Critical Path - Where Smartsheet fails - Need a Critical Path filter ASAP

at1234

Any update on this request?   It impossible to read critical path on this tool without being able to filter when the project is long.

Matthew McClellan

Any update to this thread and SmartSheet's ability to support true critical path management. 

We are currently exporting to MS Project to evaluate and manage critical path, using total float to manage tasks proximate to the critical path (cff, Pete Kirkham's, 2/12/16 10:42 pm post above).

Regarding calculation of total float, our Master Scheduler reminds me constantly that without the concept of successors, there is no way to calculate the critical path. 

Steve Johnson

+1

Kara Lumley

Hi all,

Thanks for all the feedback - we appreciate the thoughtful responses and use cases. 

The ability to set a row level filter, including rows that are or are not on the critical path, is confirmed to come out with our release in January. 

If you have questions, or want to discuss our critical path calculation further, please feel free to reach out to me - kara.lumley@smartsheet.com

Best,

Kara

Kara Lumley

Hi all,

I've received a few questions about this so wanted to close the loop - the ability to filter on critical path - as well as rows containing attachments, comments, or rows that are locked (and the inverse) was released in January.

In order to show the critical path, you do need to be in the Gantt view, have Project Settings enabled, and have start/end dates with predecessors.

Here's the help article.

To have the filter functionality, you'll need the same requirements as above, and when you open the filter dialogue, click the condition dropdown and select Row:

Steve Johnson

Kara: Thanks for this update.  It will save me, and many others, untold hours of work.

Adrian Draghici

Hi Kara,

Can you repost the picture from the post above...it seems it got lost.

Thanks,

Adrian

LaurenL

Kara, 

Without the photo in the new post, the new feature can't be use. Can you (or someone on this thread) explain in text what filter value and criteria we are supposed to use?

 

Kara Lumley

Hi Lauren - 

The picture and instructions can be found here:

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/504659-using-filters-to-show-or-hide-sheet-data

 

Thank you,

Kara

daniel.harris56611

Hi Kara, 

We are using the critical path filter and highlight functionality which is very useful, however I have a few questions:

- How is the critical path calculated in Smartsheets?

- Are there plans to add free and total slack columns as used in MS Project?

Thanks

Dan 

Matthew McClellan

We've been using the critical path filter at the University of Louisville Hospital but for us, the major shortcoming is the lack of successors and any visibility to total slack. Without that we are unable to review tasks proximate to the critical path which is a key part of our weekly review of projects.

We are implementing Tempus Resources from Prosymmetry to address Smartsheet's other shortcoming which is weak resource management.

But overall, Smartsheets is a great tool for us to drive accountability across stakeholders and facilitate team collaboration. We can manage through those shortcomings for now.

Steve Johnson

Matthew: I 100% agree.  We would benefit immensely from successor visibility and Total Slack.