Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path Length of a network diagram in MSProject? Thanks
Tools/Options... pull the View tab and select the check box "Show project summary task". The duration of the summary task is the length of the critical path. By definition, this is the shortest time through the network. -- If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. Jim Check out my new blog for more information: http://www.msprojectblog.com "Sandra" wrote: > Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path Length of a > network diagram in MSProject? > > Thanks >
Close. It is the *longest* duration through the network. The network diagram view also automatically shows critical path nodes in red. I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along. Julie Project MVP Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information about Microsoft Project "Jim Aksel" wrote in message news:4D289D3B-8001-4894-A3DA-C3FF09F43505@microsoft.com... > Tools/Options... pull the View tab and select the check box "Show > project > summary task". > > The duration of the summary task is the length of the critical path. > By > definition, this is the shortest time through the network. > > -- > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. > > Jim > > Check out my new blog for more information: > http://www.msprojectblog.com > > > > "Sandra" wrote: > >> Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path >> Length of a >> network diagram in MSProject? >> >> Thanks >>
Nope - it is the ** shortest ** time the project can be completed given the constraints. You may find paths through the network that can complete in shorter periods of time, but the critical path represents the shortest period of time in which the entire network can be done from start to finish. We are both saying the same thing.... longest path, representing the shortest posssible project duration. Don't ya love it? -- "JulieS" wrote: > Close. It is the *longest* duration through the network. The network > diagram view also automatically shows critical path nodes in red. > > I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along. > > Julie > Project MVP > > Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information > about Microsoft Project > > > "Jim Aksel" wrote in message > news:4D289D3B-8001-4894-A3DA-C3FF09F43505@microsoft.com... > > Tools/Options... pull the View tab and select the check box "Show > > project > > summary task". > > > > The duration of the summary task is the length of the critical path. > > By > > definition, this is the shortest time through the network. > > > > -- > > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. > > > > Jim > > > > Check out my new blog for more information: > > http://www.msprojectblog.com > > > > > > > > "Sandra" wrote: > > > >> Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path > >> Length of a > >> network diagram in MSProject? > >> > >> Thanks > >> > > >
GREAT IDEAS!!! However (isn't there always a however?), using the project summary only tells you when the schedule starts and finishes. This would be the critical path lengh IF nothing has been statused. If you're half way through the schedule then the critical path length would be from the statusdate to the end. The longest contiguous path in a networked schedule. The customer requesting this data advised to pull up the network diagram in Project and walk through it from the end to the status date. He said this was the only way to do it. In a 10k line item schedule this task is insurmountable. I was hoping for an easier way to accomplish the same thing. "Jim Aksel" wrote: > Nope - it is the ** shortest ** time the project can be completed given the > constraints. You may find paths through the network that can complete in > shorter periods of time, but the critical path represents the shortest period > of time in which the entire network can be done from start to finish. > > We are both saying the same thing.... longest path, representing the > shortest posssible project duration. > > Don't ya love it? > > -- > > > "JulieS" wrote: > > > Close. It is the *longest* duration through the network. The network > > diagram view also automatically shows critical path nodes in red. > > > > I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along. > > > > Julie > > Project MVP > > > > Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information > > about Microsoft Project > > > > > > "Jim Aksel" wrote in message > > news:4D289D3B-8001-4894-A3DA-C3FF09F43505@microsoft.com... > > > Tools/Options... pull the View tab and select the check box "Show > > > project > > > summary task". > > > > > > The duration of the summary task is the length of the critical path. > > > By > > > definition, this is the shortest time through the network. > > > > > > -- > > > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > Check out my new blog for more information: > > > http://www.msprojectblog.com > > > > > > > > > > > > "Sandra" wrote: > > > > > >> Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path > > >> Length of a > > >> network diagram in MSProject? > > >> > > >> Thanks > > >> > > > > > >
