Deliverables can be associated with objects such as documents, parts, activities and milestones, essentially linking the items together. In this way, multiple deliverables are associated with a single item, a single deliverable is associated with multiple items, or a deliverable exists as an item unassociated with any other items. These deliverables are typically created as assignments and managed as part of the project plan. For example, you might associate an activity to a deliverable as the one whose work is responsible for producing the deliverable. Or you might track a whole set of deliverables independent of the activities to which they belong by associating them with a specific milestone.

When associating a deliverable with a milestone or activity, it is best to associate it to either an activity or a milestone but not to both since the information contained in the deliverable is calculated differently for associated milestones and activities.