Working with the Critical Path in Microsoft Project

This Critical Path in Microsoft Project tutorial is suitable for users of Project 2013/2016/2019.   

Objective 

Understand what the critical path is and how to view the tasks contained within the critical path.  

What is the Critical Path? 

Not all tasks are created equal in Microsoft Project. There will always be some tasks that are more critical to the overall project than others, and we refer to these tasks as the critical path.  

The critical path is a chain of linked tasks that directly affect the project’s finish date. These tasks are so important that if any of the tasks on the critical path are late, the whole project is delayed. Tasks not on the critical path have a certain amount of slack, whereas tasks on the critical path, do not. Slack refers to the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the overall end date of the project.  

Project calculates the longest path through the plan based on dates. The path will typically contain a chain of linked tasks. These tasks are the critical path. For example, if Project calculates a path that is 20 days long (path a) and another path of linked tasks is only 15 days long (path b), the tasks in path b can be up to 5 days late without changing the critical path.  

The tasks within the critical path control the calculated start or finish dates of the project and are often linked by task dependencies. The project is considered complete when the last task in the critical path is finished.  

The critical path is continuously calculated by Microsoft Project and can change as tasks are modified or updated. It is worth noting that this calculation is purely an estimate. Despite this, the critical path gives project managers a good idea of where to focus attention.

Video Tutorial 

To see Critical Paths in action, please watch the following video tutorial.  

Method

Identifying the Critical Path 

The critical path is automatically applied to all projects. It is, however, essential to be able to identify the critical path and the tasks contained within.  

1. Click the File tab 

2. Click Options 

3. Click on the Advanced tab 

4. Scroll to the bottom and check that the option ‘Tasks are critical if slack is less than or equal to’ is set to 0 days 

5. Click OK 

You can change the Gantt Chart view to see which tasks are on the critical path.  

6. Click the View tab 

7. From the Data group, click the Tables drop-down arrow 

8. Select Schedule  

This view will allow you to see the total slack for tasks in the project in the last column.  

Viewing Critical Tasks 

It is useful to be able to see only the critical tasks in your project.  

1. Click the View tab 

2. From the Data group, click the Filter drop-down 

3. Select Critical  

Viewing Critical Tasks on the Gantt Chart 

You can see the critical tasks on the Gantt Chart if you have applied the Schedule view switch back to Gantt Chart view and clear the Critical filter.  

1. Click the Format tab 

2. From the Bar Styles group, put a tick next to Critical Tasks 

The critical tasks will now show in a different color to the other bars on the Gantt Chart. In my case, orange.  

Calculate Multiple Critical Paths 

You are not limited to just one critical path in Microsoft Project. You can choose to display a critical path for each independent network of tasks within a project.  

1. Click the File tab 

2. Click Options 

3. Click on the Advanced tab 

4. Scroll to the bottom and check that the option ‘Calculate multiple critical paths’ 

For more information relating the critical path in Microsoft Project, please check out the following links: 

TENSIX Consulting – Multiple Critical Paths in Microsoft Project 

TechRepublic – View the Critical Path in Microsoft Project 

Sensei Project Solutions – Creating a Critical Path Indicator with Microsoft Project 

For more free training resources on Microsoft Project take a look at:

• Free Microsoft Project Training Course
• Microsoft Project 2019 – Ribbon and Toolbar
• Linking Tasks in Microsoft Project

Take a look at the full range of Microsoft Project courses available from Simon Sez IT.

Deborah Ashby

Deborah Ashby is a TAP Accredited IT Trainer, specializing in the design, delivery, and facilitation of Microsoft courses both online and in the classroom.She has over 11 years of IT Training Experience and 24 years in the IT Industry. To date, she's trained over 10,000 people in the UK and overseas at companies such as HMRC, the Metropolitan Police, Parliament, SKY, Microsoft, Kew Gardens, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.She's a qualified MOS Master for 2010, 2013, and 2016 editions of Microsoft Office and is COLF and TAP Accredited and a member of The British Learning Institute.