
  • Relates to — the tasks are connected but not strictly ordered
Once at least two tasks are linked, Tandem creates a chain and names it automatically based on the context. You can rename it at any time from the chain detail page. Alternatively, the AI chat can help you build a chain: describe a multi-step plan and Tandem will propose a sequence of tasks with links already in place.

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The chain detail page

Click a chain from the /chains list to open its detail page. From here you can:
  • View all tasks in the chain as a graph (nodes and edges showing dependencies)
  • See each task’s status, deadline, priority, and assignee at a glance
  • Complete or reopen tasks directly
  • Edit the chain name and event date
  • Chat with Tandem to update deadlines and priorities across the whole chain at once
  • Save the chain as a reusable template

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Tabs

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Chat-powered updates

From the chain detail page, you can describe changes in plain language:
Tandem proposes the updated deadlines across all tasks. Review the proposed changes and confirm to apply them all at once.

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Collaborating on a chain

You can invite connections to a chain from the Members tab. Each member gets one of three permission levels:

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Stats and slippage

The Stats tab shows how deadlines have shifted over time for tasks in the chain. Use this to understand:
  • Which tasks tend to slip, and by how much
  • How task completion rate has tracked against creation rate (cumulative flow)
  • A timeline showing when each deadline moved and by how much

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Chain templates

You can save any chain as a template so you can reuse it in the future — see Templates for the full workflow.

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Viewing all chains

Go to /chains to see all your chains and chains shared with you. Each card shows the chain name, task count, and progress (completed / total tasks).