Microsoft Project Tutorial (II) - Critical Path - Learn critical tasks and slack

Oct 26, 2026

A Microsoft Project tutorial focused on the Critical Path method for schedule control. It explains how critical tasks form a dependency chain that directly determines the project finish date, and how delays in any critical task shift the entire plan. The guide shows how to display the critical path in Gantt Chart and other task views, highlight critical tasks in yellow, and filter to only critical activities. It also covers slack (float), using Detail Gantt and schedule tables to find available slack, and configuring what qualifies as critical. Finally, it introduces the Pert Chart/Network Diagram for visualizing dependencies and critical paths.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Critical Path

Show the Critical Path in Gantt Chart

Show the critical path in other task views

Slack (float) in your schedule

Use the Detail Gantt view to find slack (float)

Change what tasks show up on the critical path

Pert Chart (Network Diagram)

Create a Network Diagram

Microsoft Project Tutorial (II) Jiaqi Yan, University of Zurich Critical Path 􀂄 Every task is important, but only some of them are critical. 􀂄 The critical path is a chain of linked tasks that directly affects the project finish date. 􀂄 If any task on the critical path is late, the whole project is late. Show the Critical Path in Gantt Chart 􀂄 Click View > Gantt Chart. 􀂄 Format > Critical Tasks Show the critical path in other task views 􀂄 Click the View tab, and then pick a view from the Task Views group. 􀂄 Staying on the View tab, select Critical from the Highlight list. The critical path shows up in yellow. 􀂄 To see only the tasks on the critical path, click the Filter arrow, then pick Critical. Slack (float) in your schedule 􀂄 Slack is the amount of time that a task can slip before it affects another task or the project's finish date. 􀂄 The amount of slack in your schedule indicateshow long tasks can be delayed before other tasks or the project finish date are affected. 􀂄 Typically, critical tasks have no slack. But you can tell Project to include tasks with one or more days of slack on the critical path so you can see potential problems coming from farther away. Use the Detail Gantt view to findslack (float) 􀂄 On the View menu, click More Views. 􀂄 In the Views list, click Detail Gantt , and then click Apply. 􀂄 On the View menu, point to Table , and then click Schedule. Change what tasks show up on the critical path 􀂄 Click File > Options. 􀂄 Click Advanced , and then scroll down to the Calculation options for this project area. 􀂄 Add a number to the Tasks are critical ifslack is less than or equal to box. 􀂄 Use the Early Start, Early Finish, Late Start, Late Finish, Start Slack, and Finish Slack fields to analyze project schedule delays and find available slack in your schedule. Pert Chart (Network Diagram) 􀂄 A Network Diagram is a graphical way to view tasks, dependencies, and the critical path of your project. Boxes (or nodes) represent tasks, and dependencies show up as lines that connect those boxes. 􀂄 After you’ve switched views, you can add a legend, customize how your boxes appear, and print your Network Diagram. Create a Network Diagram 􀂄 To find the Network diagram view, click View > Network Diagram. 􀂄 Or click View> Gantt Chart> More Views

FAQs

What is the critical path in Microsoft Project?

The critical path is a chain of linked tasks that directly affects the project finish date. If any task on it is late, the whole project becomes late.

How can you highlight critical tasks in the Gantt Chart?

Use View > Gantt Chart, then choose Format > Critical Tasks or highlight Critical in the Highlight list on the View tab. The critical path appears in yellow.

What does slack (float) mean, and how do you find it?

Slack is the time a task can slip without affecting other tasks or the project finish date. You can view slack using the Detail Gantt view and schedule tables such as Start/Finish Slack fields.

Oct 26, 2026

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