'dependencies.dependency.version' is missing error, but version is managed in parent

A couple things I think you could try:

1. Put the literal value of the version in the child pom

   <dependency>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
     <version>3.2.3.RELEASE</version>
     <scope>runtime</scope>
   </dependency>
   

2. Clear your .m2 cache normally located C:\Users\user.m2\repository. I would say I do this pretty frequently when I'm working in maven. Especially before committing so that I can be more confident CI will run. You don't have to nuke the folder every time, sometimes just your project packages and the .cache folder are enough.

3. Add a relativePath tag to your parent pom declaration

   <parent>
     <groupId>com.mycompany.app</groupId>
     <artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
     <version>1</version>
    <relativePath>../parent/pom.xml</relativePath>
   </parent>
   

It looks like you have 8 total errors in your poms. I would try to get some basic compilation running before adding the parent pom and properties.

If anyone finds their way here with the same problem I was having, my problem was that I was missing the <dependencyManagement> tags around dependencies I had copied from the child pom.

In theory, maven does not allow to use a property to set a parent version.

In your case, maven can simply not figure out that the 0.0.1-SNAPSHOT version of your parent pom is the one that is currently in your project, and so it tries to find it in your local repo. It probably finds one since it is a snapshot, but it is an old version that probably not contains your Dependency Management section.

There is a workaround though :

Simply change the parent section in the child pom with this :

<parent>
    <groupId>com.sw.system4</groupId>
    <artifactId>system4-parent</artifactId>
    <version>${system4.version}</version>
    <relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>  <!-- this must match your parent pom location -->
</parent>