How about creating a compound filter. There is a "critical" filter already available in the drop down. That will show you only the critical path. Since we generally only care about remaining work, you can create a filter that will show only the remaining critical tasks. Project/Filter/More Filters... New. Set Critical = Yes and [Actual Finish] = NA. You need to make a decision to use the "And" or the "or" in the filter. Selecting "AND" will show you only the unfinished work along the criticial path. Selecting "OR" will show you all critical path tasks (including those in the past) plus all unfinished work. Should you want, you can add additional criteria so you do not have to look too far into the future. -- If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. Jim Check out my new blog for more information: http://www.msprojectblog.com "Sandra" wrote: > GREAT IDEAS!!! > > However (isn't there always a however?), using the project summary only > tells you when the schedule starts and finishes. This would be the critical > path lengh IF nothing has been statused. If you're half way through the > schedule then the critical path length would be from the statusdate to the > end. The longest contiguous path in a networked schedule. > > The customer requesting this data advised to pull up the network diagram in > Project and walk through it from the end to the status date. He said this > was the only way to do it. In a 10k line item schedule this task is > insurmountable. I was hoping for an easier way to accomplish the same thing. > > > "Jim Aksel" wrote: > > > Nope - it is the ** shortest ** time the project can be completed given the > > constraints. You may find paths through the network that can complete in > > shorter periods of time, but the critical path represents the shortest period > > of time in which the entire network can be done from start to finish. > > > > We are both saying the same thing.... longest path, representing the > > shortest posssible project duration. > > > > Don't ya love it? > > > > -- > > > > > > "JulieS" wrote: > > > > > Close. It is the *longest* duration through the network. The network > > > diagram view also automatically shows critical path nodes in red. > > > > > > I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along. > > > > > > Julie > > > Project MVP > > > > > > Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information > > > about Microsoft Project > > > > > > > > > "Jim Aksel" wrote in message > > > news:4D289D3B-8001-4894-A3DA-C3FF09F43505@microsoft.com... > > > > Tools/Options... pull the View tab and select the check box "Show > > > > project > > > > summary task". > > > > > > > > The duration of the summary task is the length of the critical path. > > > > By > > > > definition, this is the shortest time through the network. > > > > > > > > -- > > > > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. > > > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > > > Check out my new blog for more information: > > > > http://www.msprojectblog.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Sandra" wrote: > > > > > > > >> Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path > > > >> Length of a > > > >> network diagram in MSProject? > > > >> > > > >> Thanks > > > >> > > > > > > > > >
There is a companion product to MS Project called PERTCHART EXPERT. You can learn more about it from http://project.mvps.org/comprods.htm http://www.criticaltools.com/pertchartexpertsoftware.htm This product makes some pretty nice views of you network. It's one of the best $200 we've spent. -- If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. Jim Check out my new blog for more information: http://www.msprojectblog.com "Sandra" wrote: > GREAT IDEAS!!! > > However (isn't there always a however?), using the project summary only > tells you when the schedule starts and finishes. This would be the critical > path lengh IF nothing has been statused. If you're half way through the > schedule then the critical path length would be from the statusdate to the > end. The longest contiguous path in a networked schedule. > > The customer requesting this data advised to pull up the network diagram in > Project and walk through it from the end to the status date. He said this > was the only way to do it. In a 10k line item schedule this task is > insurmountable. I was hoping for an easier way to accomplish the same thing. > > > "Jim Aksel" wrote: > > > Nope - it is the ** shortest ** time the project can be completed given the > > constraints. You may find paths through the network that can complete in > > shorter periods of time, but the critical path represents the shortest period > > of time in which the entire network can be done from start to finish. > > > > We are both saying the same thing.... longest path, representing the > > shortest posssible project duration. > > > > Don't ya love it? > > > > -- > > > > > > "JulieS" wrote: > > > > > Close. It is the *longest* duration through the network. The network > > > diagram view also automatically shows critical path nodes in red. > > > > > > I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along. > > > > > > Julie > > > Project MVP > > > > > > Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information > > > about Microsoft Project > > > > > > > > > "Jim Aksel" wrote in message > > > news:4D289D3B-8001-4894-A3DA-C3FF09F43505@microsoft.com... > > > > Tools/Options... pull the View tab and select the check box "Show > > > > project > > > > summary task". > > > > > > > > The duration of the summary task is the length of the critical path. > > > > By > > > > definition, this is the shortest time through the network. > > > > > > > > -- > > > > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it. > > > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > > > Check out my new blog for more information: > > > > http://www.msprojectblog.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Sandra" wrote: > > > > > > > >> Does anyone know of an *easy* way to calculate the Critical Path > > > >> Length of a > > > >> network diagram in MSProject? > > > >> > > > >> Thanks > > > >> > > > > > > > > >
